Projects
Prototype Parapluie

Parapluie as the thinnest concrete construction

The “Parapluie” (French for “umbrella”) is a double-curved shell construction with minimal component thickness. It was designed as a prototype for serial production as a shelter for bus stops, for example, where special attention is to be paid to the architectural design.

The component has a thickness of just 25 mm at the outer edges for a particularly delicate appearance. This is increased to 35 mm in the middle. At this point, the roof shell connects to the slender support with integrated downpipe for drainage. To prove the load-bearing capacity, the construction was subjected to a load test at the factory (see picture). Even a load of more than 800 kg, which is far above the expected load in practice, did not lead to failure.

The design and execution of the shell construction as the thinnest concrete structure won the international TSUBOI Award in 2013. To this day, the Parapluie sets standards for the performance of high-performance concrete and once again impressively demonstrates the load-bearing capacity and design flexibility of DUCON.

Project data:

• Execution period: 2011
• Roof shell with a component thickness of 25-35 mm (1.0-1.4 in)
• Individual component as a prototype