Nearly 915,000 square feet, the Riviera Shopping Mall and Entertainment Center in Podolsk, Russia is home to a large variety of retailers and eateries. The complex's designer, LA-based firm 5+design, states: “The overall site (40 hectares) possesses excellent visibility from Simferopolskoe highway that generates more than 80,000 cars daily…Anchored by an international pool of tenants, this 85,000 square-meter retail development will definitely become a destination point not only for Podolsk citizens but also for its satellite towns and surroundings.”
The exterior of the building bears resemblance to the neighboring Pakhra River, which served as a source of inspiration for the project. Luminous Alucobond® aluminum composite panels from 3A Composites USA in Spectra Ocean envelop the building’s exterior, producing an image not unlike rippling water.
The iridescent appearance of the panels allow the building to emulate water when illuminated, creating a unique, dynamic visual appeal. Three-dimensional fabrication of the panels by Dekoral help create a visually-stunning facade that is then enhanced with the incorporation of an LED lighting system that is employed at night.
Alucobond’s Spectra panels benefit from a high-performance coating system that utilizes LUMIFLON® FEVE resin technology from AGC Inc.. FEVE-based coating systems are known for providing superior weatherability, durability, and unparalleled color and gloss retention, thus preserving the coating’s structural integrity. With LUMIFLON, the risk of chalking and fading due to coatings failure is decreased, which ultimately eliminates the need to reapply. These coating systems prove ideal for high exposure, heavily used buildings like the Riviera Shopping Mall, as they can maintain its facade for extended lengths of time, keeping it in pristine condition.
About LUMIFLON
LUMIFLON, a product of the Asahi Glass Company, is a solvent-soluble fluoropolymer that offers distinct advantages to the architectural market. LUMIFLON provides architects with the option of using brighter colors and higher gloss, allowing gloss values as high as 90; offers the flexibility to be heat cured or cured at ambient temperature, giving fabricators a choice between shop application or application in the field; and can be used successfully on a number of materials, including steel, aluminum, fiberglass, concrete and polycarbonate for 30 years without fading.