Modular Tile Facades at Malmö Live | ALPHATON® | MOEDING

ALPHATON® is a modular ceramic rear-ventilated tile with rainscreen coating, patented and produced by MOEDING, a German manufacturer that specializes in brick facade systems. It was implemented on the facades of the Malmö Live Center, which accommodates a concert hall, a congress center, a hotel, a bar, and a restaurant.

The building has an open layout with public space for visitors and pedestrians to use or transit, and every element of the program is organized as an independent entity to resemble a city.

All of the facades on the complex are designed as front facades, with accessibility and activities available on every side. They were thus designed homogeneously, as one architectural sculpture inspired by music sheets, with corresponding variations in the rhythm of the panels on the facades.

Inside, three volumes hold a large symphony hall, a flexible hall, and a conference hall. The interior is simple, consisting of rough black concrete, stone, wood, and brass.

The ALPHATON® tiles used on the project are inspired directly by the color palette of the neighborhood that surrounds it, and they were custom-made for the project. Each facade was detailed with the help of full-scale models and test series with tone and glaze mixtures with the help of MOEDING.

A combination of red, white, and yellow brick with translucent glazing was chosen to resemble the Malmö typical color palette, and clay as a material was chosen for its relation to the tradition of the Hanseatic brick buildings of the city. The patterns of the facades connect across the buildings, and their shades and variations give them a different look at every season and hour.

The ALPHATON® brick, introduced to the market by MOEDING in 2001, is a rectangular tile meant for uniform facade coverage.

The facade system offers:

• long-lasting materials
• natural resources
• efficient production
• economical development through fast and efficient installation
• high individuality due to large design option potential
• energy efficient
• low maintenance

The extruded ALPHATON® brick slabs are made from predominantly native clays and are fully colored. Due to the very high firing temperatures and the long firing time, intensive colors and the best strength values are achieved. The brick slabs are double-shelled and 30 mm thick. The breaking loads of ALPHATON® panels are many times higher than those of single-skin panels. The tiles are resistant to weather stressors and their structure can be adapted for diverse climates, to facilitate ventilation or insulation as needed.