Wallspan together with global Façade experts VMZINC who are headquartered in France, will present the first ever Biophilic Architecture and Innovative Facades Conference at the Hilton tomorrow(10) .
VMZINC is a global power house that manufactures high quality façade and roofing products with several other strategic business units specialising in various industrial applications. The history of VMZINC as part of the Umicore Group goes back more than 200 years. The Umicore Group has a number of mining and smelting companies, which gradually evolved into a materials, technology and recycling company. Today VMZINC-Umicore Group is one of the world’s largest players in this industry with a presence in all continents .
Wallspan who have proved to be a competitive force in shaping the building façade industry since its inception, by introducing a range of innovative, high quality, and sustainable cladding solutions to the Sri Lankan building facade market, will also unveil an award winning patented Façade technology at the Conference.
The professionalism of the Speakers reflects a diverse background of high-level overseas and local senior executives and consultants in the industry, amongst whom are Kelvin Kan Architect & Façade Consultant from Singapore AgFACADE DESIGN, Tugay Dindar Architect and Façade Consultant from France VMZINC, Binoy Kumar Façade Consultant from Facade Concept Design, Ravindra Verma Architect Kothari Associates Pvt Ltd, and Suresh Srinivasan who is CEO of Auro Power systems in India.
Kelvin Kan graduated in Scotland and worked in some leading architectural practices in London before obtaining his MSc in Construction in Management from Kingston University (UK). Kelvin practiced as an architect in Singapore since 1993 and moved into the glass industry before becoming a facade specialist. 2003-2009: Façade Design Specialist with Arup Façade Engineering, Kelvin founded AgFacadesign (AgFd) in 2009. Kelvin’s work158 Cecil Street was also shortlisted in the 2012 World Architecture Festival, 2013 Singapore President’s Design Awards and featured in CNA’s City Time Traveller programme and “Singapore: Biophilic City”
Tugay Dindar graduated from Paris-La Villette Architecture School in Paris, 1999& 2004 Architect Project manager in Parisian Architecture offices Brunet & Saunier, BRS Architects, AR&C. Tugay has been Working for VMZINC since 2004 (12 years), as international Architecture & project consultant for South Europe, Middle-East, Central Asia based in VMZINC Headquarters in Paris. He has advanced skills in Facade & Complex/Amorph shape project management in international environments (mature & emerging markets). He is also a member of the VMZINC Architectural magazines Editorial Committee and a Member of the Archizinc Campus Architecture Competition committee. Tugay has been representing VMZINC on different international platforms and is well versed in the selection of right building envelope systems, best suited to meet the architects design intent.
Binoy Kumar Das is Managing Director Façade Design Group in India . Binoy Graduated with an engineering degree and has 14 plus years of working experience in the façade registered FCD Mumbai office with intention to provide consultancy and engineering services, and has completed several medium to large scale projects. Binoy started FCD in 2009 with 8 members of staff , they have now expanded to 42 qualified people working across various offices in Mumbai, Dubai, Bangkok, Cambodia , Sri Lanka and the Philippines .
Ravindra Verma graduated from SPA, New Delhi, India in 1991 & started working with Kothari Associates Pvt Ltd, Connaught Place, Delhi, India . Since joining KAPL, he has taken a leadership role in jointly building the firm’s portfolio and has been instrumental in leading the design of several projects . He has spent more than 25 years focused on planning and designing large scale retail outlets, hotels, offices, residential, mixed use developments, colleges, campuses, townships, Industrial, laboratories and hospitals. The unusual use of space is his forte. He has an eye for good design and can visualize and translate ideas onto paper to show clients and builders. His expertise in leading design teams & client management is a key factor of his success .
Suresh Srinivasan graduated in Science from MKU [Madurai Kamaraj Univeristy] . He commenced his career in the Pharmaceutical Industry in the year 1979, and worked in the FMCG Industry and subsequently went on to manufacturing in the Power Electronics Industry. He recently expanded into the field of New and Renewable Energy (NRE).
Wallspan is constantly looking to push the architectural boundaries by providing a platform to share knowledge and experiences among the construction industry professionals. Wallspan works closely with the design community and the various professionals in the industry to achieve these goals and their mission is to be the leader in creating sustainable and best quality living spaces by delivering building finishes to those of international standards in Sri Lanka and the Indian Subcontinent through commitment to innovation, best design and engineering excellence.
Original Link: http://dailynews.lk/2016/03/09/business/wallspan-partners-vmzinc-facade-conference-sri-lanka
The beautiful green landscape soothed our eyes and refreshed our souls as we walk through the city streets back in the good old days is disappearing at a rapid speed due to accelerated urbanising in our city. The only noticeable park for we have the entire city is Viharamahadevi park in the townhall. The development of many giant commercial buildings and high-rise apartments which are indeed highly beneficial for the country yet the diminishing small remaining patches of greenery is taking its toll on the city dwellers with increased city temperature and stress-related illnesses at an unprecedented level.
Ensuring the wellbeing of the population, creating sustainable living space and the attractiveness of the city; Wallspan, a company specializing in architectural building façade, rain screen cladding, decorative cladding and curtain wall facade, has come up with a novel solution to transform Colombo into a Garden City without disturbing the fast paced development.
Explaining the concept of “living façade”, Ramzeen Rauff, Director- Operations of Wallspan said, ‘Plante living façade is a vertical garden which helps people living in densely populated urban environments re-connect with nature. It transforms dull and grey walls into most needed greenery by growing beautiful plants on a vertical space. It can be used to beautify the walls of high-rise buildings, offices, flats, apartments, individual homes or any other structure for that matter.’
Wallspan very recently completed the country’s tallest vertical garden at the five-star Movenpick city hotel with more than 33,000 plants on vertical plane, thus proving its engineering excellence. Though it’s a new concept to Sri Lanka, living facades have helped to change the city landscape of many developed countries including Singapore which has gained international reputation as a garden city.
According to Rauff, living facades goes beyond than offering an aesthetic value to the city landscape to also give many other health and environmental benefits. Some major studies done by world renowned green façade consultants on vertical garden has revealed benefits such as reduced air pollution, better acoustics and reduced urban heat amongst many benefits. Living facades help to reduce air pollution by filtering the fine particles in the air and help reduce heat in urban areas by preventing heat radiation into surrounding areas as opposed to solid walls. Modern studies have proven that plants can reduce radiation of heat by up to 50 percent. Additionally living façade also helps reduce noise pollution in the city. ‘The initial cost of living façade is outweighed by the health and other benefits offered by it,’ he added.

As plants are grown on a vertical space in contrast to ordinary gardens on land, access to regular water supply, fertilizer and nutrients become a challenge. Wallspan uses a fully automated irrigation and liquid fertilizer system to overcome such challenges. The system especially designed for high-rise buildings, which is incorporated with special safety features. The plants can be chosen according to individual tastes of the client considering climatic conditions and other factors affecting plants to grow in the particular location. One of the special features of living façade is that users can move plants around, not having to look at the same display every day, thanks to the advanced engineering capability of Wallspan.Due to lack of space in the congested city, at the residential level, many home gardens have been turned in to car parks disallowing them to enjoy luxury of having their gardens. Concerning the need, Wallspan also provide an economical and value engineered solution for individual home owners to have their Vertical Garden within the limited space available.
“Living facades offer a wide range of benefits to the users as well as to the country. With tourism being one of the main growth engines of our economy living facades will be able to give a much needed boost to it by attracting and promoting the Sri Lankan capital as a beautiful garden city”, further stated Rauff who brings with him an experience of over ten years in the façade industry in the UK where he worked with internationally renowned architects, developers and contractors.
The company takes pride in introducing a range of innovative, high quality, and sustainable cladding solutions to the Sri Lankan building facade market within the last few years. Products being chosen from world renowned manufacturers in Europe, USA and Singapore in order to ensure our clients to benefit from latest technologies & sustainable products with the promise of long term cost benefit. Wallspan has become a trusted brand among the design community and some of its prestigious clients include Softlogic Life, Dialog, Odel, Prime Residencies, Mobitel, Movenpick City Hotel, and various universities, banks and many other retail, corporate and government institutions. The Company already has been able to build an excellent track record in providing pioneering technologies to building façade market through introduction of EXTEC Cladding, Light Clad, PERF Clad, Archizinc cladding, BIPV Solar glass, etc.
Wallspan team dedicated to provide its expertise and assistance to architects, interior and landscape designers,corporateand individual home owners who wish to have a beautiful vertical garden in their premises irrespective of the scale of the project. More details about living facades can be obtained by calling the company’s hotline 0770881558 or 0117470055or by logging onto www.wallspan.lk.
More Information:
http://dailynews.lk/2017/03/30/business/111948/wallspan-envisions-transforming-colombo-garden-city
https://www.pressreader.com/sri-lanka/daily-mirror-sri-lanka/20170330/282102046510504
With over 30 years of experience in providing quality lifestyle, care and protection products, Rainco Group has ventured into several key businesses over the years. Building solutions and finishes are part of the group, who has witnessed constant growth within the last seven years as part of an ongoing expansion strategy. In 2013 Rainco Group ventured with its latest strategic business unit, Wallspan, which specialises in providing environmentally sustainable solutions to architectural and design projects focusing on exterior envelope of the building, mainly utilises energy efficient also façades and eco-friendly internal walls and screens. Ramzeen Rauff, Director Operations -Wallspan spoke of the potential and the many opportunities available in this industry.
“Sri Lanka Needs To Attract Global Players Because We Are Situated In A Strategically Important Location. Wallspan Is Looking To Play A Key Role In Terms Of Providing Sustainable Solutions To The Construction Industry.”
Further elaborating he said, “we can learn a lot from Singapore especially in terms of constructing green buildings. Singapore is taking the lead and is a good example if we want to be on the international construction map. If they are taking the lead, why not we take a share of it. That is why we need to have the required technology so that the major investors who have already established themselves in Singapore will also identify Sri Lanka as a good location to do business.”
Catering to a niche market, Wallspan is now an established company partnering with the design and architectural community to achieve their targets and objectives. “Within this short span of time we have already identified some key projects and we are working towards providing energy efficient solutions to our clientele,” explained Ramzeen. “At Wallspan we provide bespoke engineered solutions. We have the flexibility to provide the required solution. Our objective is to improve and then assist the community and provide a sustainable and quality living space for the people of this country as well as those who are looking to invest here. Sri Lanka needs to attract global players because we are situated in a strategically important location. Wallspan is looking to play a key role in terms of providing sustainable solutions to the construction industry,” concluded Ramzeen Rauf who brings with him an experience of over ten years in the construction sector in the UK where he worked with internationally renowned architects,
developers and contractors.
Original Article : http://www.businesstoday.lk/article.php?article=9504
The conference, held in collaboration with VMZINC, will also look into the origin of Biophilic Architecture and its seamless integration into 21st century buildings and Facade design, along with an introduction into the latest trends. The event will take place at the Blue at Hilton Colombo, on 10th March 2016 from 9.00 am- 2.00pm. A media conference on this regard was held today (23). Wallspan’s mission is to be the leader in creating sustainable and best quality living spaces by delivering building finishes to those of international standards in Sri Lanka and the Indian Subcontinent through commitment to innovation, best design and engineering excellence.