Ostseekai terminal, Kiel, Germany

Large window fronts and lots of space characterize the new cruise terminal in Kiel. The two-storey building with 3,700 square meters of floor space is intended to provide optimal service for shipping companies and passengers, as the new building will provide each ship with its own building in the future. The first floor of the terminal will be used for baggage handling, while the upper floor will be used for passengers' stay and convenient check-in. A gangway will guide passengers from there directly to the cruise ship.

An outside staircase also takes visitors to the viewing terrace with a view of the Kiel Fjord. The terrace is spacious and about one third of it is covered. Visitors enjoy using it most in good weather and sunshine, but the terrace should also be safe to walk on in rain or snow. For this reason, ACO facade and terrace drainage systems were chosen. A special challenge here were the round façade elements. The client relied on ACO special constructions. The use of custom-made facade channels enables a drainage solution that is in no way inferior to the design.

Equally important is the protection of the building structure. That is why rainwater must not only be drained away from the surfaces of the terrace as quickly and safely as possible, but also the base of the façade, i.e. the transition from the horizontal surface to the rising components, is sensitive in terms of structural design. Here it must be ensured that no moisture from the outside can penetrate into the building or run behind the sealing. It is therefore all the more important to plan and execute such connections precisely. This is the only way to avoid expensive damage to the building structure. The ACO Profiline drainage system ensures that rainwater is effectively drained off.