Low Solar Absorption Powder Coatings: Matrex Tower in Moscow ― 

Matrex, located in Moscow’s Skolkovo Business and Technology Park, rises above its neighbors like a towering pyramid. The unique structure is coated in Black Onyx from Interpon’s D2525 Eco portfolio, a range of heat-reflective coatings which can bounce the sun’s rays back off the exterior of a building.

A mixed-use commercial building, Matrex was designed by visionary Russian architect Boris Bernaskoni. His monolithic, pyramidal structure is clad in glass. It hides a much softer, curvier interior, which can only be clearly seen at night, when the building is dramatically illuminated from within, and evokes the iconic Russian matryoshka doll. Matrex became a new architectural symbol for the wider complex; it is also an architectural exercise about bridging opposites and uniting different worlds through architecture. Matrex was designed to house a series of office spaces for business start-ups, a museum and exhibition areas, a conference center, a restaurant, and a fitness center. The matryoshka stands for those many “buildings-within-a-building”, accommodating its complex program.

Matrex is one of many iconic green buildings around the world that benefit from the company’s extensive range of world class powder coatings, and has already received many awards for its visionary, evocative and sustainable design.

Daniela Vlad, Managing Director of AkzoNobel’s Powder Coatings business, said: “We pride ourselves on being able to meet the increasing demand for sustainable coatings so that we can deliver customer benefits, societal benefits and environmental benefits. The special thing about Interpon D2525 Eco is its ability to keep buildings cooler, which can make an important contribution to reducing the urban heat island effect.”

Adds Jean-Paul Moonen, AkzoNobel Powder Coatings’ Global Segment Manager for Architecture: “Like most cities, Moscow is warming up much quicker than the surrounding land, and products like Interpon D2525 Eco can make a big difference. For example, the temperature increase in the city due to the urban heat island effect can be up to 2 °C. It might not sound like much, but it can cause a significant spike in dehydration or heat stroke for city dwellers.

He explains that in a controlled test, our heat reflective pigments were shown to keep a roof 7 °C cooler than one coated without the heat reflection technology. Meanwhile, the temperature inside was 3 °C lower, reducing the demand for energy to power fans and air conditioning units.

Interpon Eco powder coatings display all the resilience of the D2525 superdurable technology, with an added consideration for resistance to heat from the sun. The Interpon Eco Eternity Collection presently includes 20 shades, in four curated color palettes: Luxury, adding an extra dimension to prestigious projects with an opulent metallic finish; Harmony, including pale, light colors that create a feeling of calm and serenity; Simplicity, featuring colors that work well to combine elements such as cement, glass, and stone; and Earthy, suggesting colors that reflect the natural environment.

Eternity, the Essential Collection for Green Building, comes with exceptional durability as part of the Interpon D2000 range –a proven 21 year on-building track record. We believe that it will become the first choice of architects, not only helping to reduce energy bills but also providing the following benefits: • Building life cycle cost efficiency • Exceptional weathering durability • A guarantee of up to 25 years • Exceptional heat reflective performance • Qualicoat Class 2; AAMA 2604 compliance • Contribution to LEED “green building” certification • EPD Environmental Product Declaration • Unlimited customized colors and finishes, upon request.