The new multifunctional congress centre in Riccione was equipped by Bayards with fire escapes totally made of glass and anodized aluminium. Stately as for size and extension, they unwind along the building northern and southern side. Every faQade has four escapes consisting of a series of flights and landings for a total length exceeding half a kilometre. The irregular plan makes the building dynamic and the curtain wall, otherwise flat, lively. Consequently, every flight has its own design. The stairs are 2.5 m long and are supported by brackets on 7.5 m openings. Given the remarkable size, Bayards conceived a series of high-strength aluminium alloy profiles: large rectangular section extrusions whose thickness is differentiated in order to maximize stiffness while limiting weight. As for treading surfaces, CNC machined extruded profiles were used to create a fioor as draining as a grid but optically closed. The handrails are studied on purpose for large glazed surfaces, apparently continuous, but without compromising safety. The vertical rod and the rail are also aluminium extruded profiles especially studied to fit this project. The staircase won the prestigious European Aluminium Award 2008, because it is "a combination of elegance and industrial use of aluminium. The light weight construction is achieved in a very functional way with a clear focus on design. All the stairs have different dimensions, what makes the production and logistics very complicated. This stairway gives the building a great appearance and is part of the architectural solution in perfect harmony with the glass.

Bayards, the leading company in the manufacture of winning aluminium solutions, has recently underlined its capacity for innovation by constructing the first helideck in Italy using this material. When talking about Helicopter Rescue, speed of intervention is of fundamental importance and can be notably increased if the helicopter-ambulance can land directly on the hospital roof. But how can a helicopter landing pad be constructed on an old building without jeopardising its stability? The answer, for AOVV (Azienda Ospedaliera di Valtellina e Valchiavenna) Hospital, was designed and constructed by Bayards: out of aluminium of course, the basic material used for all the company's winning designs. The particularly innovative structure has a landing surface made of special extruded aluminium alloys. This has various positive properties: it is light and helps enhance the building's seismic resistance, it conducts heat making it easier to install antifreeze systems, and it practically never changes over time resulting in almost no maintenance costs. The extruded aluminium elements incorporate integrated non-slip surfaces to maximise grip and safety. The protective perimeter nets are also made of aluminium alloy, as is the drain, which allows rain water, fire-fighting foam and any fuel leakage to run off smoothly; this alloy's notable resistance to corrosion makes it perfect for all these purposes. A sophisticated fire-fighting system and cutting-edge lighting system, in accordance with strict aeronautical standards, complete the installation. Before this helicopter landing pad was completed, helicopter rescue vehicles had to land outside the city and then patients had to be transported to the AOVV; thanks to this design, the distance between the pad and accident & emergency department has been cancelled, saving precious time for staff running the unit. Bayards has already constructed similar designs in various European countries - Germany, Spain, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and France - and the Italian market and finally beginning to appreciate state-of-the-art technological designs. Promoting aluminium and the benefits it entails is an enterprise Bayards is carrying out with great enthusiasm: the company will actually be building another aluminium helideck in Milan ready for EXPO 2015.

For over half-a-century Bayards has been providing aluminium solutions for the building industry: high-level specialisation and constant research lie at the foundations of this enduring and well-established market presence. Aluminium, an innovative material, has a wide range of applications, which Bayards can interpret and cater for thanks to its tried and trusted experience. The company has successfully taken on and completed futuristic projects, such as the self-supporting stairway at the control tower in Barcelona or the helipad at the aforementioned city's Trade Fair. The company has also managed to catch the eye in Italy as well, thanks to its contribution to the construction of Palariccione, a multipurpose conference centre which has really upgraded the architectural panorama in this town on the Adriatic coast. The construction of the outside fire escapes, whose overall length is over 500 m, was only possible thanks to special extruded aluminium sections specially designed and manufactured for this buiding. One of Bayard's latest constructions is the helipad for Valtellina and Valchiavenna Hospital Complex in Sondrio. This is the first structure of its kind in Italy made entirely of aluminium and has a diameter of 26 m. Thanks to its lightness and toughness, aluminium has enabled the heliport to be located on the roof, notably simplifying rescue operations: it is now possible to transport patients directly to the operating room thanks to the access ramp and stretcher-hoist, thereby saving valuable time. Aluminium's surprising properties mean it also has great aesthetic potential, much admired by leading architects. Renzo Piano used Bayards solutions made from this material for Nichols Bridge, a footbridge designed as part of his project for the Chicago Arts Institute. The footbridge connects the new Modern Wing to Millennium Park; the aluminium panels, which cover the walkway, allow special heating resistances to be incorporated in order to prevent ice and snow from collecting during Chicago's winters, when temperatures drop to -30°C. Constant investment in research and equipment and the use of cutting-edge technology - including solid-state friction welding - mean that Bayards can take up all the latest challenges providing winning solutions made of aluminium.

Bayards, da quasi mezzo secolo, offre soluzioni in alluminio per l'edilizia:
l'elevata specializzazione e la costante ricerca sono alla base di questa
duratura e solida presenza sul mercato. L'alluminio, materiale innovativo,
ha applicazioni molteplici che Bayards è in grado di interpretare e realizzare
con comprovata esperienza. L'azienda ha affrontato con successo la
traduzione in realtà di progetti avveniristici, come la scalinata autoportante
per la torre di controllo a Barcellona o l'elisuperficie della Fiera nella capitale
catalana. L'azienda si è conquistata una notevole visibilità anche in Italia
con il suo contributo alla costruzione del Palariccione, palazzo congressi
polifunzionale che ha fortemente innovato il panorama architettonico della
cittadina adriatica. Realizzare le scale di sicurezza esterne, la cui lunghezza
complessiva supera i cinquecento metri, è stato possibile solo grazie a
speciali profili di alluminio estruso, progettati e prodotti da Bayards appositamente
per questo edificio. Una delle più recenti realizzazioni Bayards è
l'elisuperficie per l'Azienda Ospedaliera di Valtellina e Valchiavenna a Sondrio.
In Italia, è stata la prima struttura del genere realizzata interamente in
alluminio, e con un diametro di ben 26 metri. L'alluminio, grazie alla sua
leggerezza e robustezza, ha consentito di posizionare l'elisuperifice sul tetto,
semplificando notevolmente le procedure di soccorso: tramite rampa
di accesso e monta-lettighe, è ora possibile trasportare i pazienti direttamente
in sala operatoria, con un risparmio di tempo prezioso. Sorprendente
per le sue prestazioni, l'alluminio ha anche grandi potenzialità estetiche,
apprezzate dai più importanti architetti. Renzo Piano ha utilizzato
soluzioni Bayards in questo materiale per il Nichols Bridge, ponte pedonale
disegnato nell'ambito del suo progetto per il Chicago Arts Institute. Il
ponte collega la nuova Modern Wing al Millennium Park; i pannelli in alluminio,
che rivestono il piano di camminamento, permettono di incorporare
speciali resistenze riscaldanti che evitano l'accumulo di ghiaccio e neve
negli inverni di Chicago, dove le temperature scendono fino a -30°C.
L'investimento costante in ricerca e attrezzature e l'utilizzo di tecnologie
all'avanguardia - fra le quali la saldatura per attrito allo stato solido - mette
Bayards in condizione di rispondere a sfide sempre nuove fornendo soluzioni
in alluminio vincenti.