MORE THAN JUST LOOKS

Much innovations in façades abound. But the practicality of a façade is what owners and fabricators look at

- JAYASHREE KINI MENDES

For a layman, a façade is a thing of beauty to be admired. But for façade contractors, it’s hard work. Much much thought and engineering go into mak-ing a façade that is vibrant and modern. Right from design to choosing the right material to the contractor to installation, there is much engineering that goes into making a façade.

In the last few years, researchers have developed revolutionary façades that cool, heat and neutralise smog. Innovative technologies make buildings more energy-efficient and have a positive impact on the CO2 balance.

Façades are the most important building element from both the users and the architect’s point of view. And, they are not easy to design too since the perception of iconic and technologically advanced façades is changing frequently. Highly technical designers continue with their research and experiment with new and complex façade forms and patterns. The glass aluminium façades are bygones now as we see a lot more new materials in the market such as rusted iron panels, zinc, copper and steel, even high-pressure laminates.

Shyam Raghunandan, MD, Schüco India, says, “Now a days, façade is considered to be more than an elevation skin on buildings. It is not just an aesthetic element any more it is considered as an essential parameter for building performance. We consider innovation that offers solutions to building envelope of a superior quality in terms of technology and architectural innovation.”

That is not all. Besides the materials that furnish the look and feel of a building, technologies applied to façades are also changing. The leading-edge technologies play a crucial role in terms of sustainability and operational cost-effectiveness.