design thought

Ruchi Yadav, Jaideep Sarkar and Kartik P. Jadhav

Innovative
façade design
strategies
Case studies that highlight the significance of the
various aspects of façade design, and convince
you that a thoughtfully designed skin is capable of
making a building ideal for its occupants as well as
the environment

T
he building envelope is a critical area of a building’s design.
It is one of the most significant exterior elements for
building functionality. Façades and building envelopes not
only form the outer skin of buildings, but also project image
and creative intent.
The façade plays a critical role in the energy performance and inte-
rior function of a building. It protects the occupants from wind and rain
and the extremes of temperature and humidity. It is also an essential
part of the building’s aesthetics, complementing the structural form and
outlining its visual impact on the urban environment. As technology
continues to improve, different options for improvement become avail-
able for incorporation into building facades. These elements are geared
toward improvement of the performance of the building envelope.
Let us try and identify effective design strategies, through various
case studies, that minimize building energy use while simultaneously
enhancing the comfort and well-being of the building’s occupants.

Role of the facade

i) Reduces Energy Consumption: This is achieved by minimizing solar
gain through the façade, which, in turn, reduces the cooling loads of
the building.
ii) Ensures Natural Ventilation: Protection provided by the external
skin, ensures that natural ventilation is achieved by various means
like cavity skins and mechanized windows without compromising

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 occupant comfort during harsh concepts may include branding, visual or thermal comfort thresholds
climatic conditions such as wind, image-ability, ideas about are exceeded. These blinds are likely
rain and snow. community, and the importance to remain closed for some time, negat-
iii) Provides Acoustic Insulation: of technology. The standards of ing the potential benefits of having
A well-designed external beauty vary according to time the window in the first place.
skin provides a high degree and culture. At the Institut du Monde Arabe
of acoustical comfort for the (1987) or The Arab World Institute
occupants of a building, as Day lighting (AWI), Paris, French architect, Jean
compared to a conventional Day lighting significantly impacts Nouvel has realized a dynamic rede-
building façade while ensuring buildings and their occupants. sign of the vernacular Arabic screen.
required ventilation, air exchange Daylight can be used to counterbal- The amount of daylight entering the
and visual connection with the ance the use of electrical lighting and building is controlled by 27,000 light-
exterior. ensure a positive effect on not only sensitive diaphragms. The metallic
iv) Offers Comfort/Productivity: the productivity of the occupants but brisesoleil on the south façade, with
A well-designed building façade also their mood. According to studies, intricate and clear-cut details, quite
system allows occupants to control in the absence of proper solar control, similar to those of the traditional
light penetration by various occupants tend to draw blinds when mashrabiya, is visible from a distance.
methods, such as louvers or
shading devices and to regulate
air movement and temperature
with operable windows, thereby
increasing the overall building
comfort levels. The increased
environmental control and
comfort levels result in better work
productivity.
v) Provides Additional Security:
A well-designed façade system
provides a relatively unobtrusive
method of achieving building
security by properly planning and
treating the openings as opposed
to the conventional system of
bars and grills to protect such
openings.
vi) Ensures Aesthetics: Aesthetics
pertains to the appearance and
image of building elements and
spaces as well as the integrated
design process. It dissects visual
elements like proportion and line,
as well as other formal qualities—
auditory, tactile, olfactory,
thermal, and even kinesthetic—
that achieve beauty. In the case
of architecture, these underlying Fig. 1: Institut Du Monde Arabe, Paris, Jean Nouvel; SOURCE: www.parissecret.fr

September 2014 ARCHITECTURE - Time Space & People 19

design thought

Fig. 2: Al Bahar Towers; Source: www.designhome.ae

The structure may initially appear to
be an Arabic decoration, but its func-
tion is to filter the daylight dynami-
cally, depending on the weather.
In Al Bahar Towers by Aedas, Abu
Dhabi, the solar-responsive dynamic
screen reduces the solar gain of
the towers. The lightly tinted glass
reduces the incoming daylight at all
times and not only in situations when
the temperature is critical. The towers
have a protective skin comprising
2,000 umbrella-like modules per tower
driven by photo voltaic panels. By at-
taching mashrabiya to the towers, the
floors are prohibited from taking too
much sunlight despite the transparen-
cy of the walls. Thus, the residents of
the towers have no problem shading
themselves from the sun’s rays.
for double skin facades. Therefore, it
is necessary to evaluate and compare
the merits of the various systems as
well as the ‘environmental success’ of
one building’s skin versus another.
Buffer System
This system precedes insulating glass.
In fact, it was invented to maintain
daylight entering the buildings and at
the same time increase insulation and
sound properties of the wall system.
This uses two layers of single glazing
spaced 250 to 900 mm apart, sealed
and allowing fresh air into the build-
ing through additional controlled
means, that is, either a separate HVAC
system or box type windows cutting
through the overall double skin. Shad-
ing devices can be included in the
cavity. A modern example of this type
is the Occidental Chemical/Hooker
Building at Niagara Falls, New York.
This building allows fresh air intake at
the base of the cavity and exhausts air
at the top.

Ventilation and Energy

Conservation
Proper designing of a double skin fa-
çade can not only improve the indoor
climate but also reduce the use of
energy in a building. There are several Fig. 3: Occidental Chemical Corporation, Headquarters, Niagara Falls, NY. (Source: www.
variations in the construction types cannondesign.com)

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Extract-Air System
This system is used where natural ven-
tilation is not possible, for example,
in locations with high noise, wind or
fumes. This comprises a second single
layer of glazing located on the interior
of a main façade of double-glazing.
The air space between the two layers
of glazing becomes part of the HVAC
system. The heated ‘used’ air between
the glazing layers is extracted through
the cavity using fans. This tempers
the inner layer of glazing while the
outer layer of insulating glass mini-
mizes heat-transmission loss. Fresh
air is supplied by HVAC and prevents
natural ventilation. The air contained
within the system is used by the HVAC
Fig. 4: Extract-Air System
system. These systems tend not to re-
duce energy requirements as fresh air
changes must be supplied mechani-
cally. Occupants are prevented from
adjusting the temperature of their
individual spaces. Shading devices
are often mounted in the cavity. The
space between the layers of glass
ranges from around 150 mm to 900
mm and is used to access the cavity
for cleaning as well as the dimension
of the shading devices.
Twin-Face System
This system may be distinguished
from both buffer and extract-air
systems, by the inclusion of open-
ings in the skin to allow for natural
ventilation. This system consists of
a conventional curtain wall or ther-
mal mass wall system within a single
glazed building skin. The outer glazing
may be safety or laminated glass or
insulating glass. Such a system must
have an interior space of at least 500
Fig. 5: Twin Façade System (Source: www.glass-mal.com.pl)
September 2014 ARCHITECTURE - Time Space & People
to 600 mm to permit cleaning. The
single-glazed outer skin is used mainly
to protect the air cavity contents
(shading devices) from weather. In this
system, the insulating properties of
the internal skin minimize heat loss.
The outer glass skin is used to block/
slow the wind in high-rise situations
and allow interior openings and ac-
cess to fresh air without the associated
noise or turbulence.
Hybrid System
This system combines various aspects
of the systems discussed till now. In
fact, it is a class that accommodates
all the building systems that do
not fit into a precise category. Such
buildings may use a layer of screens
or non-glazed materials on either
the inside or outside of the primary
environmental barrier. The Tjibaou
Center in New Caledonia by Renzo
Piano is an example of this type of
Hybrid system.
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design thought

Fig. 6: Cross-section of the Tjibaou Center by Renzo Piano illustrating the use of a hybrid system (Source: pzarch14.wordpress.com)

Fig. 7: Tjibaou Center by Renzo Piano (Source: pzarch14.wordpress.com)

KfWBankengruppe office building, sensor-controlled ventilators on the wind direction and speed, among
in Frankfurt, has the world’s first ‘pres- outer skin open and close throughout other factors. This throws a ring of
sure ring’ facade. In the KfW tower, the day in response to temperature, positive pressure around the building.

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 a project’s purpose, seeking inspira-
tion in programmatic requirements,
and engaging in team-wide design
reviews, an architect most effectively
arrives at a solution that is not only vi-
sually pleasing but also cost-effective,
secure/safe, sustainable, accessible,
and functional/operational.
Let us look at some concepts of
façade design:

Fig. 9: Repetition -Habitat 67, Montreal, Canada (Source: www.flickr.com)

Fig. 8: KfWBankengruppe office building,

Frankfurt (Source: www.fastcodesign.com)

The air is drawn into offices through

floor vents and windows along an
inner facade workers control, and then
exhausted into the building core. It
provides a system of natural ventila-
tion, which eradicates the need for AC
and heat in the fall and spring.

Aesthetics
Aesthetically successful architecture
can only result from an integrated
approach. By correctly formulating Fig. 10: Repetition (Source: www.flickr.com)

September 2014 ARCHITECTURE - Time Space & People 23

design thought

Fig. 11: Rhythm & Dynamic - Dynamic Tower, Dubai (Source: arclickdesign.com)

Fig. 12: Abstract& Biomimicry- Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao (Source: www.flickr.com) Fig. 14: Advanced Green Façade

Fig. 13: Contrast-Gherkin building, London (Source: www.rgbstock.com)

24 ARCHITECTURE - Time Space & People September 2014

Fig. 15: Biomimicry-Inspired by the elegant form of the Nautilus Shell, the Taiwan Center for Disease Control’s BioLab, (Source: inhabitat.com)

Safety and Security

There are many factors that building
designers, whether they are architects
or engineers, have to consider when
planning a new building. The forces of
nature acting on the building, such as
gravity, wind and seismic loading, need
to be assessed and resisted. Imposed
loads associated with the function of
the building must be considered. The
façade of the building should be able
to protect its occupants against wind
and rain and the extremes of tempera-
ture and humidity. Keeping in mind
the violent terrorist attacks on civilians
around the world in recent years, pro-
tective measures are being included in
the designs of increasing numbers of
Fig. 16: Advanced Green Façade, Biomimicry- Inspired by Bee hives , self-cleaning, Self-
sufficient - Seoul commune 2026.(Source: www.domusweb.it) commercial and public buildings.

Fig. 17:Façade lighting-GreenPIX, the Zero Energy Media Wall by Simone Giostra& Partners and ARUP( Source: www.archdaily.com)

September 2014 ARCHITECTURE - Time Space & People 25

design thought

for maximum protective performance.

Fig. 18: Membrane action in edge bonded laminated glass under loading (Source: www.arup.com)
The most widespread cause
of injuries and internal disruption
from an external bomb blast is the
fragmentation and inward projection
of window glass. Plain annealed glass
is the most hazardous type breaking
easily into sharp dagger-like shards.
Laminated glass is the most effective
in providing protection against blasts.
Even if cracked by blast pressures, the
outer glass layers generally remain
bonded to the inner plastic inter layer
instead of forming free-flying shards.
Structural silicone sealant can be used
This enables the cracked frames to
behave as a membrane allowing it
to bulge inwards while at the same
time remaining attached to its frame
due to the properties of the PVB
inter layer.
Narrow recessed windows can be
considered on external facades, as the
amount of blast overpressure coming
in the interior of the building is di-
rectly proportional to the window and
opening area or size on the external
façade. Sharp corners of sills intensify
the blast overpressure. Thus, sloped
sills should be used.

Fig. 19: Earth sheltered structures are highly effective in reducing the impact of explosions

Fig. 20: Screens provide privacy for the households while allowing visibility of outdoor areas (Source: Oscar Newman, Creating Defensible
space, 1972)

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Fig. 22: Narrow and recessed windows with sloped sills
Conclusion
A thoughtfully designed skin can
make a new building work more
effectively for its owners, occupants
and environment. It can also
transform the performance of an
existing building. As the interface
between interior space and exterior
environment, a building’s skin
plays a crucial role in heat and
light exchange. Its performance in
that role affects occupant comfort
and productivity, energy use and
running costs.
Rather than serving as a static
enclosure, the building skin has
the potential to redirect and filter
daylight, provide natural ventilation,
manage heat transfer, enhance oc-
cupant well-being, and create visual
and physical connections between
the inside and the outside.
Fig. 21: Vertical load
carrying elements of the
building, like columns
and structural walls,
should not be exposed on
the exterior façade
References
• http://www.iha.dk/The-importance-
of-the-facade-for-energy-and-inside-
climate-11532.aspx, May 2014.
• http://www.archdaily.com/162101/
ad-classics-institut-du-monde-arabe-
jean-nouvel/, May 2014.
• http://www.arup.com/services/fa-
cade_engineering.aspx, May 2014.
• http://www.brikbase.org/content/
role-building-fa%C3%A7ade-
%E2%80%93-curtain-walls, June 2014.
• http://www.fenestrapro.com/seeing-
double-part-ii-the-role-of-a-double-
skin-facade-energy-consumption/,
June 2014.
• http://www.steelconstruction.info/
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• http://www.archdaily.com/510226/
light-matters-mashrabiyas-translating-
tradition-into-dynamic-facades/?utm_
source=ArchDaily+List&utm_
September 2014 ARCHITECTURE - Time Space & People
campaign=17e8e8c4e9-
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medium=email&utm_term=0_b5a382-
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2014
• http://www.designhome.ae/stylish-al-
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architecture/, June 2014
• http://emorfes.com/2010/07/27/
tjibaou-cultural-center-stunning-
green-architecture/, June 2014
• http://www.fastcodesign.
com/1662231/computerized-facade-
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exhale?partner=design_newsletter,
June 2014
• http://www.archdaily.com/245/
greenpix-zero-energy-media-wall/,
June 2014
• http://www.wbdg.org/design/
designobjectives.php, June 2014
• http://www.wbdg.org/design/
aesthetics.php, June 2014
• http://mimarfurkanfiliz.blogspot.
in/2013/05/dynamic-towers-dubai.
html#!/2013/05/dynamic-towers-
dubai.html, June 2014
• www.fema.gov, June 2014.
• www.parissecret.fr, July 2014
• www.arup.com, July 2014
• www.designhome.ae, July 2014
• Oscar Newman, Creating Defensible
space, 1972
Ruchi Yadav, Architect at Dar Al
Handasah, Pune; M.Arch (Architectural
Measures for Terror Mitigation) - IIT,
Roorkee; B.Arch, GCA, Lucknow
Jaideep Sarkar, Architect at Dar Al
Handasah, Pune; M.Arch, IIT, Roorkee;
B.Arch, NIT, Patna
Kartik P. Jadhav, Computational Design
Specialist, Architect at Dar Al Handasah,
Pune; MSc (Sustainable Architectural
Studies)-University of Sheffield, United
Kingdom
Photographs and Illustrations: Courtesy,
authors.
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