Architecture has always played a key role in providing shelter and protection for human beings. In prehistoric times, we sought refuge in caves, taking advantage of rock structures for protection against the natural elements and predators. Over time, shelters began to be made from materials found in nature, such as branches, leaves, and animal skins, evolving into more permanent and complex homes, with walls made of stone, bricks or wood, roofs to protect against rain and sun, and doors to control access. As we developed more advanced building skills, we used materials such as wood, stone, and clay and architecture evolved significantly, with the construction of temples, palaces, and fortifications that provided not only shelter but also symbolized power, status, and cultural identity. Even so, our buildings can continue to be seen as shells that protect us from the outside world.
From the massive stones of Greek temples to glazed skyscrapers, we work with a range of possibilities and thicknesses to separate what we consider internal and external. This article seeks to explore this diversity of thicknesses in architecture, from simple materials to complex construction techniques, highlighting how this variation not only provides protection but also influences our perception and interaction with the built environment.
This dichotomy is also present in contemporary architecture. One example is the work of Lacaton and Vassal, undertaken for the Nantes School of Architecture in France. There, the architects proposed a bold and innovative intervention by adding a light, thin façade to the structure of the school building, opting to preserve the existing one and add a new, thin outer layer, creating additional space and renewing the building's appearance. The new façade is made up of a light steel structure and a translucent polycarbonate surface, which provides a generous inflow of natural light into the building, creating bright and airy spaces that promote an environment conducive to learning.
On the other hand, the Innovation Center UC - Anacleto Angelini, designed by Alejandro Aravena and ELEMENTAL, is an example of how opacity and weight can be used consciously and strategically in contemporary architecture. The project emphasizes the solidity and physical presence of the building, giving it a sense of weight and permanence. Its concrete façade, predominantly opaque and with few openings, creates a solid and imposing presence in the urban context. Firstly, it helps to protect the interior of the building from direct sunlight, contributing to thermal control and reducing the need for active air conditioning systems. Secondly, the opacity creates an atmosphere of privacy and contemplation within the building, allowing occupants to concentrate on their activities without external distractions. The openings are carefully thought out and the building turns in on itself most of the time.
Thin Veils
If we take a step back, an intriguing question arises: what really constitutes a space? Is it four walls? Or could it be something less tangible, like a shadow, a cloud, or even drops? At the Swiss Expo in 2002, the "Blur Building" designed by Diller Scofidio + Renfro gained international prominence. With a fine mist made by 35,000 high-pressure nozzles, an artificial cloud was created that changed according to the wind, altering tourists' routes. They could even "drink" the building which, after sunset, turned into a luminous cloud over Lake Neuchâtel.
And when we consider physical barriers, how far can we reduce them? The Music Pavilion, designed by Lorenz Bachmann + Atelier Void, for example, makes use of curtains and glass to maximize the building's integration with the lush surrounding garden. At House in Yanakacho, the entire upper floor is wrapped in a translucent trapezoidal tile, which literally merges the division between indoor and outdoor space. This concept is also exemplified in the Greenhouse for the Coexistence of Plants and Humans, designed by salazarsequeromedina, where the plastic cladding challenges traditional notions of solidity and materiality, transforming itself into an innovative housing structure.
SANAA's Rolex Learning Center, on the other hand, is an impressive example of how the relationship between inside and outside can be redefined. With its fluid forms, open spaces and glazed façades, the center challenges conventional notions of architectural boundaries. The large internal spaces merge harmoniously with their surroundings, providing a sense of continuity and connection with the surrounding environment. The extensive glazed areas allow natural light to flood the interior, creating an airy and inviting atmosphere. In addition, the various outdoor living areas, such as terraces and patios, encourage interaction between users and nature, fostering an environment conducive to learning and collaboration.
The façade of the La Samaritaine project, designed by SANAA, LAGNEAU Architectes, Francois Brugel Architectes Associes and SRA Architectes, stands out for its distinctive feature: wavy glass. This unique architectural element gives the building a dynamic and captivating appearance while adding a layer of visual complexity to its structure. The undulating glass not only provides a stunning aesthetic, but also challenges traditional design conventions by creating an interplay between light, shadow, and reflections. Taking a similar approach, OMA's Casa da Música in Porto uses undulating glass to "blur" the relationship between contemporary, futuristic architecture and the preserved historical heritage of its surroundings. All this through mere millimeters of glass.
Thick Barriers
If we move to the other extreme: to what extent does it make sense to increase the width of a building envelope? Where is the boundary between an effective envelope and a width sufficient to become functional in itself—or even habitable?
Super-wide envelopes arose exclusively to control inclement weather, both for excessive cold and heat. The walls of the ancestral igloos in polar areas, for example, are more than 20 cm thick so that the air pockets of the compacted snow blocks allow them to become insulating. In the ksar of Morocco—and even in many contemporary Moroccan projects located in hot desert climate zones—the width of the rammed earth or stone walls, in some cases, ranges between 40 and 60 cm, but some of them can reach up to 1 meter thick to generate habitable microclimates in the harsh desert heat. If in the case of thin veils, the envelope is reduced to its minimum expression, integrating spaces with great fluidity; wide barriers generate a heavy and dense threshold, where separate spaces are deliberately isolated and differentiated. Here, openings are controlled and generally minimal, to let in a certain percentage of natural light while avoiding direct infiltration from freezing wind or a heat wave.
In notable modern cases, architects not only benefit from the properties of thick walls in different materials to enhance interior environments, but they are also used as a spatial, aesthetic, and even symbolic tool. In the Qingxi Culture and History Museum, designed by UAD architects in Sangzhou Town, China, thick walls allow the building to be anchored to the territory. Using the existing retaining walls of terraced fields as a reference, local stones and pebbles were selected to build a series of walls that follow their natural elevations. With more than 40 cm in some areas, the designers have taken advantage of the different depths to highlight entrances or create on-site furnishings, such as a large recessed map that guides visitors to the museum.
In the Plumula Workshop House in Mexico, the architects of Espacio 18 Arquitectura preserve and reinforce a series of pre-existing adobe walls to keep the interior warm in winter and cool during the hot months. The wide walls honestly expose their materiality to make the construction system palpable, while also enhancing the imposing yet respectful presence of the house amid its context. Also in Mexico, the CLACLÁ Taller de Arquitectura team has replicated the process of molding a clay pot to create the sculptural walls of the Dos Hijas Gallery, composed of straw, clay, and granite (COB). Its thickness, which ranges from 80 cm at the base to 50 cm at the top, avoids the need for a secondary structure and allows it to be used as a resting space in the form of bow windows.
With climates that can range from -2°C to 30°C, homes in the southern Swiss town of Mendrisio must be prepared for both cold and hot periods. celoria Architects' House C benefits from its thick envelope to maintain a suitable indoor climate all year round. Its concrete walls are plastically formed to zone and activate the space programs, housing a spiral staircase, a fireplace, and a central skylight that unexpectedly appears between its massive folds.
This article is part of the ArchDaily Topics: Building Envelope, proudly presented by Vitrocsa, the original minimalist windows since 1992.
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