Facades: The Latest Architecture and News

Highly desirable in contemporary projects, seamless surfaces symbolize the search for a unified and uninterrupted visual experience, without any noticeable gaps or interruptions. This simple and clean aesthetic demands meticulous attention to detail, emphasizing precision in craftsmanship and execution to achieve an immaculate and flawless finish.

The duality of sunlight in the field of architectural design presents fascinating contrasts, especially when addressing the question of how to interact with it through the built environment and the materials that define architecture. The sun's influence in this discipline has become an essential part of the cultural heritage of some countries, as evidenced by Spanish architecture, where the interaction with sunlight manifests through elements such as lattices. These lattices are recognizable on the facades of buildings from the Middle Ages, exemplified by structures like the Alhambra, to 20th-century constructions such as Casa Gomis, considered historical monuments.

The facade, being the skin of the building, is the architectural component that is usually directly exposed to sunlight. Based on this premise, we seek to establish a dialogue between openness to the environment and the need for protection, thus creating a synergy between functionality and aesthetics. In this context, sunscreen facades have been developed through various approaches, standing out for their ability to address this design condition. For this reason, we have selected solar control solutions from Spanish brands, distinguished by their technical characteristics and materiality through various approaches.

The referential of movement, which describes the variation in an object's position and velocity according to the observer's perspective, is one of the fundamental concepts of physics. This idea not only influences the understanding of movement in physical systems but can also be analogously applied in other areas, such as architecture, where the different perspectives of users can shape their experiences and interactions with built space. Each person brings cultural, emotional, and physical baggage, resulting in unique architectural interactions, similar to an observer's interpretation of a motion reference.

Traditionally relegated to roofs, photovoltaic (PV) panels tend to have a uniform appearance: large black or dark blue rectangular pieces of shiny glass with metal frames. Partly because dark colors better harvest sunlight to be turned into electricity, but also because silicon –the primary material used in most high-efficiency photovoltaic panels– tends to be dark in its crystalline form. Fortunately, there are now technologies to control luster, color and finish that provide aesthetic variety while maintaining high efficiency. SolarLab and other manufacturers are redefining conventional solar panels, introducing design flexibility and material qualities that allow architects to take advantage of large facade surfaces to generate renewable energy without compromising architecturally.

In the context of WWI and to address the massive housing shortage resulting from the conflict, the Dom-Ino modular structure, one of the most significant contributions of functionalism and designed by the Swiss designers Le Corbusier and Max Dubois, established concrete premises for a new vision of a lightweight structural model that optimizes the construction process. Thanks to the use of a reinforced concrete slab and column system, the Dom-Ino structure allowed for the flexible arrangement of elements in the floor plan and freed the facade from the limitations imposed by load-bearing walls.

This condition prompted the creation of architectural designs that not only integrated windows as functional elements but also as compositional. Thanks to technological innovations, windows with slender framings and wider openings were achieved, as exemplified in works such as Villa Savoye and Farnsworth House. While these proposals redefined the aesthetics of architecture, the technological limitations of the time presented challenges. Nowadays, the continuous development of windows with improved technical characteristics has led to the concept of the minimalist window, which has inspired three fundamental principles derived from this concept, conceived by Vitrocsa. These principles —transparency, functional variations, and advanced mechanisms— incorporate technological innovations while simultaneously blurring spatial boundaries. Each of them plays a key role in the design of spaces and together they significantly redefine the aesthetics of buildings and interiors.

Building envelopes create a physical boundary or shell integrated to the outer skin of a structure, separating indoor and outdoor environments. By assembling architectural components such as walls, roofs, windows and doors, the building is enclosed to provide protection and insulation, playing a determining role in the energy efficiency, comfort, structure, and durability of the project. Through multiple styles and shapes, they are key to giving character to a building, its visual appearance and integration with the surrounding environment.

Maintaining the fundamental functions of an envelope while playing with aesthetic possibilities, Euramax’s tailor-made metal cladding solutions create unconventional, colorful envelopes for designing with innovative geometries, patterns, and configurations.

Architects and builders often opt for metal panels due to their exceptional qualities: durability, affordability, and versatility. These attributes hold immense value for construction professionals, who constantly seek cost-effective solutions. Moreover, when a product seamlessly merges desired aesthetics with optimal performance, it becomes a highly sought-after choice for a diverse range of projects.

Designed by architect Anthony Rio and his firm Agence Unité, the Château des Pères hotel project showcases the integration of innovative design and materials in the realm of hotel architecture. Taking inspiration from nature, it reimagines the traditional hotel room as a protective nest. This expansion of a historic hotel, nestled in a 12th-century mansion, features reception, restaurant, and event spaces. The new structure, reminiscent of a tree, gracefully extends with branches radiating from a central trunk. Within each bubble-like structure, guests can experience a sanctuary-like ambiance, offering both privacy and panoramic views of the surroundings, made possible by the generous ovoid windows that adorn each facade.

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Enhancing the energy performance of existing buildings through refurbishment processes provides the opportunity to create more comfortable and sustainable environments, while also improving their functionality, aesthetics, and safety. Architectural approaches to these renovations encompass various aspects of a building, including interior spaces, structure, internal systems, and facades.

When it comes to rethinking a building's envelope, STACBOND’s composite panel solutions delve into the development of ventilated facades. These facade systems serve as an architectural strategy for energy-efficient building renovations. Minimizing energy consumption for heating and cooling, the rehabilitation strategy incorporates thermal insulation, moisture management, and thermal mass optimization.

As societies evolve, educational facilities also undergo continuous transformation processes to keep up. In terms of their design strategies, they must embrace modern approaches that respond to the changing needs of students and teachers. Including flexible, inclusive, and engaging spaces that seamlessly integrate technological advances, contemporary educational design aims to enhance learning and collaborative work, as well as comfort and wellbeing.

Kalwall focuses on developing forward-thinking solutions for human-centered design that address these evolving needs, while responding to a tight budget. Through a collaborative strategy with architecture and engineering projects, they focus on four ways to design optimal learning environments, including daylight design, energy efficiency, safety, and cost savings through renovation and installation.

One of the primary functions of architecture is to provide shelter, fulfilling the physiological and safety needs at the base of Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of human motivation. Throughout history, the need for shelter has been evident in our ancestors’ behavior, who sought refuge in caves to protect themselves from weather conditions and predators. As societies shifted from a nomadic to a sedentary lifestyle and basic needs were easily met, shelters became more advanced, evolving into purpose-built spaces. These early shelters withstood the elements of their time and laid the foundation for modern architecture as we know it today.

Today, extreme weather conditions due to climate change are testing cities, buildings and materials. Venice is flooding, and the Svalbard Global Seed Vault is experiencing melting ice. Without action, conditions will continue to worsen, increasing the need for efficient strategies that allow us to coexist with the environment and to develop more resistant materials for our buildings. An example of these materials of the future is NATURCLAD-B, a high-quality, maintenance-free wood panel system designed for architecture, interior design and construction.

Verticality in architecture conveys aesthetic, symbolic and cultural meanings, representing concepts such as elegance, sophistication, modernity, progress and technological advancement. In religious buildings, for example, it symbolizes greatness and a connection with the divine. These strategies are very common in Gothic architecture, as well as Art déco buildings or even the skyscrapers of Mies van der Rohe. But these elements need not be restricted to grandiose constructions. Even in single-family homes, working with elements that refer to verticality can be just as useful, playing with volumes and facades or working with openings, such as windows and doors.

With a high proportion of white mixed with a small amount of colorful pigments, pastel colors provide a range of pale, subdued tones. Related to soothing and calming environments, these colors have a timeless quality and can be seen throughout different architectural styles, such as rococo, art déco or the mid-century modern years. Applied in exteriors, interiors, or both, pastel tones make rooms feel more light, airy and spacious. 

From subtle accents to taking the spotlight in a project’s overall strategy, pastel colors are a versatile alternative that can be used in multiple ways and varying degrees. Following Ricardo Bofill’s color proposals, Paulo Mendes da Rocha’s interiors and Michael Graves’ buildings, contemporary architecture plays with soft colors for aesthetic and functional purposes, as well as providing a sensory experience. Analyzing different examples of their application in architecture and design, we showcase how four prevailing colors –mint green, pale pink, lemon yellow and light blue– are currently taking the stage.

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