The external facades of a building are more than a protective mantle, or an intelligent skin regulating temperature and light, they also determine its very appearance. By unusual choices of materials and the use of complex technology, facades have become increasingly significant in recent years. External surfaces are being perceived as an integral part of the building and are therefore being designed as such. This volume focuses on the wide-ranging aspects of facade design, from the selection and use of materials to the advanced technical possibilities now open to the architect. A wide array of carefully selected international examples show the theory in the practice. All plans, details, and large scale sections of the facades have been researched with the high degree of competence typical of the editorial staff from the review Detail. Expert authors provide the essential information needed to plan and design facades and elucidate on the latest developments in technology and materials.

Rethinking Building Skins: Transformative Technologies and Research Trajectories provides a comprehensive collection of the most relevant and forward-looking research in the field of façade design and construction today, with a focus on both product and process innovation. The book brings together the expertise, creativity, and critical thinking of more than fifty global innovators from both academia and industry, to guide the reader in translating research into practice. It identifies new opportunities for the construction sector to respond to present challenges, towards a more sustainable, efficient, connected, and safe future. - Introduces the reader to the role of façades with respect to the main challenges ahead - Provides an overview of the major façade technological advancements throughout history and identifies prospective research trajectories - Includes interviews with key industry players from different backgrounds and expertise - Showcases a comprehensive range of leading research topics in the field, organised by product and process innovation - Covers major innovations across the value chain including façade design, fabrication, construction, operation and maintenance, and end-of-life - Contributes towards the definition of an international research agenda and identifies emerging market opportunities for the façade industry

Contemporary architecture presents itself with various aesthetical standards. Besides the rational function of architectural design, architects now pay more attention to the continuity from the inside to the outside of buildings. At this point, the design of building skin and details could give a full presentation of such a tendency. As a new way of expression, it turns to be a new concern in the field of contemporary architectural design. This book has collected a number of masterpieces that could reflect the trend of modern architectural surface design. According to the composition of the building material, the book has been divided into six chapters. The case studies included in the book are accompanied by photographs and details of the nodes, which could objectively express the ideas and concepts of the architects.

Double-skin facades open up new possibilities for clients and planners seeking creative new designs that are intelligently adapted to environmental conditions. This publication is the first to give a comprehensive treatment of the subject, providing both a theoretical framework for the use of this type of construction and numerous illustrations of practical examples. The book provides an in-depth study not only of issues such as acoustic and thermal insulation, aerophysics and facade construction, but also of the question of economic viability. Numerous illustrations and plans offer clear and precise insights into the construction of this new development in building design. Up to now double-skin facades have been used mainly for large buildings such as the debis headquarters on Potsdamer Platz in Berlin. They can be used, however, with equal success for smaller buildings as a means of reducing the ingress of external noise and improving ventilation.

Facades - they are the first feature of a building to be noticed, they determine its distinctive appearance and are often the subject of controversial debate. This new first edition of the Facade Construction Manual provides a systematic survey of contemporary expertise in the application of new materials and energy- efficient technologies in facade design, and represents an invaluable addition to our series of Construction Manuals. It surveys the facade design requirements made by various types of buildings, as well as the most important materials, from natural stone through to synthetics, and documents a diversity of construction forms for a wide range of building types. Over 100 international case-studies in large-scale, detailed drawings are presented in the comprehensive project section.

This is a compilation of the full year's information, including: the "Discussion" section, where well-known architects and critics as well as specialist authors and architectural historians articulate their views; the "Documentation" section containing an analysis of selected projects, in which buildings from around the world are covered in depth; and the "Technology" section where the specific theme of each issue of the magazine is treated in greater depth. Along with these are illustrations of the high standards that Detail is known for, where all plan drawings are true to scale and have been approved by the architects, planners and engineers responsible for the original design. This annual sourcebook is a beautiful record, not only of the year's Detail publication, but of some of the best, and most innovative contemporary architecture