Tag: facade-system | ArchDaily

Qbiss Notch: A Red Dot Design Award–Winning Modular Façade System

Rene Submissions — Fri, 29 May 2026 06:45:00 +0000

Qbiss Notch, a new design edition developed by Pininfarina for Trimo's Qbiss façade system, has received the Red Dot Design Award. Based on Trimo's Qbiss façade technology, the project introduces vertically installed modular Qbiss panels, an alphabet of engraved Glyphs, and Notches with integrated lighting. Together, these elements allow designers to create distinctive façade compositions. Despite its visual flexibility, the system is designed around the efficiency and precision of prefabricated construction.

A Picture Worth a Thousand Pixels: Turning Disneyland Paris into a Canvas

Kiana Buchberger — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 06:45:00 +0000

In highly-curated environments such as Disneyland Paris, architecture operates under a different set of expectations. Buildings are not only required to perform, they must also communicate, often instantly. Within this context, the facade becomes a visual marker that can serve as a threshold, mediating light, air, and perception. One strategy that has gained traction in this setting is the use of semi-opaque envelope systems. Neither fully transparent nor entirely enclosed, these facade systems introduce depth and variability.

Thermal Memory: How Climate Shapes Architectural Heritage

Ananya Nayak — Fri, 27 Feb 2026 05:00:00 +0000

On a hot afternoon in May, when the air over western India turns metallic with heat, no one remembers façade composition. They remember where the shade falls. They remember which corridor breathed. They remember the house that was cooler than the street. What stays in memory is comfort beyond the form. Repeated thermal preference stabilizes into spatial configuration, and over time, those configurations become building types.

Can Shading Become Energy? From Passive Facades to Productive Envelopes

Eduardo Souza — Mon, 23 Feb 2026 07:45:00 +0000

As the primary interface between interior spaces and the external environment, facades play a central role in both the performance and architectural expression of buildings. Increasingly, they are no longer seen as static envelopes, but as active mediators between climate, energy, use, and aesthetic. In dense urban contexts, however, they are also gaining relevance for another reason: while roof surfaces are often limited, fragmented, or already occupied by technical equipment, vertical envelopes remain largely underutilized in terms of energy production.

Designing with What Exists: Rieder’s HQ Expansion Turns Residual Materials into Facade Design

Kiana Buchberger — Wed, 11 Feb 2026 02:30:00 +0000

What if industrial leftovers weren't waste, but the start of architectural design? At Rieder's headquarters in Maishofen, Austria, over 1,300 cubic meters of timber, 180 ceiling elements, and hundreds of upcycled glassfiber-reinforced concrete fragments come together in a building shaped as much by reuse as by planning. The new production hall, designed by Kessler² Architecture, treats material leftovers as a design resource. Developed as part of a long-term investment in sustainable manufacturing, the timber-concrete hybrid building introduces a facade technique that inverts conventional architectural workflows: instead of designing first and producing components afterward, the building envelope is generated from the material remnants already available on site establishing a new language for industrial architecture.

Faveker’s Tailor-Made Tiled Facade Brings Personality and Efficiency to the New Muskiz Secondary School

Rene Submissions — Fri, 07 Nov 2025 01:30:00 +0000

The new Muskiz Secondary School building (Vizcaya), designed by BAT Architecture studio, has become a leading symbol of sustainable architecture for educational centers. Designed in accordance with Passivhaus criteria and built using cross-laminated timber (CLT), the project combines innovation and comfort with environmental care.

Metal Façade Systems with Community Resonance: The Case of Africatown Plaza

Enrique Tovar — Thu, 05 Jun 2025 01:30:00 +0000

As urban neighborhoods continue to evolve, design plays a key role in shaping how buildings respond to urbanization, functional demands, and the character of their surroundings. Intertwined, these elements guide the transformation of urban life and influence how new developments engage with their context—a dynamic clearly visible in Seattle's Central District. Long considered a historic hub for the city's African American community, the Africatown Plaza project proposes a comprehensive approach that integrates architectural performance with community resonance, using the building envelope as a primary medium.

Advanced Façades by Trimo: Shaping Architecture for a Net-Zero Future

Rene Submissions — Wed, 12 Mar 2025 06:45:00 +0000

As the construction industry intensifies its efforts towards sustainability, architects and developers are actively seeking innovative solutions to reduce the environmental footprint of buildings. Trimo, a global leader in architectural façade and roofing solutions, is at the forefront of this transformation with its NEXT product range—Qbiss One NEXT and Trimoterm NEXT—which are setting new standards in sustainability. Designed to support the global shift to net-zero carbon construction, these products embody cutting-edge technology, lower carbon emissions, and high recyclability, all while delivering superior performance and aesthetics.

AD Classics: Maison Hermès / Renzo Piano Building Workshop

Diogo Borges Ferreira — Fri, 07 Mar 2025 04:00:00 +0000

In Tokyo's bustling Ginza district, where tradition and modernity converge, the Maison Hermès emerges as a luminous architectural icon. Designed by Renzo Piano Building Workshop and completed in 2001, the 15-story structure serves as the Japanese headquarters of Hermès, the renowned French luxury brand celebrated for its craftsmanship and timeless elegance. Beyond its function as a commercial hub, the building encapsulates Hermès' ethos, transforming its urban site into a dialogue between light, materiality, and context.

Reflecting on Architectural Details and Construction Systems in 2024

Jonathan Yeung — Mon, 16 Dec 2024 04:00:00 +0000

In 2024, a diverse range of topics have been comprehensively explored, some focusing specifically on architectural details and construction systems. These articles provide valuable insights into architecture's often-overlooked technical and functional aspects. By shifting attention away from aesthetics, materials, and spatial massing, they reveal the importance of intricate details and the construction systems underpinning contemporary projects' larger architectural vision.

Kunsthaus Graz: A Friendly Alien Among Historic Landmarks

Diogo Borges Ferreira — Fri, 06 Dec 2024 04:00:00 +0000

The Kunsthaus Graz, designed by Peter Cook and Colin Fournier, boldly redefines contemporary architecture in a historic city. Completed in 2003 as a centerpiece of Graz's European Capital of Culture celebrations, its biomorphic form, nicknamed the "Friendly Alien", captured global attention. Amidst Baroque and Medieval surroundings, it bridges past and future, standing as a testament to the city's cultural ambitions.

Revolving Doors in Action: Blending Access, Efficiency, and Elegance

Agustina Iñiguez — Fri, 29 Nov 2024 01:30:00 +0000

Accessibility in architecture is essential for creating built environments that accommodate of all ages, from young children to the elderly. In both public and private buildings—whether residences, infrastructure, or facilities—the design of internal pathways, circulation areas, and entrances and exits must prioritize safety, clarity and efficiency. This approach enhances daily activities and ultimately improves quality of life. ASSA ABLOY Entrance Systems offers a wide range of products, including automatic, industrial, and commercial doors, as well as digital solutions, to meet user needs.

Revisiting Skyscraper Design: The Benefits of Responsive Facades and Passive Designs

Jonathan Yeung — Mon, 28 Oct 2024 04:00:00 +0000

Our contemporary society has been witnessing a surge in skyscraper construction in urban centers worldwide for various reasons—including engineering advancements, increased urban density, space constraints, and, arguably, a competitive drive for building the tallest structures. The allure of all-glass facades and the pursuit of curtain walls with larger panes of continuous glass have often come at the cost of functionality.

Reimagining an Abandoned Urban Landmark: The Story Behind the Piraeus Tower in Athens, Greece

Camilla Ghisleni — Wed, 31 Jul 2024 07:30:00 +0000

The landmark of Piraeus, located in the heart of the largest passenger port in Europe, began construction in 1972 but remained unfinished and vacant for decades. Finally completed in 2023, after an international competition, it now stands as Greece's first green and digital skyscraper. The architectural firm PILA took on the design of the facades, while the office ASPA-KST designed the commercial spaces, and the new general architectural study was entrusted to Betaplan. After over four years of renovation, Piraeus Tower officially opened its doors to tenants and visitors on June 4th with a night of celebrations, establishing itself as a bustling hub and injecting vitality into the area.

Beyond Transparency: 5 Buildings Highlighting Glass Brick Facades

Clara Ott — Fri, 15 Mar 2024 08:30:00 +0000

Glass brick facades have emerged as a captivating architectural trend, blending the enduring elegance of glass with the robust strength of bricks. Glass bricks can as well be more thermally resistant than conventional glazing.

Facades in the Circular Economy: Design for Disassembly

Ankitha Gattupalli — Mon, 11 Mar 2024 07:30:00 +0000

The principles of the circular economy have been most influential and applicable to the construction industry. Emphasizing the efficient use of resources, models around reuse and recycling of components and materials are increasingly being pioneered by global architecture practices. The concept of "design for disassembly" has emerged as an innovative approach especially in the case of building facades. Striking a balance between the demands for new infrastructure and the transition towards sustainability requires a review of traditional facade design throughout its lifecycle.

From New Buildings to Retrofit Projects: Solar Facade Systems for a Circular and Low-Carbon Architecture

Enrique Tovar — Fri, 12 Jan 2024 06:45:00 +0000

The sun’s influence on human life encompasses multiple dimensions, from biological and developmental aspects to religious-mythological connotations in civilizations such as the Egyptians and Romans. Moreover, this influence extends to its use as a natural resource within the realm of science. In scientific pursuits, the continuous search to harness the sun as an energy source has been a constant throughout the years. Within this context, the discovery of the photovoltaic effect and its application have paved the way in the history of solar panels, starting from the first observations of Becquerel to the initial prototypes of Charles Fritts in the 19th century.

Sunscreen Facades: From Ceramic Textile Systems to Double Skin Glass

Enrique Tovar — Fri, 22 Dec 2023 01:30:00 +0000

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.