No layman can deeply appreciate the beauty of a good and novel facade. That’s because he has no idea what has gone on behind it. The brilliant engineering, the mind-boggling products and systems, and the smart designers/architects who come together to make it happen.
In order to showcase some of the refreshing ideas that are taking place in the world of facades today, Schueco India held hands with Construction Week to bring together this online event.
Held on July 16 from 4:00pm to 5:30pm, the panel discussion was moderated by Jayashree Mendes, Editor, Construction Week. The panellists for the evening comprised Amit Kembhavi, Director, DSP Design Associates; Pankaj Keswani, MD, Alufit India; Pawankumar Iyengar, Partner, Facaade; Pravin Chaubey, Principal Consultant, Facade Design Factory; Shabbir Kanchwala, Sr VP, K Raheja Corp; and Shyam Raghunandan, MD, Schueco India.
Highlights from the insights thrown up:
Shabbir Kanchwala: Some of the key factors of facades are privacy and security, environmental control, aesthetic options, and structural protection. While all are important, they are mutually exclusive and each one needs to be looked at carefully while designing. Artificial intelligence has become of real interest to building facade designers as well. It is the first step towards the idea of generative design, where algorithms can be used to adhere to predetermined design requirements.
Pankaj Keswani: When we work with consultants and architects, the brief is given to us. The client wants something innovative. We get involved into the design stage many times and we try to make things different. Looking at U-value is important so that those working there stay comfortable. Primarily, one is looking at different aspects to control heat. One could be solar heat gain, the other is U-value and buildings in India have the solar heat gain as a major problem. Selecting the right glass is very important.
Amit Kembhavi: Like they say, you don’t get a second chance to make a first impression. Appearance is an integral part of a facade. A facade is a performance measure. The orientation of the building must be considered. There are many shading aspects that one can also look in to. But then the facade facing west and south is a strong parameter for most. The third thing is the smart glass. We are working on a project n Bangalore where almost 2 lakh sq-ft of facade is being cladded with sage glass and follows the circadium rhythm. As the day progresses, the colour of the glass keep changing and one doesn’t need blinds to shade the sun.
Pravin Chaubey:Â In the overall evaluation of the building, the aesthetics and other factors are well-defined. When we start looking at it in terms of buildability, costing, performance and durability and end user experience, we explain the facade that would be suitable for that particular building. Architects too are very sensitive about the overall facade they provide and also about receiving inputs.
Pawankumar Iyengar: Every building, every situation, every client is different. Each client has a special requirement. Most of them want the facade to last for a long time with minimum maintenance. If it’s a diamond corporate, they want to know the colour refractive index of the glass. The glass should not throw light into the building, because it will mean a change in the colour of the diamond they are peering into. Sustainable facade will ensure stability and the ceiling and the joinery of the facade must be maintained so that it does not leak. The material cladded onto the facade must have a long life.
Shyam Raghunandan: We constantly hear people asking for new shapes. People in India want more complex shapes in their facades. Then there’s the demand for thinner sightlines… so they can see more glass and less obstruction. Then there are the materials. Why aluminium and glass are part of a facade, people are looking at flexible facades or breathable facades with cloth-like materials. Schueco has some innovative materials in that direction. The last is green facades and many architects are looking at looking at this and not just in terms of sustainability but also having more plants integrated into the facade.
The event evoked many questions from the audience. However, time constraint compelled us to assure them of a reply offline.
Overall, the facade industry is highly mature and knows how to pander to demanding customers. Little wonder, why more commercial buildings are deploying innovative facades across the country.
