Light: 75 kg/m2 < p ≤ 125 kg/m2

An unusual solution in Mediterranean latitudes, to be considered at a time of a wood boom.

Like cross laminated timber panels, this system enables the construction of wooden wall structures. Some of these walls constitute the main facade layer.

An important difference between CLT panels and this system is in the format of the assembled elements. Cross laminated timber beams are smaller than panels and therefore lighter; they can easily be moved and hoisted without a crane.

Often throughout history, new construction systems or techniques have tried to reproduce the image of traditional architecture. In this case, neither the technique nor the final image are dislikeable but their combination could be. The brick image is related with mass, thickness, weight; just the opposite the technique being used provides.

The same happened in the 18th and 19th centuries with the mathematical tile*! This old technique permitted erecting light-weight enclosures looking like brick walls. 

We are pleased to add this case-study to facad3s website for various reasons, the most relevant is the interest of the overall construction solution, and the appropriateness of having good quality cooperative social housing proposals.

We congratulate this young team of architects for their efforts and successful contribution to convincing and then implementing such innovative proposals in the Spanish context.

An interesting double skin glass facade. A fully glazed inner skin with minimal structural profiles, and an outer one that gives a new rhythm to the building.

The cutting in half of the glass panels of this outer skin, and its placement - varying the angle with respect to the front of the façade - distorts both the scale and the image reflected in the glass.

https://www.cipres-group.com/ficha-castellana

One more classic, an exceptional building and an exceptional facade.

Rafael de la Hoz gives us this risky solution of a double skin façade where the open-jointed outer glass layer is supported only by glass ribs. A minimal and elegant solution for an amazing building.

Observe how the outline of the building fades into the sky thanks to the ethereal glazed corona that surrounds it.

The proliferation of prefabricated systems, including those used in façades, is causing an extent use of terms such as “modularity”, which we could say is “trending topic”. What a pity not to use it according to its most specific meaning, the one that refers us to the module as understood by Le Corbusier among others.

Another example of good architecture and good construction from this young firm of architects.

We specially want to draw attention to the successful combination of materials and the interesting formal possibilities of the large-format cement boards.

The rhythm and location of the open joints in the outer layer of this rain-screen facade leads us to think about the traditional local solution of “envà pluvial” or ‘rain-shield’.
 

We want to use the case of this residential building in Barcelona to highlight the huge number of substructures that appear in many buildings so as to support the various enclosures, divisions, cladding, or finishing elements.

In the specific case of this façade, we have a substructure for the balconies glass doors, plus the substructure of the glass banister in some points, plus the substructure of the slab lining, plus the substructure on the top of the large curved glass that closes the ground floor, and so on. 

The complexity of such an enormous building would permit referring to different facades. In this occasion we just want to share with you some images of the erection of the facades solved with unitized panels. A single skin in one case and a double one in the other. 

If the tendency is to fill our architecture with all type of gadgets so as to self-produce the energy the users need for their wellbeing, we need to accept that either the building on its global formalisation, or some of the systems being used for its construction, need to integrate those productive gadgets.

Energetic productivity is a design requirement.