Building SkinsChristian Schittich In recent years the facades of a building have become increasingly significant due to unconventional choices of materials and the use of innovative technology. More and more the external surfaces are being perceived and designed as an integral part of the building. This skin, a protective mantle, defines not only the interior but also the adjoining exterior space. It is the visiting card of the building. In this, the second volume in the series "in Detail", the wide-ranging aspects of facade design are discussed. Focussing on the choice of materials and their application, the aesthetic qualities and the technical possibilities are presented in carefully selected international examples. As in the first volume all plans and large scale details showing the facades in explanatory sections have been painstakingly researched and drawn by the editorial staff of Detail. Expert authors clarify the criteria essential for planning and designing facades, and they examine the potential for building skins and their use as intelligent facades which diverse technologies and materials offer. |
