Steel and Façade

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Corrosion
ƒ steel corrodes if unprotected

ƒ facade steel profiles are detailed façade

steel post
glazing
and exposed to water

ƒ maintenance / repair on façade

walls should be avoided aluminium profile

Solutions:

ƒ use of weatherproof or stainless

steels for joints and other exposed
details

ƒ use of extruded aluminium profiles

Image credit: www.wb.com.tw/windoor/ E-5.html

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Steel and Aluminium Facades
ƒ Steel and aluminium used together:
steel as load
load-bearing
bearing structure and
aluminium frames as façade
elements
Example:
hotel in Helsinki / Finland by Mikko Suvisto

Images credit:
http://www.vtt.fi/virtual/try
/Terak/csm4-00-4.htm
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Steel and Aluminium in Facades
ƒ Extruded aluminium sections Examples
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Extruded Aluminium Profiles in Facades

extruded aluminium
curtain wall façade
elements Images credit:
www.rcsystem.com/internat/ product/sys4_e.html
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Steel and Aluminium in Facades
ƒ Integrated façade element:
double façade element with curtain wall aluminium profile and
natural ventilation
(developed for an office building of RWE AG, Essen / Germany)

Image credit:
www.gra-pa.at/.../NeueBaustoffe/
Glasfassaden/seminar1.html
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Steel and Aluminium in Facades
ƒ Example: Wacoal Headquarters in Kyoto/Japan by Shin Takamatsu
Images credit: the japan architect yearbook 1999, pp. 88-91, vol. 36, winter 2000
Steel and Façade
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Steel and Aluminium in Facades
ƒ Example: Cultural Centre in Noumea, New Caledonia by Renzo
Piano Building Workshop: extruded aluminum profile example

Images credit: deail 7/1998, pp. 1206-1208

Steel and Façade
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Images credit:
www.visionwall.com/
frankmcmahon.com/curtainwal

Curtain Walls & Glazing

l/ curtainwall.htm

ƒ In both stick and unitized systems

of curtain walling,
walling glass can be used
together with other cladding materials.

Glazing Types:
differ in the way the glass pane is fastened
To the steel or aluminium façade structure

ƒ patent glazing
ƒ pressed or extruded metal box framing
(extruded aluminium profiles)
ƒ silicone-bonded glazing
ƒ suspended glass assemblies
 Images credit: Jodidio, P. (1996)

Steel and Façade

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Contemporary European
Architects Vol. IV. Benedikt
Taschen Verlag, Koeln /
Germany

Steel and Glass Facades

ƒ need to withstand wind loads and carry
own weight
ƒ glass panels are heavy and need strong
fixtures
ƒ glass panes typical sizes:
3.5m height x 1.2m – 3.0m width
ƒ larger panel sizes are possible:
glass panes for the Berlin Reichstag
lobby measure 3.1m x 2.7m and each
weigh ½ ton (thickness: 55 mm!)
ƒ various types of steel / glass joints
ƒ steel deforms in temperature differences:
joint needs to ensure that glass doesn’t
break as a result
Steel and Façade
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Steel / Aluminium and Glass Facades
ƒ Types of steel / glass joints:
Steel and Façade
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Steel in Facades: Movement
ƒ movement of steel elements has to be buffered by movement
joints
ƒ in steel and glass facades, sealant materials (silicone) form
movement joints between glass panels
ƒ structural silicone sealants can also transfer loads

Images credit: http://irc.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/practice/sea2_E.html, www.nrc.ca/irc/bsi/ 88-5_E.html

Steel and Façade
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Steel and Glass Facades
ƒ montage of glass panels

Images credit: http://www.pannkoke.de

Steel and Façade
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Steel Facades:
Patent Glazing

ƒ patent glazing originates

from the structural system
used in the Crystal Palace

ƒ dry, site-assembled system

ƒ supporting members
parallel to the slope
(glazing bars)

ƒ infill of glass or sheet

materials for sun protection

Images credit: http://www.patent-glazing.com/

www.palace-eagles.com/ history.html
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Steel Facades:
Structural Glazing

ƒ enables the structure to be

hidden behind the glass skin

ƒ framing material used in

structural glazing systems is
typically extruded aluminium

ƒ glass glued with silicone

structural glazing sealants
(inorganic and UV resistant)

Image credit:
www.rcsystem.com/internat/ product/sys4_e.html
http://www.viracon.com/info/literature/eng-1-c-1-l-s.shtml
Steel and Façade
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Steel and Glass Facades:
Point Support
ƒ steel bracketing of glass panels

Example:

Natural history
y
museum of
Luxemburg
by Conny Lentz

Image credit: www.gra-pa.at/.../NeueBaustoffe/ Glasfassaden/seminar1.html

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Steel and Glass Facades:
Point Support
ƒ steel joints / spider brackets
ƒ additional steel structure for wind
bracing system

Image credit: http://www.inkan.on.ca/aust/main.htm

Steel and Façade
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Steel and Glass Facades: Point Support

Image credit: Glassline Zugstabsystem

Steel and Façade
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Steel and Glass Facades: Point Support
ƒ Example: Galleria Kameoka in Kameoka City/Japan
by Yoshiro Ikehara architect and associates

Images credit: the

japan architect
yearbook 1997, pp. 24-
27, vol. 28, winter
1998
Steel and Façade
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Steel and Glass Facades: Point Support
ƒ Example: Darwin Centre in London/UK by HOK international

Image credit: www.archnewsnow.com/features/ Feature62.htm

Steel and Façade
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Steel and Glass Facades: Point Support
ƒ Example: local government offices in Dublin, Ireland
by
y Bucholz McEvoyy architects
glazed sheets
3.5m wide and
2.26m high

Images credit: arch.

review no. 1248,
february 2001
 Steel and Façade
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Steel and Glass Facades:
Point Support
ƒ Example: Kuala Lumpur
International Airport by Kisho
Kurokawa Architect &
Associates
(point support
(p pp and structural g
glazing)
g)

Images credit:the
japan architect
yearbook 1998, pp.
942-97, vol. 32,
winter 1998
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Steel and Glass Facades:
Photovoltaic Elements

ƒ photovoltaic elements may be

integrated into roof and façade
ƒ integration with shading

ƒ silicon photovoltaic elements

can convert sunlight into energy

ƒ sizes:
patches of ca. 100 x 100 mm
can be arranged into arrays of
750 x 320mm up to 1500 x 600mm

Image credit:
www.daystartech.com/ whatpv.htm
www.greenhouse.gov.au/renewable/ technologies/pv/pv_tech.htm
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Steel and Glass Facades:
Photovoltaic Elements
ƒ photovoltaic
h t lt i elements
l t can be
b
opaque or semi-transparent

ƒ standard size: 100 x 100mm

transparency from 10 – 30%

ƒ large range of module types

Images credit:
www.gtsolar.com/index.asp
www.sunways.de
www.cnn.com/TECH/computing/ 9907/15/t_t/solar.roofs/
Steel and Façade
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Steel and Glass Facades:
Photovoltaic Elements
ƒ photovoltaic
h t lt i elements
l t can be
b
static or dynamically adjustable,
depending on building orientation
Images credit:
ƒ static examples: www.solonag.de
www.flabeg.com/content_en/ solar.html
Mat Haase
Steel and Façade
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Steel and Glass Facades:
Photovoltaic Elements
ƒ photovoltaic
h t lt i elements
l t can be
b
static or dynamically adjustable,
depending on building orientation
Images
g credit:
www.solonag.de
ƒ dynamically adjustable examples: www.flabeg.com/content_en/ solar.html
Mat Haase
Steel and Façade
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di

Steel and Glass Facades: Philip Jodidio: Contemporary European Architects

Vol. IV, 1996 Benedikt Taschen Verlag, Koeln

Photovoltaic Elements
E
Example:
l

Integration of PV elements into

façade

Factory buildings in Eimbeckhausen/

Germany by Herzog & Partner