The sense of sight or vision is perhaps the most influential among the five senses. Spectacular, marvellous, magnificent, splendiferous, wow, etc.; there are many verbal expressions to convey the appreciation for the beauty visible through our eyes. Our fascination with the joys that this ‘sense of vision’ can evoke is the basis for designing unique and awe-inspiring envelopes for the buildings The façade industry has gone through many evolutions over centuries. The industrial revolution has played a major role in bringing up the best in the façade industry and each of its segments. Between the start of the usage of glass in large areas of the façade in circa 16th century and the era of digital manufacturing in the 21st century, many revolutionary developments have been witnessed. Functionally, a façade separates the indoor environment from the outdoor. So, a façade and its components should be designed to withstand environmental factors...

It goes without saying that windows, doors and façade systems are among the key components of any building. Hence, the architectural hardware used in these should be supported by avant-garde features and technologies. [caption id="attachment_40294" align="alignleft" width="300"] There is a rising demand for premium quality hardware products that offer new design options, colours, materials[/caption] With Indian market for doors, windows and façades showing positive trends on the back of increased emphasis on meeting green building standards and use of eco-friendly materials, there is a rising demand for premium quality products that offer new design options, colours, materials and above all safety and better lighting & sound insulation. Lower energy consumption is another important requirement. While the customers are mostly looking for products with customised options, the manufacturers are equally innovating with hardware, materials and futuristic technologies. The latest range of architectural hardware used in windows and doors includes state-of-the-art components,...

Gaurav Oswal is Director at KELEGENT, a product company based in Pune, which specializes in manufacturing and exports of architectural hardware worldwide. KELEGENT has a very diversified range of high-quality engineered architectural hardware products for Aluminium and uPVC window and door systems. Gaurav Oswal heads the technical design and innovation team at KELEGENT which is responsible for developing its new range of products and works with many system companies and fabricators closely in designing and developing hardware solutions for new evolving systems.

Window and Façade magazine joined the Padma Shri award winner Ar. C. N. Raghavendran to talk about his journey of five decades in architecture, his sources of inspiration, his environmentally-conscious approach to design and much more. When was the firm CRN started and when did you join the firm? At about the time when I was born, my father had started an architectural office single handedly in the early 40s and during my childhood, my father used to take me with him to the site inspection and also sit in some of the review meetings with clients and contractors. I was quite fascinated to observe that out of nowhere a building plan emerging on the tracing paper and magically getting built, though I had no clue as to the process that made this happen. I felt thrilled to see the connection between sketching by hand the ideas in the head...

Ali Khalaf is an accomplished strategist with over 20 years of experience, leading a rapidly growing business in the aluminium systems industry within the construction sector. Currently, he is the Managing Partner and Director, Reynaers Middle East WLL - the local subsidiary of the leading European specialist ‘Reynaers Aluminium’ engaged in the development and marketing of innovative and sustainable aluminium solutions for doors and windows, curtain walls, sun screening and others. Ali has in-depth knowledge and expertise of aluminium systems, having previously worked in the same line of business with key players in the industry. Ali, a mechanical engineering degree holder, is a leading business development expert. He serves and supports Reynaers Middle East in achieving market leadership in the region.

Lightweight aluminium curtain walling have become the façade of choice across the globe, however, they can present specifiers with a host of internal sound transmission issues that need to be addressed to ensure the well-being, happiness and productivity of building occupants. With the extensive use of specialist criteria, complex jargon and the many ways of referring to the humble ‘decibel’ - Rw, Dnf,w, DnT,w, Dnc,w - to name but a few, the world of acoustics can be confusing to those who are not involved in the subject. This can lead to misunderstandings, or worse, the misapplication of materials needed to achieve good acoustic standards or to solve sound transmission issues. When considering the vertical transmission of airborne sound energy (floor-to-floor), the applicable criteria (regulatory or otherwise), will usually be in ‘dB’ in one of the following forms: DnT,w - A Final Site Measured Value A DnT,w is a final site...

Façades are the most important building element from both the users and the architect’s point of view. They are the most difficult to design since the perception of iconic and technologically advanced façades is changing frequently. As per the United Nations Environment Program, buildings and their construction together account for 36 per cent of global energy use and 39 per cent of energy-related carbon dioxide emissions annually. [caption id="attachment_39031" align="alignright" width="151"] AR. Khozema Chitalwala Principal Architect & Designer, Designers Group[/caption] Since the building’s envelope is the primary contributor to energy gain, and correspondingly its most important element in controlling the carbon footprint, it is no longer a matter of choice but mandatory to come up with technologies that perform better, are more functional and, of course, look great. Designers are researching and experimenting with new and complex façade and fenestration technologies. [caption id="attachment_39032" align="alignleft" width="150"] AR. Manish Dikshit Partner &...

One of the most prominent trends in the last few years in real estate has been the usage of glass façades. Most of the iconic buildings in Indian metros today are elegant corporate houses with glass façades. Today, glass façades have become an industry with several companies offering a plethora of choices in everything from supplying different glass to customisation, cleaning and maintenance. The reason for architects' and developers' preference for glass is because it reduces the weight on the foundation and hence makes the building lighter as compared to constructing walls. Structurally glazed façade systems create greater transparency than traditional captured systems. There are fewer visual interruptions due to the use of less metal on the glass façades, creating a seamless, continuous transparent look, merging the interiors with the exterior. Since there is little to no exposed exterior metal, there is also less thermal bridging with structural glazing, saving...

Vikram Khanna talks about AIS Glass company, its growth and success stories, AIS’s various product categories, facilities and infrastructure, some of their major projects, market for glass in India, AIS’s contribution in bringing about the current revolution in the façade and the fenestration sector, main challenges faced by the glass industry, and the future of façade and fenestration industry in India. Excerpts from the interview with WFM. Please tell us about your company AIS and yourself? How long you have been in this business and in the Indian market? Asahi India Glass Ltd. (AIS) is India's leading integrated glass solutions company and a dominant player both in the automotive and architectural glass segments. It commands over 70% share in the Indian passenger car glass market. Established in 1984, AIS' footprint today spans the entire spectrum of the automotive and architectural glass value chains. AIS provides end-to-end solutions right from manufacturing...

Glass has been present for more than 5000 years on Earth. Its earliest existence was noticed in Egypt and eastern Mesopotamia, where it existed in the form of beads. Later, craftsmen around the world learned to blow it into different shapes and colours to produce unique artefacts. The first examples of glass in architecture appeared in Roman civilisations where the glass was put in wood and bronze frames to open up buildings towards outside environment. Glass gave an opportunity to experience outside environment and light while being indoors. Therefore, glass became a favourable material for wrapping buildings by architects. Many innovations happened in glass production and manufacturing, but the major shift in glass production was the result of an invention by British scientist Alastair Pilkington. Pilkington has developed the process of manufacturing float glass by casting it on the bed of denser liquid tin. This process allowed the glass to...

CCPS organised three training sessions at Galgotias University and Vastukala Academy of Architecture under its Teaching Young India training programs. The first training held on 11th February at Galgotias University, the 2nd and 3rd training sessions held on 12th and 19th February at Vastukala Academy of Architecture. Galgotias University, 11th February 2020 Glass as a Building Material and Modern trends in the building industry (usage of PU foam and sealants) Sanjay Mantri, Anindya Roy from Asahi India Glass and Jignasa Suthar and Sanjeet Kumar from McCoy Soudal, all having a vast experience in the field presented on glass selection criteria based on various applications, Specialty glasses. The attendees included faculty members and students from B. Arch. 4th and 6th semesters. Architectural Hardware and Doors & Window Hardware Ankur Kalia and Lovekesh Sharma from Ozone Overseas presented on architectural hardware in the building industry (glass fittings, auto doors, and door hardware),...

Asahi India Glass Ltd, India’s one of the leading automotive and building glass company, has introduced AR (augmented reality) feature in their ‘AIS World of Glass’ app. This new AR feature helps in choosing perfect fenestration products for every door and window requirements. The AR app offers a number of benefits. Through this app, one can explore the space, select the window frames, frame colour, glass, and hardware of own choice and visualise the dream space. The app also has a feature that will help in experiencing an acoustic solution. It also shows energy efficiency which helps to choose the perfect doors and windows for the dream space. Other features of this app include: change background outside the frame (background can be changed accordingly to day/night mode), it gives you the product information. Excerpts from the App AR App Key Features • Toggle between different shades of glasses and frames...

Alfen, a pioneer in the aluminium architectural industry, has ventured in Indore with a showroom at E-87, Anurag Nagar Extension, LIG link Road, Indore, launched on 31st January 2020. The showroom was inaugurated by Ar. Naeemuddin F. Qureshi, Chairman of IIID Indore regional chapter. IIID Indore chapter management committee and their distinguished members graced the auspicious occasion. [caption id="attachment_37627" align="alignright" width="300"] The Alfen Showroom[/caption] Also, Ar. Anshuman Sharma, Chairman and Managing Committee of IIID-Jaipur Regional Chapter was present at the occasion. Additionally, legendary AR. Sanjay Kothari & AR. Rajinder Puri gave their valuable time bestowing their presence at the event. The goal of the company is to satiate the needs of the Indians in perspective towards aluminium architectural fenestration products. The industry was not focused to fulfill the requirement of Indians residential and commercial architectural products. Fenestration products were manufactured in India and sold under the name of many reputed...

HOK’s Circadian Curtain Wall concept draws on biophilic design to offer building occupants abundant natural light while minimising solar heat gain. How can façade systems play a more important role in improving employee health and well-being? That was the challenge in a recent competition, and it got me thinking about an idea. For the past two years, me and my colleagues in HOK had been working on a concept for a load-bearing façade for high-rise buildings. [caption id="attachment_37550" align="alignleft" width="500"] Inspired by the 24-hour circadian clock, the façade’s design maximises building occupant’s exposure to daylight and the daily rhythms that influence human health[/caption] That design of structural exterior enclosure, replaced much of the aluminium found in modern curtain walls with steel, giving the façade additional strength to serve as part of the building’s overall framing and, because steel requires one-third the amount of carbon to produce as aluminium, reducing its...

Please tell us about your company Geeta Aluminium, and yourself? How long you have been in this business and in the Indian market? In 1964 my father Late Shri Girdharilal Bajaj laid the foundation of the Geeta Group of Companies by setting up Geeta Aluminium Co. Pvt. Ltd in Mumbai. In 1977, when the architectural industry just began, my father was involved in the retail commodity market dealing in profile and hardware. For thirty years, he laid a strong foundation for the growth and development of aluminium fenestration, a concept which is in great demand in the industry till date. Geeta Group has now evolved as one of the ‘more value for money’ and quality system window companies in the country. Geeta Group has been built on the foundations of a skilled workforce coupled with technological innovation and we deliver a superior customised solution throughout the country through strong supply-chain...

The history of KaenatCorp is the glorious story of four generations. Set up in the year 1890, KaenatCorp played a crucial role in shaping the glass industry in India. Over the years, KaenatCorp has evolved from a mere glass trader to a major glass manufacturer and extended its arms to aluminium and uPVC fabrication of doors and windows, structural glazing, façades, railings, and basically all exterior and interior solutions of a commercial/residential project and of course, a home. [caption id="attachment_35864" align="alignleft" width="217"] Anwer Kamil Chairman, KaenatCorp[/caption] Our customers can select from a vast variety from the products and services we offer and provide expertise in. KaenatCorp has been the standard of reference for the design and production of all façade solutions and systems for more than 20 years now. The immense hardwork and dedication of our Chairman, Anwer Kamil and our Managing Director, Moiz Kamil, KaenatCorp, and the successful partnership...