WFM: Are you doing any project in India? Jürgen Mayer H. (JMH): We are doing a project in India in collaboration with Mumbai-based architectural firm - Collaborative Architecture, headed by Architects Mujib Ahmed and Laita Tharani. We shall reveal the details of the project later. Intense discussions are going on for finalization of this Indian projects. I have travelled to India 5 times and have seen many projects here. My trips were always very interesting and exciting and I look forward to work here in India. WFM: Could you please tell me about your ongoing projects? Jürgen Mayer H. (JMH): We do projects from very small scale ventures to large scale projects. Large scale projects include high rise buildings, especially those done in Germany. All these projects have relationship with the skyline, their elevation and the urban fabric around them and they activate downtown parts. All these projects are very...

They have become the façade of choice across the globe, however, lightweight aluminium curtain walling systems 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. Mike Carrick AMIOA, Head of Acoustics at Siderise Group, looks at the common sound transmission paths in lightweight curtain-walled buildings and the performance-limiting factors when considering the flanking sound transmission performance both vertically and horizontally. 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 ‘floor to...

Significant trends are emerging in the window and door industries. The new trend in the fenestration industry and the contemporary architectural solution is heavily involving aluminium envelopes, from façade to casement windows for residential projects. With the emerging trends, contractors, developers and building owners have to deal with various issues pre and post-construction. Some architects and manufacturers of aluminium windows and doors are monitoring the customers' evolving tastes and have identified the following key trends that are expected to affect the building industry in the coming years. Minimalist Trend In recent years, the ‘minimalist’ trend has strongly affected the world of buildings. The architects are redefining the rules of urban planning by designing more and more slender buildings. Constructive [caption id="" align="alignleft" width="300"] NP Supra Asia Handle[/caption] The design has become increasingly modern and daring. Large openings are in trend together with narrow profiles and stylish accessories with low aesthetic impact....

Once marketed as “The City Above Toronto,” the City of Vaughan is considered to be one of the fastest growing suburban cities in the Greater Toronto Area. Their new five-year-old Civic Center campus is situated just outside the historic community of Maple, an agricultural center dating back to the mid-1800’s, and it’s commuter rail station linking the city to downtown Toronto. The upcoming Toronto-York Spadina Subway Extension—projected to open in 2018—along with a planned transit-oriented development that anticipates housing for 25,000 residents and employment for over 11,000 workers promises to establish a new identity for Vaughan. Nestled in between all of this is the City’s latest project: the Vaughan Civic Center Resource Library. Designed by Toronto-based ZAS Architects, the building responds to a “library of the future” brief with a sweeping glass and steel “maker-space” dedicated to community learning, gathering, creating, and celebration. Peter Duck worth-Pilkington, Principal at ZAS, says the...

Façade and fenestration are often considered the biggest hurdle in achieving higher levels of energy efficiency in buildings. Buildings have evolved from being predominantly passive systems to having high levels of internal control due to the addition of man-made materials. With the increase in artificial lighting in buildings in the 20th century, the size of fenestrations was reduced significantly as well as dependency on them. They now occupy only about 15 to 20 per cent of wall surface area and play many roles including supplying daylight, providing views, acting as ventilators, noise and heat insulators and glare protectors. Windows not only add to aesthetics but are also a significant component of heating and cooling costs. [caption id="" align="alignleft" width="160"] Ar. Vivek Bhole, Chairman & Managing Director, Vivek Bhole Architects Pvt. Ltd[/caption] Building owners opt for the most efficient façade and fenestration system which contributes to energy conservation and, thereby operational...

A façade typically represents 30 per cent of the total development cost. The taller and more complex the building becomes, the figures escalate. A key component of the cost is the thickness of glass, framing members and size of brackets – all of which are largely dictated by the wind loads that the building is subjected to. I In today’s world, tall buildings dominate the skyline thus defining the prosperity of any modern city. Over the last two decades, the number of tall buildings over 200m in height has increased by 352 per cent (Reference CTBHU Research) and is growing. An estimate shows that Asia alone accounts for more than 70 per cent of high buildings, which are above +200 m, globally. With the early involvement of façade engineering expertise, savings can be made through coordination of the structural design. Added value can be achieved with a façade design that...

WFM: Please give us a brief introduction of yourself and your rm and few of your recently completed important projects? AC: I was brought up in a small town near Kolkata, in a large joint family surrounded by endless farmlands and a fierce passion for football! It was a building of Charles Correa’s that inspired me to change my trajectory from mathematics to design. With this I began my journey in Architecture. I graduated from Jadavpur University, Kolkata in 1998. In my first job while working with him, Ar. Prabir Mitra inspired me to drive into the ‘details’ of Architecture. Thereafter, I served as the head of National design at Lafarge for a few years and later as director of a firm called Adler. In 2003 I pursued specialisation in industrial Design from DOMUS Academy, Milan ‘Abin Design Studio’ began in October, 2005 and has grown to become a design-centric...

If some of the myth were actually true, uPVC fenestration would not have achieved world-wide acceptance and recognition. Besides, uPVC would not have entered the extremely challenging Indian fenestration market. But I dare to suggest that uPVC was actually invented for India. Coping with hot dry climate and hot humid climate; compensating for temperatures ranging from minus 10°C to plus 50°C; providing a non-corrosive framing alternative for India’s 7500 km long coast line; being thermite resistant; being dust and sound proof; have a negligible water absorption; being colourfast and durable, being energy efficient, environmental friendly etc. is quite a tall order! If someone would have asked, 60 years ago, top European engineers to develop a frame material that can meet India’s varied environment, they might have said “It is impossible, it cannot be done!” but decades of ongoing research & development and rigorous testing resulted into a material proposition which...

WFM: What are the important aspects to be considered while designing and installing fenestrations? Nilabh Nagar (NN): The most important design factor would be the orientation of the opening. But many a times, constraints of site and function do not allow proper orientation. So one needs to adopt other methods. The summer-winter contradiction can best be addressed on the south face only. In east and west façades, the sun comes at low angles and can only be done by cutting off. On the south façade, Simply by having awnings/sun shades to match solar angle for winter and summer as well adjustable louvres can easily get the benefits asked (We have used them in important projects: e.g., Infosys SDB). However the proportion of windows, overhang of balconies in residential buildings Chajjas, etc., greatly contribute to optimised lighting. We must ensure that window is not too small to create glare. There are...

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="204"] The curtain wall concept is implemented in the façade design of Altitude[/caption] The proposed 383m tower, Altitude, will be 211m taller than the current tallest building - World Trade Center - at Colombo, Sri Lanka. This mixed-use high-rise development, is planned as a revenue-generating landmark structure that shall mark Sri Lanka’s presence on the world map of high-rises. The skyscraper will incorporate various private and public spaces including luxurious apartments and penthouses, retail and commercial spaces, a revolving speciality restaurant, an indoor cricket training facility, and a 360degree observatory. Facade The curtain wall concept is implemented in the façade design of Altitude, amounting to an approximate of 1, 10, 000 Sq m of glazing area. The research below traces the underlying decision that led to the development of the overall curtain wall concept; focusing on the design options at different location on the exterior, and also...

‘Integrative’ is the most popular word of this era on a sustainable platform. Be it in any process, function, application, etc., everything is said to be integrative. Owed on a large scale to the construction industry, this is currently a necessity. The participation of people from various sectors is mounting and the approach has to be integrative – a proper collaboration and coordination of all. Even when talking about the façade, it has to be an integrative approach to design, as the façade envelops the building and all of its functions (Figure 1). The façade is a major contributor to the overall energy consumption, daylight and well-being of the occupant. [caption id="" align="alignleft" width="286"] Double-skin façade[/caption] The building is not just an envelope to protect us from natural occurrences but a filter that will enhance what is desired and reduce what is unwanted. The initial conceptual design phase should be...

Since inception, the primary function of buildings was to provide shelter and protection from the environment. As time passed, lifestyle changed and so did architecture where the original concept of providing shelter transformed into providing comfortable indoor ambiance. During this transition, building façades have gone through a lot of changes and modifications. The building façades remain one of the most important exterior components for building functionality. Apart from just aesthetic point, it also has a critical role related to energy performance and interior functioning of a building. [caption id="" align="alignright" width="260"] A hotel in Mumbai - achieved energy efficiency and optimum daylighting by controlling floor to window ratio, using recessed windows for solar shading and high performance clear glass[/caption] In case of a window, the basic objective is to admit daylight in a building and also provide view to the user. As quoted “a window that admits sunlight for winter...

Energy Conservation has gained momentum in recent years. The increasing demand for energy efficiency has influenced the technical development of right construction methodology and usage of right products for façades and windows. Nowadays advanced and technically superior innovative solutions are available which are cost effective and facilitate greener buildings with a low carbon footprint. On an average depending upon the location in the world, it is observed that buildings consume more than 30 – 40 per cent of energy. In extreme cold and hot regions this consumption may go more than 40 per cent as well. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="364"] Air Tightness and Insulation[/caption] Windows and façades are few of the most important factors while considering the overall energy efficiency of a building. Therefore the requirement and selection of right construction methodology and right products is very important and it helps in achieving the overall performance. Special type of products...

Construction Chemicals International Seminar branded C3 was held in Bengaluru on 2nd and 3rd June 2016 at Grand Venue NIMHANS and was well attended by about 400 Delegates. C3 - an unique seminar covering effective use of construction chemicals for enduring structures in the field of construction chemicals was inaugurated by distinguished Chief Guest Prof. B.R. Srinivasa Murthy, Chairman, Taskforce, Quality Assurance in Public works, Govt of Karnataka and Raj Pillai, Executive Director of Sobha Group was the keynote speaker. In a glittering inaugural session Mr. Samir Surlaker, President CCMA-Construction Chemicals Manufacturers Association, welcomed all and invited delegates to play an interactive role. Prof. B.R. Srinivasa Murthy, in his inaugural address, exposed the audience as well as CCMA members to tremendous growth of construction chemicals in India. He expressed the need for more interaction of construction chemicals manufacturers with other professionals to solve problem in civil engineering. Raj Pillai, explained...

WFM: Please give us a brief introduction of your fim and a few of your recently completed important projects. Jonas Upton-Hansen: UHA is an international architecture and design studio based in London. The firm was founded in 2011 with an initial focus on luxury residential projects in London and grew rapidly to undertake larger-scale projects across Europe, Asia and the Americas including countries such as China, India, Mexico and Russia. Recent projects include a 20 million Sq ft mixed-use master plan in central Moscow on the historical ‘Hammer & Sickle’ steelworks; a 160m tall luxury office tower and hotel in downtown Mexico City and a corporate headquarters in Shymkent, Kazakhstan. In India, UHA is involved with a significant number of prestigious projects: in Gurgaon - the Michael Schumacher World Tower for Homestead; a series of projects for M3M Group including the St Andrew’s Tower, Escala Urbana Premium and Satya’s Element...

Fire, what do you think about it? If I ask you to close your eyes right now for few seconds and think about FIRE……………. What comes to your mind? I am sure most of the time it is smoke, heat, people running, panic, fire brigade, etc. But why all these bad thoughts comes to our mind. Have we ever thought that fire is a blessing that has happened to mankind since it is discovered and we can’t live without it? It’s been 800,000 years, we’re the only beings on the planet who light fires, who cook our food over fire, who use fire to light our way. Why we all think negative about this powerful, mysterious force? The reason: Fire is a very good slave but a very bad master, when it is out of control it becomes a monster and that’s how we remember it. Fire protection is a...