Brinda Somaya (Founder) and Nandini Sampat (Director) from Somaya and Kalappa Consultants , spoke about their practice, their ongoing architectural projects, the role of façades and fenestration in buildings, latest trends and technologies in façade cladding, the importance of energy conservation and the role of façades and fenestration in achieving the same, intelligent and future façades and on renovation/restoration of façades of existing buildings. Below are the excerpts from the interview... [caption id="attachment_40480" align="alignright" width="300"] TCS House, Mumbai[/caption] Please tell us about your practice? Brinda Somaya (BS): It was in 1978 that my sister Ranjini Kalappa and I started our architectural consultancy firm. However, in two years she moved out of India and I was on my own. This led to the formation of Somaya & Kalappa, the company I founded and have headed for the last four decades. My work includes corporate, industrial and institutional designs that extends to...

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...

In conversation with the team of Window & Façade Magazine,  Firas Hnoosh from Nordic Office Architects talked about his architectural journey, his USPs, the status of the façade industry, and the future of the architectural segment in the Middle East. Here are the excerpts… What inspired you to become an architect? How is your journey so far since you started your career? I have been interested in architecture since I was a little boy because of my uncle who is an architect. Every time we visited, I would sneak into his studio to admire the cardboard models with miniature figures and play with the drawing equipment. The idea of creating buildings for people fascinated me. During my first semester in architecture school, I was confused and almost quit if it was not for architecture books that enticed me to stay and learn more about architecture. My journey has been very...

The client approached us with the idea of developing a Tech Park inside the REC Campus for the purpose of training computer science engineering students and to provide incubation centres which can host young start-ups. The aim was to encourage the recent graduates to enter the start-up ecosystem. The building needed to be completed in an express timeline of 180 days as the infrastructure was needed for the upcoming new batch. The existing facilities inside the campus were dismal and poorly equipped for computer science training. The site selected was an open land near the existing administration building. Being at the entrance of the campus, the building needed to be innovative and futuristic, symbolising the willingness of the university to adapt to the next generation of computer technology. Concept Note- Rec Tech Park [caption id="attachment_38609" align="alignleft" width="362"] The roof of the atrium was made with translucent polycarbonate sheets that allow...

Numerous innovations have been seen in the last decades concerning new façade technologies. These were driven by new materials or new applications of known materials, such as glued-on wall structures (structural glazing) in the '60s and '70s. On the other hand, we saw the increasing introduction of double and multiple-layer façades including a return to natural ventilation in the ’90s and the new millennium. Today we see the closed cavity façade (CCF) as a promising and innovative way to develop new possibilities, especially for high-rise buildings that may come to the same rank within the next years. The following report will provide an overview of the existing systems. It will also point out the challenges and the chances of this advanced new façade system. Furthermore, several reference projects of the past years are presented, both completed and under construction. The report shows the way to functional proper design and it...

Halio glass has a light transmission value of 65%. With a colour rendering index of 97 in its clear state, it is a completely neutral colour, and no unnatural blue cast, grid patterns or erratic gradients occur even as the glass tints to shades of grey. Halio glass can tint to a minimum light transmission value of 2% in less than three minutes. This is much faster than any other system currently on the market. Depending on the glass structure, Halio glass achieves Ug values of up to 0.6 W/(m2K). Halio’s control system automatically optimises the amount of daylight entering the room, and, thanks to its dynamic solar coefficient, Halio can manage heat gains and reduce cooling needs. Halio is recommended for all sustainable building projects, whether Passive House, Minergie, BREEAM, WELL or LEED certifications. Halio dynamic glass is the future of the façade. Modern façades self-adjust automatically, incorporate dynamic...

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...

In a candid conversation with WFM, Ar. Anand Sharma, one of the founding partners at DFI, gave an insight into DFI as a practice, its design approach and projects. He pushed energy efficient factors to be considered while designing building façades and fenestrations into the spotlight, which support design driven interventions and improve users’ experience. Here are the excerpts from our conversation. Please tell us about your Practice? Select Citywalk Mall ,Saket , New Delhi After studying together and graduating from IIT Kharagpur in 1995, we started an architectural practice as collaboration and turned into partners from co-peers. Completing 25 years of our practice together with our team of professionals, we have had lifetime opportunities of working on projects reverend to the urban context and architecture of India. Our journey started with small scale residential and retail projects, and since then, our team has worked tirelessly in the spirit of...

Brief on Holistic Design approach for Fire- Safe Buildings, focusing on Façades and Fenestration Design? The holistic design approach to fire safety starts by first understanding how fire behaves. Fire behaves differently with different types of combustion materials and fuels. Further, it will depend on the oxygen supply to that fire and the quantum of combustible material available to burn. One also needs to understand how fire spreads in a building before we start selecting the various elements of a façade. The most important aspect of controlling fire spread is breaking the continuity of combustible material in the line of fire range. The design of the façade must be such that materials have virtually no combustible component and if for unavoidable reasons they have to be used then breaking its continuity is a must to prevent fire from spreading to other parts of the fire-safe buildings. Could you tell us...

A Holistic Approach To Fire Safe Facades Façade is one of the most vulnerable elements of a building, especially in case of a fire incident. With more attention to aesthetics, cost factor, energy efficiency, eye-catching materials, green concept, etc., considerations of fire safety measures have been slipped under the radar. The scenario has become more complex with the unstoppable mushrooming of high-rise buildings which pose a greater fire hazard. [caption id="attachment_35093" align="alignleft" width="217"] Vijay Kumar Shaw AGM – BD (West Zone), Alstrong Enterprises India (Pvt) Limited[/caption] The role of a façade is as complex as the building itself as it needs to strike a balance between all the parameters such as aesthetics, visual character, structural stability, solar heat gain, daylight filtration, visibility, thermal comfort, branding and programmatic zoning, among other aspects, notes Vijay Kumar Shaw, Assistant General Manager – BD (West Zone), Alstrong Enterprises India. Due to its complex nature,...

When you consider that asphyxiation from smoke and noxious gases accounts for more than 40% of fatalities (according to the DCLG) and that most deaths happen to people who were not in the room where the fire originated, it is easy to see why firestop is critical to prevent the passage of flames and noxious gases from one floor to the next. The risk of fire spread through articulated elements of the façade or vertically around the façade via the mechanism of flame leap poses new concerns for the newest class of super high-rise structures. The concerns revolve around the issues of fire department response capabilities, reliability of sprinkler systems and associated water supplies and the characteristics of the building and building occupants. More importantly, as architects develop a new and leading-edge creative curtain wall designs, it becomes more critical to consider the risk factors that can impact the building’s...

The office building of the Central Information Commission (CIC) at Munirka, New Delhi is abutting a proposed 30 meter wide road namely Baba Gang Nath Marg. The state-of-the-art building facilitates the effective functioning of CIC, which is a symbol of transparency in the largest democracy of the world. The ambiance of the building is in such a way that the visiting Central Information Commission (CIC) at Munirka, New Delhi - front elevation public shall be at ease and comfort while pursuing their functions at the building. This has resulted in capacity building for the Central Information Commission. [caption id="attachment_31683" align="alignnone" width="774"] The building envelope protects the indoors from external elements and provides optimum daylight[/caption] The architectural façade, an inevitable part of any building, has long been a compelling focus of interest for building physicists and designers, combining attributes of both appearance and performance in a holistic manner. Façades, as building...

Rising Trend of Glass Façade in India Glass with time has risen to be one of the most important and primary construction components in the building industry. In a country like India, which consists of hot and humid climate zones and where thick brick walls and concrete structures are better at providing insulation, thus lessening the cooling loads of the buildings, in recent times, are using more and more glass for building façades. The increasing demand for Glass façade lies in the fact that glass imparts higher aesthetic value to a building. All high rise buildings in the metro cities are glazed with high quality Glass façades. The other reason for this trend is the fact that apart from the sophisticated exterior, glass façades make the buildings lighter and reduces the weight on the foundation. Also, glass provides natural day lighting and unobstructed views of the exterior giving the building...

Full glazing in tall residential buildings is not necessary, and likely to cause overheating problems, according to BuroHappold’s experts. “You don’t need that much glass to deliver daylight. Clever architects will find a way of delivering daylight without storing up problems for the future,” said Duncan Price, partner. Managing Glazing & Shade Ratios in Tall Buildings [caption id="attachment_31505" align="alignnone" width="774"] The key drivers to mitigate overheating risk are the positioning of high risk dwellings in locations of low solar exposure[/caption] Jon Gregg, senior sustainability engineer, agrees that too much glazing can be a problem. He suggests that tall building developers should look back to more traditional designs when designing daylighting for tall buildings, “In UK Victorian design, the trend was large panes of glass at the bottom of the building, with smaller panes at the top. Essentially, modern design has flipped this principle. Top floors are typically where rents are...

The Zak World of Façades, organised by the ZAK Trade Fairs and Exhibitions Private Limited, was held at the Hyatt Regency, Delhi on September 14, 2018. With a focus on “Bridging Emerging Technologies and Enduring Designs for a Sustainable Future”, the most anticipated event has served as the best comprehensive platform for the construction industry, as it gives the chance to mingle and connect with the industry leaders from India and around the globe providing expert solutions, services and products. Besides, the conference offers a unique opportunity of knowledge sharing and cross learning on subjects related to façade design and engineering. With more than 300 attendees, the action packed conference created a vigorous and dynamic atmosphere where specialists from the industry spoke on varied topics. The conference covered four sessions that gave significant information on what is feasible and discussed solutions in terms of innovation, technology and sustainability in the...

The Crescent is a small single level office, located in Surat city, Gujarat. The client wanted a small office with a reception, cabins, pantry, dining area for the staff and a small conference room. The temperature at Surat remains above 35°C for 8 months of the year and the sun is always on the southern side. The plot is located at a T junction of a road and a building to the south. The road junction abuts the site on the northern and western sides. The zoning constraint is a minimum of 3m setback from all sides of the plot which is mandatory for the built area. However, the site proved to be advantageous for the owner who is a local property dealer. The building is conveniently positioned for the developer’s client and serves as a promotional landmark in the area. [caption id="attachment_27864" align="alignnone" width="774"] Corten steel is used for...