I have not always been a proponent of BIM, far from it. For a long time, and until a few years back, I thought that BIM was just an unnecessary complication, with limited added value as far as façade design and engineering are concerned. Without diving into it further, it seemed from the outside that BIM was simply a more complex method for documenting the façade design compared with simpler and more traditional approaches. Indeed, we had spent the better part of two decades designing façades first using hand-drawn sketches and manual computations, then subsequently using CAD applications for the production of drawings, along with finite element analysis software to speed up computations. Feeling comfortable with this state of play, I was for a while reluctant to explore alternative approaches to design documentation. After all, this method of work had proved effective in the delivery of projects for many years...

Tell us about your practice and design approach? Gensler is the world’s largest architecture, design, planning, and consulting firm, with 49 offices around the globe. Gensler architecture reflects our knowledge of how people and organisations use and experience place and space. We work collaboratively with clients, communities, and end-users to create buildings that work well on every level, inside and out. Successful buildings capture the spirit of their surroundings, even as they assert their own identity. [caption id="attachment_44493" align="alignright" width="362"] Four Seasons Hotel, Burj Alshaya Centre, Kuwait City,Kuwait The design concept has been developed around a regional architectural tradition, resulting in a contextual building[/caption] They are visually appealing, healthy, comfortable, flexible, secure and efficient, a pleasure to be in. And they pay their way, adding real value for their owners and users. Our Middle East studios in Dubai and Abu Dhabi utilise cultural research as both catalysts for community engagement...

When designing the building components such as the facades, windows, and doors, we need to ensure that the products don’t just look great but perform to the highest possible standards without the risk of deterioration. Efficient, productive applications need adhesives that provide high durability in a cost-effective, easy-to-use manner. 3M™ bonding technology is a high-strength, reliable and affordable alternative to traditional fastening methods and is a reliable alternative to screws, rivets, welds and other mechanical or thermal bonding solutions. 3M™ adhesive technology creates a stronger bond while weighing less and giving a clean design and consistent appearance. The façade is the most important part of the building envelope responsible for a range of functions, most importantly the primary weather defence and architectural aesthetics. Metal has been included in architectural façade designs, windows & doors for the routine smooth skin design for commercial and residential buildings. The designers have embraced metal...

India is growing vertically upwards, specifically in metro cities. Now, we all as colleagues in the construction industry are concerned about the MEP services, and the main structure (whether it be steel, concrete, or composite) - but believe me, only an iota of people are thinking of the façade during the planning stage and this is really ALARMING to me. [caption id="attachment_44255" align="alignright" width="217"] Confidence Tower Nagpur - (office and residential) rendered image comprising of double-skin façade systems for both areas. Aluminium perforation cladding used in the office area[/caption] But the fact is that a façade is the first barrier that has to perform for all the weather cycles, leakages (air & water), withstand the dead load, wind load (positive & negative), wind pressures during its entire life cycle, also stand up to the acoustical and thermal performance and all the above-incorporated within the architectural intent and aesthetics. Fabricators have...

An interesting interview featuring Ahmet Astal from Yale Middle East briefing about the company, it's products in the market & so on. Read the excerpts below: Please brief our readers about the journey of Yale in the Middle East? Yale is an ASSA ABLOY Group brand which represents the residential application side of the group worldwide. Yale started its journey in the Middle East with Lebanon in 1940, and today is present all across the Middle East countries through some of the region’s top distributors, and resellers. Could you please tell us about some of your clients or the projects in which your products have been used? As a brand operating in the region, we have partnered with some of the biggest companies including telecom providers like Etisalat, and retail stores like ACE Hardware in UAE, and SACO in Saudi Arabia. We also continue to expand our reach with top...

Architectural Hardware/ Ironmongery Architectural hardware plays a key part in all buildings and in everyone’s day-to-day lives, so much more than is realised. Incorporating look, feel, functionality, security, performance, fire life safety, accessibility, acoustics, weather protection, and energy efficiency to name but a few. It is essential that your building is specified correctly by an industry expert, and that the products comply with the relevant codes and standards and are fit for purpose. Understanding Product Standards There are currently two prevailing sets of standards related to door hardware / ironmongery that form the basis of the majority of project specifications. These are British / European standards, identified with the BSEN and CE prefixes and North American standards identified as ANSI/BHMA. Architectural Hardware Product Standards: BSEN & ANSI / BHMA [caption id="attachment_43665" align="alignright" width="217"] Bronze range of Ironmongery[/caption] These standards indicate performance levels on each product, carrying out stringent testing such...

RSP is a well-known name in the architecture field. What makes you one of the leaders in the field? What is your key success mantra? RSP has been successfully in operation for 65 years and managed to complete over 2,500 projects worldwide. When we set up the design studio in 2009 we brought with us the expertise, skill-set, and creativity of the RSP legacy combined with our talented team on the ground that adds the local know-how and individual talent. RSP has been a global leader in educational, hospitality, mixed-use, and master planning projects for decades thanks to the vast in-house talent pool and exceptional clients that continuously push the boundaries and help us to excel. Our mantra is very simple - 1. Understand the client's brief 2. Produce a world-class design on time and budget 3. Deliver a sustainable and value adding project to our client’s portfolio. What are...

The façade is an elegant component that shows the unique architectural aesthetics of the building as well as plays a critical role in thermal/energy performance and occupants’ comfort, health, and productivity where it reduces undesirable external factors such as rain, heat, storms, and noise, and utilizes favourable factors such as light, air, and sun. To achieve the desirable and intended purpose of the façade, criteria should be considered as follows: AIRTIGHTNESS It is one of the intrinsic building envelope functions which can be defined as the resistance of inward or outward air leakage through unintentional openings in the envelope. Airtight envelope has several pros in thermal efficiency and comfort which affect substantially in energy savings and HVAC equipment capacities as well. The mold because of moisture could be reduced especially in coastal regions if the façade achieves airtightness standards. The airtightness of buildings would be affected by wind load which...

Efficient buildings are designed to provide occupants with a comfortable, safe, and healthy living and work environment. This requires superior architecture and engineering designs, quality construction practices, and intelligent operation of the structures. According to a study in the USA, the major areas of energy consumption in buildings are heating, ventilation, and air conditioning—35% of total building energy and lighting consumes —11%. Façade and fenestration is often considered the biggest hurdle in achieving higher levels of energy efficiency in buildings. Building owners opt for the most efficient façade and fenestration system which contributes to energy conservation, thereby operational costs. This edition cover story on “Effective Fenestration Through Improved Designs & Systems” discusses key factors such as characteristics and main features of sustainable and efficient façades and fenestration, ideal wall-window ratio, and improved acoustics and thermal comfort through proper design and installation of fenestration. It also throws light on the ways...

Excerpts from a recent Interview with Tariq Khayyat, Co-Founder of Tariq Khayyat Design Partners (tkdp) Tell us about your design approach. tkdp was established in 2018 as a bespoke design-led practice providing Architectural and design solutions to clients and communities. Driven by the ambition to achieve excellence, exclusivity, and the highest level of quality. tkdp solid experience pushes the studio to keep developing architectural solutions that stand out, add a significant value to the built environment, benefitting clients and communities at large. tkdp’s ethos is based on continuous research and innovative methods to introduce architectural and design solutions that ultimately respond to the ever-evolving market needs and contemporary lifestyle. [caption id="attachment_41954" align="alignright" width="300"] Shenzhen Luohu Master Plan[/caption] What are the milestones you have achieved to date? As a young architectural practice, we were thrilled to win our first international design competition 6 months after we established the studio. The competition...

The world is racing to discover a vaccine for COVID-19 to save mankind. Under the current circumstances, social distancing has become an integrated practice in our lifestyle. Globally, the emphasis is placed on a better hygienic atmosphere for both healthcare and non-healthcare buildings. Healthcare systems have been overwhelmed by a high rate of hospitalisation and quarantine measures. In fact, there has been a shift in building design perspective particularly related to healthcare facilities. This necessitates reshaping the architecture and interior spaces to accommodate the new requirements dictated by the evolved regulations and standards post the pandemic. The pandemic has highlighted the importance of refining healthcare frameworks and proposing innovative tools to accommodate the rapid increase in patients. Therefore, it has become obvious that countries worldwide have to expand, upgrade, and retrofit existing healthcare facilities with an appropriate selection of façades and building design materials, such as cladding, flooring, and ceiling....

The use of glass for a building façade has long been a preferred cladding for designers as a way of opening up the space and bringing the exterior inside. Glazing helps provide the necessary daylight inside a building and brings the heat into the built form. It also adds to the aesthetics and helps reduce the maintenance costs. All buildings have elements such as doors, windows, and skylights where glass is used as infills with metal or UPVC profiles. Glass today has become a lot more specialised with enhanced technical and performance capabilities that require specialist knowledge. The performance of the glass affects the ingress of heat and light so it is important to use the correct glass for the building depending on the usage and energy efficiency required. The glass comes in pure sheets which are called float glass as the process of manufacturing includes floating the molten glass...

Cladding is one of the most important elements which ensures that the exterior of a building is protected from the elements of nature and potential sources of damage. Cladding extends the longevity and lifespan of the building. It also provides the other important benefits that include providing strength to the structure and thermal insulation to the buildings. Cladding not only protects the building envelope but also enhances the appearance of the building. It is also very important that the cladding design and the right choice of cladding material should have the right balance of aesthetics and efficiency. We interviewed the experts in the construction sector who have provided their thoughts on the cladding sector, the trends in cladding technologies & materials, the role of fire safety in external cladding systems, etc. Here are the views of experts presented in this cover story The Latest Trends In Cladding Materials [caption id="attachment_41637"...

Ali Mohammed T. Al-Ghanim Clinic, Kuwait Ali Mohammed T. Al-Ghanim Clinic building stands as a pioneer in the healthcare sector, where challenging issues such as privacy and security are addressed using a new model. Courtyards attached to the façade are the driving element behind this unique typology. The program occupies the entirety of the site, and from afar the building is viewed as a monolithic element solidifying its ground and creating a high walled fortress protecting from vandalism and maximising privacy. The courtyards are carved into the building, allowing for natural light into all the clinics. The concept of the façade generating light, views and ventilation is reversed, and the courtyards are brought inwards from the perimeter creating further privacy. Examination rooms have been located towards the closed outer façade and opened to the interior courtyards in which common space flows. Working directly with manufacturers and parametric processes that generate...

In an interaction with Abdulmajid Karanouh (International Director and Head of Interdisciplinary Design & Innovation) from Drees & Sommer spoke about his journey, and shared his views on the current situation of the architectural segment in the post-pandemic, etc. Here are the excerpts… Tell us about your practice and design approach. [caption id="attachment_41520" align="alignleft" width="217"] Al Bahr Towers, Abu Dhabi, UAE Project by: Aedas[/caption] Drees & Sommer was born in Stuttgart over 50 years ago as a project management consultancy firm. Since then, the firm has grown into the largest all-around German consultancy group in the Built Environment with over 40 offices across the globe, covering over 70 disciplines and sectors, offering 360 degrees of total integrated urban and building solutions. Our Interdisciplinary Design & Research (IDR) group is responsible for developing strategies to bridge gaps and establish synergies between various disciplines within Drees & Sommer on one hand and...

With the rapid spread of COVID-19, designs for a world will never be quite the same, especially for large public spaces, like airports, hotels, hospitals, gyms, and offices. This is an opportunity to rethink everything, including how we design and build façades and fenestration to be even more resilient, healthy, beautiful, green and creative. This is our time to come together and not just imagine but ideate and advocate for a future where the world is in harmony with nature, and where innovation and imagination are valued for solutions that enhance the quality of life. [caption id="attachment_41449" align="alignleft" width="150"] Anoop Devasia Lead Architect, PM Group[/caption] Can we shift from trying to save the bottom line to designing buildings that are carbon neutral because they reduce energy consumption, and participate in regenerating resources while offering ample space in which to live? Here are some fresh ideas by a few experts for...