Tall buildings will always need to make a bold statement on the surrounding environment. The use of fully glazed façades is common for iconic tall buildings in cities across the world for both its appealing aesthetic and demonstration of engineering possibilities. As the world becomes ever more energy and environmentally conscious, so too is façade design for tall buildings. However, there are significant design challenges associated with the use of a fully glazed façade that can have an impact on the building's energy consumption as well as the building’s construction and operational costs. Alumayer India is a leading construction company in the field of design, supply and installation of facade glazing systems. They provide a first-rate product in addition to a superior customer experience by maintaining complete control of the end product, from pre-construction to installation. Window & Façade Magazine (WFM) got an opportunity to have an interesting chat with...

Milind Malve is a Managing Director at Alumayer India Pvt. Ltd .Alumayer India is a leading construction company in the field of design, supply and installation of facade glazing systems. They provide a first-rate product in addition to a superior customer experience by maintaining complete control of the end product, from pre-construction to installation.

In a world where nine to five, monotony, drudgery and boredom reside in the same cubicle, comes a revolution to the workplace. One that is innovative in design, imagination and size. It goes by the name of Marvel Edge located at Viman Nagar, the heart of Pune. This state-of-the-art infrastructure is a testament to modern and distinctive commercial structures.Spread over one million square feet, Marvel Edge boasts of environmentally sustainable designs, with a profusion of greenery, luxury, quality and technology. Amenities like maximized natural lighting, breakout spaces, inclusiveness of complex and advanced security systems are part and parcel of the experience sunscreening. The building has a three-layered façade consisting of a double-glazed curtain wall, private terraces and sun screening. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="392"] Fig.3: Internal view of the gallery[/caption] [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="392"] Fig.4: View of the internal courtyard[/caption] Intelligent Design Divided into 4 wings, Marvel Edge is a combination...

With the Slidefix, Renson provides a fabric sun protection solution for both sliding windows, large areas of permanent glass and corner sliding windows. This new type of fabric sun protection follows the sideways motion of a sliding glass door. It’s a motion that’s actually quite logical and, especially, very practical: in this manner, a sliding window also stays perfectly usable as a passageway even with sun protection installed. When developing this Slidefix, close attention was paid to the invisible integration of the various elements. Both the cassette and the edge guides of the Slidefix are integrated discreetly into the façade. The cassette is recessed behind the hardware, while the certified ‘Connect&Go’ technology still makes it possible to install and uninstall the fabric tube and motor easily. The lower guide is installed in such a way that it fits in at floor level both inside and outside. This lower rail also...

The site for the project Bajaj Bhavan is located in the heart of the vibrant city of Lucknow, The city of Nawabs. The infrastructure of the city is developing at a great pace and it is now home to many eye catching architecture. Curtain Wall System The building consists of two type of double glazed soft-coat high performance glass: 6-15-6 IGU: 6mm tempered glass + 15mm air gap with Argon gas + 6mm tempered glass (Coating on face 3). 6-15-6 IGU: 6mm tempered glass (with design ceramic frit on face 2) + 15mm air gap with Argon gas + 6mm tempered glass (Coating on face 3). The glass is fixed using aluminium extruded profiles with pressure plate and cover plate. The façade of Bajaj Bhavan is designed according to wind pressure analysis reports. Characteristics of Glass The chosen glass is the most advanced way to achieve that delicate balance between...

All of us want to live, work, play, shop relax in natural light and stay connected to the surrounding spaces and views. Natural Light is healthy and gives us a sense of well-being and comfort. People working in Natural Light are more productive and are also more positive due to mental and visual stimulation as proven in many studies worldwide. Medically too, it has been proven that patients recover faster and feel less pain needing lesser analgesics, when recovering or recuperating in natural light conditions in comparison to artificially lit areas. [caption id="" align="alignright" width="392"] Fig.1: 1 Lux is the illumination on a surface of 1 sq m by 1 candle, placed at 1m from such surface[/caption] Natural light in a building will depend upon several factors and a good building design should result in most parts of the building as well The design should also address the energy transfer....

Glass is undoubtedly the material of choice for curtain walls. It represents the ultimate material of choice for lending a diaphanous appearance to the building envelope. Glass is also a very resilient material, able to withstand large deformations and strong chemical attacks. On the other hand, glass also displays certain fragile characteristics. In addition, glass make-ups have becoming increasingly complex in recent years, mixing coatings, lamination, multiple plies of glass, and more. This complexity yields more opportunities for failures or reduced performance. Preserving the appearance of glass within curtain walls can prove a daunting task. In this article, we review a number of common issues that can adversely affect the visual quality of curtain wall glazed panels, what causes them, and how to avoid or minimize them. Float Glass   [caption id="" align="alignleft" width="392"] Scratches and pin holes in glass[/caption] All other glass types are processed from float glass, so...

The curtain wall glazing system is an amazing design element and integral of modern building architecture and construction. Though from the layman point of view “it’s just glass panels stuck to the building”, however there are intensive specialist design involving several modern technologies, skills are the key drivers of any curtain wall glazing systems exists for the past several decades with buildings around the globe. Types of Systems There are unlimited ways the types of Curtain wall system can be classified, following illustrates the chronology of most widely used façade types. Work Flow or Process Like any other pre-fabrication approach, a lot of pre-planning, and workings are paramount and make several aspects much more disciplined in the workflow. The following illustrates the key process of design and implementation. [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="750"] Image 1: Façade types and different ways of classifications[/caption] Architectural Design Building envelope/building façade is the key communication...

A curtain wall is a wall that encloses a space within a building but does not support the structure in any way. It is the outer covering or skin of a building, in which the outer walls are non-structural but merely keep the weather out and occupants in. As the curtain wall is a non-structural cladding system for the external surfaces, it can be made of a lightweight material thus reducing construction cost. The most popular material used for this is glass which suffices not only creating an enclosure but lets the light in and therefore, creates large and uninterrupted areas with clear passage of light. Other materials that can be used are Aluminium Composite Panels (ACP), metal panels or even thin stone, thus creating an attractive facade of a building whenever required. These materials, especially ACP and glass, are available in a wide spectrum of colours and choices. The...

Kathputli Colony is New Delhi’s largest performers’ slums, home to magicians, dancers, puppeteers, acrobats and drummers whose families migrated here during the 1960’s and 1970’s from villages across India. An illegal settlement in a dilapidated northern pocket of the city, this place is a thriving paradox. Its denizens allure their audiences into a resilient world where everything is possible. This thesis is an exercise – not merely in affordable housing and slum rehabilitation schemes, but in the exploration of possibilities. The idea is to create a scheme that resonates with the people of Kathputli, allowing them to thrive as artists. And on the other hand, exploring the larger perspective of amenities we must take up cost efficient architecture with special emphasis on treatment of fenestrations as our priority. Delhi climate is a monsoon-influenced humid subtropical climate with a very high variation in comparison of summers and winter. Summers begin in...

WFM: Please comment on the fenestration industry and the growth trajectory particularly for Schueco in India? Rajeev Antony (RA): My understanding of the Indian fenestration industry is based on the constant feedback from the market during the course of business and from marketing research that we do from time to time. I must say that it is an evolving market with tremendous potential. There are a lot of good quality fabricators working independently and with system companies. The builder / developer community is passing on great value to customers by using high quality façade and fenestration products, like ours, which are high in performance and aesthetic value. There is an increased level of awareness amongst end-users pertaining to the importance of quality windows and doors in residential and commercial projects. Schueco India is doing well in terms of business performance, surpassing the expected numbers. WFM: You have recently opened a...

The client brief was to design a K-12 school in one of the Mumbai suburb’s. The key challenge was to provide for constructing the building in three phases and to ensure a non-rigid environment. The fact that the The Green Acres Academy was going to be built in a phased manner over 5 to 8 years, presented an opportunity to design a building that grows. The very high land rates in Mumbai coupled with regressive building regulations made it very challenging to introduce un-programmed spaces beyond the design program. It also implied a vertical school building. The challenge was to create a horizontal feel within the vertical environment. Green Acres Design Concept A child enters a school as a toddler and leaves as a teenager. It was important that the design remains valid for generations of children. It was also important that a school went beyond the 3 dimensions of...

  Espree Realtors wanted an eye-catching façade - one that was radical in appearance. Niranjan Kataria, (Partner-Espree Realtors) wanted Architect Neelesh Chopda of Onus Design to think out-of-the-box. In his brief, he was clear that the façade had to be the identity of his commercial building. After much thought the architects concluded on a flamboyant red façade. The Location   [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="392"] Aluminium sheets on CNC Turret Punch Press Bed[/caption] The affluent boat club area has always been upper crust and is synonymous with the glitz of glamour - a high profile residential and commercial hub. The street, dominantly lined by boutiques and showrooms, was the premier cerebration of conceiving the design idea. The project required to be glamorous and exhibit an attitude. It is designed in compliance to the targeted end users which are jewellers, brand stores and corporate houses. It needed to portray a sense of...

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...

The design and structural performance of laminated glass in overhead glazing applications like canopies and skylights is very critical as it has an impact on the safety of occupants of a building and its maintenance workers. For such applications, the post-breakage strength of laminated glass construction is of utmost importance. Pre-breakage strength can be predicted with reasonable accuracy by FEM technique (Finite Element Method) based software packages, which allows the user to input mechanical properties of viscoelastic inter layers along with glass. This helps in inter-layer-based differentiation of pre-breakage structural strength and design optimization. However, the post-breakage strength of glass is still a little-known area as analytical models for this are inconclusive so far and thus destructive testing is the only reliable solution. This article will present impact and load testing, simulating the accidental fall of a maintenance worker. It was done to assess the “fall through” resistance of point...