Ar. Anoj Tevatia is a Founding Partner of Design Forum International, in a recent interaction he elaborated on his architectural journey of over 25 years, a few turning points in his design career, his views on architecture, some of his completed, ongoing and most challenging projects, the design process for façades and fenestrations, his insights on sustainability in the construction of façades, and more. Here are the excerpts: Could you tell us about your educational background, career and architectural experience? I completed my BArch degree from IIT Kharagpur in 1995. In my third year, I started experimenting with professional work outside the academic environment. I would sketch 3D views and perspectives as we didn’t have any software tools at our disposal. Over time, I built up the skill of developing realistic 3D views, which I could apply to opportunities outside the college. These opportunities helped me understand people’s perceptions of...

The façade has always been one of the most important elements of architectural design throughout history. This aspect of architecture arguably reflects, most closely, the culture, socio-political scenario, climatic conditions, and technological prowess of the era in which it existed. [caption id="attachment_49978" align="alignnone" width="774"] Façade of an apartment complex - biophilia has been incorporated with self-sustainable systems. This takes care of the maintenance challenges and also ensures uniformity and consistency of the building façade[/caption] To us, we see the façade as a sieve that filters the outdoor elements into the interior space. To the interiors, it presents curated views, and controls the external elements of light heat cold and rain. And most importantly, it presents the architectural statement to the surrounding environment. Today, technologically, the industry has reached a point where anything that can be imagined can be translated into reality. Unfortunately, though we are also building at scales never...

ZZ Architects intends to give a glimpse of the architectural style of a project, by incorporating prominent design features and transforming them into characteristic elements of its façade. The building façade of Hi Media, 85000 Sq ft of office space at Thane, is conceptualised to be a glass and stone edifice with a concept of the curtain wall. The clear blue glass of the façade blends well with the skyline while also reflecting the sunlight, thus forming a standalone identity while reflecting the natural fabric around the area. [caption id="attachment_49967" align="alignnone" width="774"] The glass and stone edifice with a concept of the curtain wall[/caption] Creative use of various materials and glazing options combined with inventive planning of interior spaces helps integrate natural light. High glass strength, made possible by modern glass technology, extends the range of applications of glass beyond the merely decorative, to functional and even structural roles.

Façade as per layman’s term shall be the exterior of a building, even if it is not built with bricks and mortar then too forms the face of the building. The façade is the first thing people notice when they enter any building premise. India, as a developing country, has started understanding the importance of façade inspections, and indeed, it is the need of the hour. International companies are acting as a catalyst to this process of pushing Inspection as a necessary mandate for every project under the ‘facility management’ vertical. [caption id="attachment_49948" align="alignleft" width="217"] Inappropriate termination of façade: Termination must not allow the structural members to be exposed, & must be water-tight, picture shows poor installation or closure detail[/caption] Irrespective of the functionality of the building - be it a commercial building, educational, institutional, healthcare or recreational, its external condition counts. Also, every building is different depending on its...

What is the importance of façade lighting? Each client has a story to tell, a pitch to highlight, and a theme to bring out. We use façade lighting to outline the architectural form and shape in achieving these goals. What are the methods of façade lighting? First of all, we will have an interview with the client to get the detailed story behind the building and the theme that the client would like to express via the outlook and ambiance of the building. Then, we will study architecture, the building style/ form/shape, and the overall environment (i.e. the architecture itself in detail and the surrounding external environment), viewing all the possibilities of the “architecture meaning” behind it. After evaluation and consolidation of all these elements, we will then design the lighting effect as the cover of the storybook. The lighting effect will outline and enhance the storytelling of the building...

It is possible to enhance and activate the façades of the buildings at night using the attraction and excitement element, such as artificial lighting, and then construct additional effects or conceal specific parts of the building because the design is less clear for the design idea during the night. The search is restricted to artificial illumination, which supports the general presentation of building facades using the stereoscopic deletion and addition approach. It is considered wasteful and inappropriate for a structure to utilise outdoor light inefficiently. As a representation of creativity, originality, and invention, on the other hand, bright and bold visual produced through design and lighting is valued. Building façade lighting principles, their significance, and the caliber of this lighting distribution system are of utmost relevance and value in the technologically advanced world we live in today. We interviewed a few industry experts and here are the responses presented in...

Every structure has a story to tell, which often begins with the façade of the building. Today, façades serve a much larger purpose than just enhancing the aesthetic appeal or a mere visual identity of a building, but are also responsible for making it sustainable and energy-efficient. Contemporary architecture in the form of materials, processes and techniques used in the day, has immensely contributed to the heat gain. This makes sustainability not an option, but a necessity from now on. Ideal future façades would be ones that would incorporate a composite approach to materials rather than a monolithic one, which would ensure the building breathes and is porous. Perforated cladding techniques - in the form of jalis or louvers can act as shading devices, while also enhancing the structure aesthetically. One of the CAI’s ongoing projects - A corporate office for Southern Regional Pipelines Limited (SRPL) of the Indian Oil...

All our lives are based on technology. In the future, our vision of façade design will significantly evolve as the use of materials in construction takes a shift due to technological advancement. Our project Nilkanth uses parametric tools to create a simple, yet elegant façade. Experimentation is increasing on parametric design. Before Frank Gehry, we didn’t think a façade could be made of titanium. Façade materials should be lightweight, heavy materials burden ecology and the core building structure. Glass - a versatile material, that connects the outside and inside, but must be placed thoughtfully. Biomimicry with simple façades will prevail. There are experimentations on rammed earth, and bamboo; whilst considering their longevity. Climate change has resulted in increased Air Conditioning. An optimal solution is a breathable façade. Jean Nouvel’s Barcelona building is an example with a double-skinned façade, one competing with Antoni Gaudi’s Sagrada Familia leaving Barcelona with two icons....

The façade of a structure is the first visible layer, which is exposed to all the external elements. It creates an impression on the viewer of what the structure beholds within. It is crucial to design a space with a thought towards the façade as it has to be functional and aesthetical. Future façades need to be sustainable. It can be achieved through sensitively selecting the material for its make, its sourcing, by reducing its carbon footprint. The design of the façade should be done using contextual factors, elements and materials. Technologically advanced solutions like kinetic façades, and façades which source/harness green energy, for example, the use of photovoltaic glass in building with glass façades to produce solar energy takes care of the visual and energy requirements of the structure. The addition of organic elements like plants also makes a façade interesting. The use of contrasting materials; be it in...

Building façades have always been a significant part of the building structure for both the architect/ designer and the builder. It acts as an interface between the interior and the exterior environment, playing a crucial role in heat and light exchange, thermal and acoustic performance, structural strength and sustainability. Façade designs are well thought out to ensure the right materials and fabrication go into making the building complete and distinct while aiming to provide occupant comfort. [caption id="attachment_49810" align="alignright" width="300"] GIGA, Viman Nagar, Pune[/caption] The objective of the façade is to maintain a balance between all the parameters that include aesthetics, thermal comfort, managing daylight, solar heat gain, visibility and very importantly the geological balance to ease global warming. With the advent of new technology and the rising need for resident comfort, innovation in façade materials keep evolving. Façades are no more treated as a mere derivation of functions inside...

In the contemporary world, a city is nothing but a culmination of multiple clusters of built entities. These built entities have ‘forms’, the exterior. The exterior/façade of the building is responsible for drawings people’s attention towards it, but it also serves a bigger purpose. The façade design of a building reveals a lot about the interior spaces. [caption id="attachment_49744" align="alignleft" width="300"] A fusion of modernity & sustainability, this building situated in Mohali is spread over a sprawling 2.09 acres, combining two plots. Carbon footprint is extremely low because of the smart sustainable features like double glazing glass, cooling tower system, and rooftop garden, all these design considerations helped the building get decorated with a 5-star GRIHA rating[/caption] It highlights the structure’s style, geographical region, materials used, and construction, as well as the period during which it was created. Other than highlighting the structure’s elevation of façade health and regulating or...

The construction industry alone is responsible for 40% of the total energy consumption of the world and is projected to grow with the increase in population and housing demands. In this situation, it is necessary that the development and growth are sustainable and green in consideration of the environment around us. This is the very reason why concepts like sustainable building design, energy-efficient and green buildings, net zero building, and energy-positive development are the need of the hour. These concepts will help in reducing the building footprints on the ecological system. Traces of fenestration in India can be found from the 3rd century where Indian architecture has given serious thought to fenestration in architectural designs. However, the usage of high-performance glazing in façade and fenestration is still at its nascent stage. At 2.1 KG per capita glass consumption, India is currently way below the global average of 5 kg, which...

Nature has long been used as a source of inspiration for architecture. Whether from its shape, the extraction and use of its materials, or even the incorporation of natural processes in the building technologies, it is always relevant to look for relations between the built environment and nature. Today, biophilia is a thriving design practice focused on maximising our exposure to the natural environment by tapping into multi-sensory experiences, through inspiration from nature. Ar. Amit Gulati, Founding Partner at Design 21, shares his insights on the relationship between nature and architecture and the significance of blending nature into design. Nature-Inspired Forms and Patterns [caption id="attachment_49685" align="alignright" width="300"] Façades using natural and recycled materials such as clay tiles and AAC blocks create a unique visual identity[/caption] Nature-inspired forms, known as biomorphic forms, are the representation of shapes and patterns that persist in nature. Since the emergence of parametric design in architecture,...

The nightlife in cities is becoming increasingly active. This gives the opportunity for the buildings to flaunt their architecture by lighting them up. In other words, provide façade lighting. A street flanked by artistically illuminated buildings generates interest and encourages exploration of the area. It provides a sense of security and improves footfall which in turn promotes nighttime business activity within the area. This is generally true for areas with commercial buildings such as office buildings, hotels, and shopping malls. [caption id="attachment_49597" align="alignnone" width="774"] Wahat Hili shopping mall, Al Ain, UAE[/caption] However, residential buildings also benefit from façade lighting but it should be subtle as compared to commercial buildings. Owners of Private homes such as villas, mansions, and palaces also prefer to have the façades illuminated for much of the same reasons stated above for the commercial buildings. There are many ways of illuminating a building. For façade lighting design,...

Architectural lighting design is lighting in favour of architecture a form of complementary design, what architecture implies lighting follows and enhances. Façade lighting design is lighting that allocates the strength of a building and augments it accordingly. Thus, façade lighting design is a design process of sequence and art, a process that takes the flow of thought as any other architectural design process. Analysis and data gathering, concept finding, and finally how to approach, execute and implement seamlessly. The following type of data gathering and analysis is firstly acquired to start the trail of thought that will lead to the conceptual approach of the design. [caption id="attachment_56045" align="alignnone" width="774"] Al Diwan Building, Downtown Cairo Heritage Building[/caption] • What type of building is it? • Under what form of architecture does it fall? • Where is it located? • Where in the city does it stand? • Where does it show...

Public access to the eagerly anticipated Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects-designed Shanghai Library East in China has begun. The largest library in the nation is the 115,000 square metre Shanghai Library East, which is located in Shanghai’s Pudong neighbourhood. The massive form was created by Schmidt Hammer Lassen in homage to the distinctive Taihu stone from the area, which features perforated surfaces and degraded hollows. The rock sometimes referred to as “scholars’ rocks,” has long been popular in Chinese gardens. It also appears in ancient Chinese literature, which frequently referred to its mutable appearance. According to project architect Jing Lin, “this library offered a rare chance to rework a beloved Chinese icon via architecture and design.” The edges, curves, canyons, and tunnels of the Taihu stones, which appeared to alter when viewed from different angles, were what inspired ancient intellectuals to congregate around them, she continued. Similar to this, visitors’ perspectives...