There is much a building has to say by virtue of its facade. A well-designed Facade does not only defines the character of the building but also of the occupants and user of the building. It is the portrayal of their own identity with the reflection of their taste and ideologies.
Building design from outside reflects a lot about the spaces it holds inside of the building. A facade imparts multiple ideas about the designing process. It describes the style of the structure, the use of materials and the time period of the structure was built in. A facade becomes the interactive screen through which one interacts with the outside world.
The facades that we achieve today are a derivative of what history has told us about facades earlier. There has been a slow but gradual change in architectural facade designing which can be traced step by step to relate to the relevance to history.
The facade has a long journey to speak and have been periodically changing from time immoral. They have played a significant role in identifying the character of an era.
The gothic with elaborate architecture features such as rib vaults, columns, Buttress walls or the Romans with their use of Corinthian columns and favored architectural forms of arches and vaults and domes in material such as limestone and marble.
followed by yet another era of colonial architecture when specific to India knows as indo saracenic exhibits itself through institutional and civic buildings in New Delhi which combines features from Hindu, Islamic and western elements.
The details in stone using locally available materials. The dholpur stone and the Sandstone and the flow of cornices, bands enclosing the mass Creating beauty and elegance of a particular order.
to the very prominent Islamic architecture with its screen decorations, carvings and iconic domes create its own era in architecture
the characteristics of Islamic architecture like Islamic geometric pattern depicting the culture and trend relevant in the facade of our company’s design of residence at emirates hill Dubai having resonance of the area where it is built.
while in other cases
An infusion of colonial with Portugal’s influence is seen in another residence of ours. The facade with trifold arches and colonial slopes on top with below slopes of cutwork in wood influenced by Portuguese.
It would not be wrong to say that facades identify and reflect the occupant’s image in society their taste, styles.
Shift in Style
The effect of the Industrial Revolution on architecture overall was so powerful that the dynamics of the built environment changed drastically. Not only the new techniques and new materials but a construction system determines this change.
In the past, facades were expressed as ornamental exteriors only and were an expression of grandeur and prestige. However, as modernism approached and as ornamentation was eradicated because of the time taking process with the advent of modern architectural practices, materials were explored to express individualism.
where metal glass aluminum rules the fascia, here materials play their role just as stone and wood played in other styles.
These sketches show contemporary material and their usage to create styles that move with current interiors trends too. The hue, voids, double heights to create magnificence.
Use of Metal screens influenced by past stone jails in Islamic architecture. Material has been changed from stone and wood to aluminum and metal and Grc.
Metal fenestration and their impact on modern-day forms to create a majestic outcome in the shape of fusion and treating dead surfaces/skin of the building. impression and impact of varied materials on society at large.
These facades are not just ‘Pretty faces’ but which response to the environment, collect the energy and protect the occupants. These are the facades that are designed to do much more than aesthetics.
High-performance facades effectively ensure a better working environment and can add immense value to the end-user. These surfaces on the outside can filter air, control temperature, generate breeze and overall can contribute to public health technically and aesthetically both by providing Serenity in the facade and attaining the power to attract.
A gradual shift from colonial influence to contemporary trends and the society adapting to changing trends.
Revitalizing dead Facade
Architects are creating themed look worldwide and thus we created a colorful theme on dead facades of the factory in Moradabad where we used Lacquered glasses to create an augmented Look
The facade was created when two dead facades area joined and linked with Lacquered glass adding color hue in the facade to brighten up the whole experience
we can say in doing so a hue is added experience is given to viewer other than the old regular look which is enhanced and elevated to a better and brighter look
About the Author
Ar. Sanjay Sareen is the founder of Eternity Architects, a leading Architectural and interior Firm operation in Delhi since 1993. Being a visionary personality, he displays his creativity in materials and lets his concepts converse through the warm exotic material that has been used from time immemorial.
