Changing Face of Facades.

Construction Times tracks the origins of building façades and its evolution.

Façade has always been the most important aspect from the design point of view. The journey of façade finds its roots in 807 BC in Japan where wooden logs were used as exterior material. Over the period, not just the façade material changed but the designs also went through a major overhaul.

Tracing the Roots

The word facade originally came from the Italian word 'facciata'. The vernacular architecture around the world has always been based on the singular principle of using local material. Hence, the most common materials used in the past included local timber logs, mud- earth, thatch or bamboo and stones, among others.

“Historically plenteous decorations, columns, turrets and statues were classic symbols of a 16th and 17th century façade. Symmetry and proportion were the basic characters of façade design. The use of glass - the concept of transparent wall during the 18th century paved the way for a revolutionary change unsurpassed in façade design. Later glass coupled with aluminium became an integral part of fenestration design of buildings,” Shiju Bhaskaran, Project Manager of Turner Project Management India said.

According to Ashwani Khanna, AVP Marketing at Fundermax, long ago, thick mud wall were used which provided good thermal insulation. The buildings were also equipped with big windows and a courtyard for wind flow, complemented by ventilators for removing hot air. Most buildings would also have green surroundings as well. These factors would make old buildings very functional and sustainable.

Evolution in India

The importance of façade as a functional element was recognized ages ago. Older facades tend to define a representative entrance side. Later more visual effects were introduced to building facia to trigger a sense of visual rejoice when looked at.

Façade design in India till the 19th century has been a prevalent canvas for the display of aesthetics. The intricate carvings, inlays and sculpturing on the facets of various temples and mosques exemplify this.

“Ancient India bears witness to an abundant usage of stone carvings and sculptures in façade of temples and historical monuments, which in turn has carved a prominent place for India in the map of world architecture. Temple architecture depicts the use of space, mass and decorations. Later different invaders brought in their own styles of façade to Indian architecture,” Bhaskaran said.

Mughal Islamic architecture, consisting of the use of verity of sand stones and marbles created many magnificent mausoleums, mosques, forts and cities in the 15th and 16th centuries. Domes and minarets stood out as significant features of façade.

“In the past, there was an immense use of natural stone in building construction. If you see the British Period constructions, most of the facades are made of natural stone  which were brilliantly designed to match the weather conditions and there was zero maintenance of the building post construction. On the contrary, the current facades have high maintenance in terms of its repair cost for leakage and cleaning services,” Avinash Gehlot, Proprietor, Avikam Enterprises said.

The British, French, Portuguese and Dutch added their own styles in their respective colonies in India. Colonial architecture in combination with Hindu and Islamic architecture derived a new style called Indo-Saracenic architecture. Churches, railway stations, colleges, bungalows and other public buildings became ideal locations for introducing European façade elements of 17th to 19th century in India. The British used Victorian, Gothic and Imperial styles for building facades in India. Long decorative columns and arched windows were prominent elements of façade.

According to Radhika Sharma, Design Lead at architecture firm Livspace, new commercial buildings in late 1990s often featured concrete Jali screens in India or exposed RCC. In the early 2000s, we saw an advent of ACP and structural glazing. Now, materials like green screens, wood-plastic composite and exterior tile and other dry cladding systems are common and people are fast adopting them.

“Façade design in India till the 19th century has been a prevalent canvas for the display of aesthetics. The intricate carvings, inlays and sculpturing on the facets of various temples and mosques exemplify this. A prominent stone façade like that of the Taj Mahal epitomizes the monumental aspect while redefining architecture in India. Later, in the 20th and 21st century, building facades took influences from the rich Indian medieval architecture,” Shivani Khanna Co-Founder and Principal Architects at Studio Crypt said.

Old is Gold

Globalization policies helped Indian façade industry to keep up with other modern buildings in developing countries. However, the essence of India's architecture lies in the old buildings which would have all the scientific functionality built into the façade like ventilation and natural heating and cooling system, among others.

“Long ago, thick mud wall were used which provide good thermal insulation. The buildings were also equipped with big windows and a courtyard for wind flow, complemented by ventilators for removing hot air. Most buildings would also have green surroundings as well. These factors would make old buildings very functional and sustainable,” Khanna said.

According to Muthu Kumaran, Deputy General Manager, Head - Façade & Roof Division, New market development, Wienerberger India, façade materials have evolved over centuries - from wood to stone to clay, glass and now there are many new age materials that dominate the façade space.

“However, if you observe iconic historical buildings and structures the dominant façade materials used are naturally available materials like stone and clay. These materials were widely accepted for their durability, versatility and thermal properties. Natural façade materials have a certain element of timelessness and are still admired for their architectural finesse,” Kumaran said.

According to Sumit Dhawan, Founder and Principal Architect at Cityspace' 82 Architects, in ancient times the approach used to be idealistic without limitations with respect to norms. The foreground used to be pretty decent with flexibility in conceptualisation. Most of the structures were designed with a verve of romanticism. The scale and proportion of most of the monumental buildings are very well thought of. Also, the historic times have been divided into specific eras where each represented a specific architectural style.

Changing Times

Last 10 years have witnessed a considerable surge in terms of new material usage and facade treatments. Facades now have become more of a functional element rather than purely aesthetic. Many materials like glass, wood composite plastics, tiles, dry cladding systems, sun screens, aluminium and titanium are used to clad buildings.

“Integral materials like glass, aluminium, stone wools etc are now locally manufactured to cater to the cost conscious Indian market. Use of architectural exposed concrete, fair face concrete and concrete moulded to the design using for liners made with CNC precision are the current emerging trends. Construction industry in India has reaped in the benefits of the strong urge and passion displayed by the designers who have come up with innovative solutions consisting of fabric, smart glass and wood polymer composites, among others,” Bhaskaran said.

Kumaran noted that façades have changed in the way they are built and the innovation in design. The advent of modern materials used in façade like ACP, Glass has given a new dimension to the concept of facades.

“In India, one of the significant developments in urban construction is the IT/BPO boom. Over the last decade, there is a noteworthy transformation in the urban skyline. These buildings have presented mind-numbing possibilities both in terms of design and use of modern materials. Not just commercial spaces, even establishments like malls, hospitals, public utilities, and educational institutions have now started paying closer attention to façade design and façade systems that set them apart,” he said.

The organized construction market has remarkably used this opportunity to create a signature style element for their design ethos by experimenting with façade materials that define their offerings.

In the modern context, a building must be sustainable, energy-efficient and each architectural design must offer a benefit. Especially when it comes to smart cities, it is imperative that the buildings project a sense of intelligent design to abide by the overall city planning.

“There has been a sea change in the kind of material used in construction and real estate industry over the 4-5 decades. The materials used today are far more durable, more malleable yet stronger and are environmental friendly also. For example, many projects make use of hollow bricks that trap air inside which prevents excessive use of heating or cooling by the property buyers. There has been a big change in the technology also. The technology used today (for example - pre-fab technology) helps the builders complete a project faster, saving resources like time, manpower and money,” Achal Raina, COO, Raheja Developers said.

Sharma observed that on one hand, there is an increased awareness of preserving our heritage buildings and in such projects, the original facades, as well as the architectural and interior elements, are restored with modern material—the Vatican Museum is a case in point. “Renovation is a meeting place for an old-world charm and new amenities and luxuries of the modern world. Restoration of this nature is especially popular in cities such as Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai and Mumbai,” she added.

Similarly, with the advent of residential high rise, cladding systems are becoming popular in the residential segment as well which were limited to commercial sectors before. The future of facades will include kinetic and dynamic façade screens as well as cultivable vertical green screens.

“Modern and innovative materials such as exterior grade laminates (as per EN438-6 e.g. the original Fundermax), fiber reinforced concrete, metal claddings (Zinc, copper, and steel) are creating a healthy disruption in the market. The differentiating advantage of Max Exterior (FunderMax) are eco-friendliness, thermal efficiency, energy renewability and sustainability. A significant functional benefit that come with newer technology (systems) and material is the ability to optimize the u-value according to requirement, thus making buildings more Green compliant in some cases. They are also more dynamic and aesthetical, and offer the design freedom to help create the answers for an architect's intent,” Ashwani said.

Kumaran said Wienerberger offers an exquisite range of clay façade tiles under two brands Aspect & Argeton. Being one of the earliest players in the building materials industry to launch clay ventilated façade tiles for cladding, our façade range provides the visual impact of a timeless modern façade with the distinctive character of natural clay. Wienerberger's clay façade tiles are highly engineered with high flexural strength and are vitreous in nature with very low water absorption.

As Raina sums up, “the importance of the looks of a building has been growing in India for the past many decades but it is only in the 2-3 decades that the developers are really paying attention on the façade of their projects and trying to be unique in some way or the other. Developers today are trying to do their level best to give something new to their potential customers and come up with a unique façade which is durable at the same time pro-environment.

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