Facades

A facade is the exterior and face of a building, comprising the architectural skin that encloses the interior spaces. The term originates from the French façade, but in American usage the spelling facade is common. Facades perform protection from weather, provide daylight, and contribute to the building’s character and identity.

A facade includes the outer walls, cladding, insulation, weather barriers, and the structural frame visible or concealed behind the exterior layer. It also encompasses openings such as windows and doors, and decorative or commemorative elements. Facades may be load-bearing or independent systems such as curtain walls.

Materials range from traditional masonry, stone, and brick to modern glass, metal panels, timber, and reinforced concrete. Special systems include ventilated facades, double-skin facades, and glass curtain walls.

Design aims balance aesthetics with performance: weather resistance, thermal and acoustic insulation, daylighting, solar shading, and fire safety. Facades must meet building codes and energy standards, and are often subject to maintenance and cleaning programs.

Historically, facades evolved from load-bearing masonry at the building envelope to ornate stone and brick façades, to steel-and-glass curtain walls of the 20th century. Modernist and high-rise designs popularized lightweight, expressive façades.

Recent trends include embodied energy considerations, prefabrication, double-skin and ventilated facades for improved insulation, and dynamic or responsive facades with movable shading. Innovations include ETFE membranes and photovoltaic-integrated cladding.

Notable examples include the Seagram Building in New York, known for its clear glass curtain wall, and the Lloyd's building in London with an exposed-service façade.