CURTAIN WALLING AND CLADDING

ADV. BUILDING CONSTRUCTION II

Rushik Chauhan (03)

Rishika Davda (04)
Sunetra Gaekwad (05)
F.S. B.ARCH.V Mansi Jogi (11)
DEPARTMENT OF ARCHITECTURE Ashwini Pardhi (16)
M.S.U. OF BARODA Richa Shah (26)
 CLADDING
What is a cladding?
Cladding is an exterior finishing skin or an additional non-load bearing layer which serves a dual purpose. It
is not only helps in protecting the interiors of the building from the harsh weather elements but also makes
the outside decorative and attractive. Cladding helps to maintain the buildings weather-tight and cost-
effective, at the same time provides thermal insulation, reducing the temperature variation inside the
building.
COMPONENTS OF CLADDING

• Sandwiched into panels or • Holds the exterior material to

added in the form of batts, SUPPORT the building
INSULATION FRAMING • Transfers loads imposed on
blankets, rigid boards or fills.
• Eg.- Gypsum board exterior to structural frame

CLADDING
• Architectural treatment applied
INTERIOR FINISHES to interior face of supporting
frame

• Ease of construction between

JOINTS panelised systems
• Compensate

• Air gaps, weep holes and

INTERNAL
DRAINAGE sealants as prevention against
water leakage.
CLASSIFICATION ON THE BASIS OF INSTALLATION SYSTEM

1. Attached system
• It has exterior cladding attached directly to structural
frame in large panels which span one or more stories.
• Eg.- Precast Concrete or steel-stud frames welded or
bolted into structural frame.
• Primary advantage : Ability to fully insulate the
exterior walls and protect the structural frame from
effects of weather.

2. Curtain wall system

• This is similar to attached system except that it is
attached to the structural frame with clip angles or
sub-framing.
• Eg.- Metal or glass walls enclosed in the skyscrapers
• Primary advantage – Standard design requiring less
time in pre- construction.

3 Infill system
• Cladding material is installed between exterior floor
slab edges and the exposed exterior columns of the
structural frame being the identifying feature.
• Primary Advantage – Installed from the interiors
without replying on external scaffolding
CLASSIFICATION ON THE BASIS OF MATERIAL
• Interior cladding
1. Timber cladding
2. Pvc cladding
3. Stone cladding
4. Back painted glass
5. Ceramic
6. Wallpaper

• Exterior cladding
1. Terracotta cladding
2. Stone
3. Metal cladding ( ACP cladding)
4. Stick frame cladding
5. Curtain wall cladding
6. Fibre cement cladding
7. Brick cladding
 TIMBER CLADDING (interior & exterior):

• Timber cladding is done in dry areas and hilly areas.

• Effective temperature insulator as it keeps the interior
cool.
• Fitted by tongue and groove joints mostly.
• requires thorough maintenance.
• THICKNESS : 12MM
• TIMBER PANEL LENGTH : 1.8 M
2.1 M
2.4 M
2.7 M

ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES
• Low environmental impact • High cost
• Sustainable • High maintenance
• Good insulation • Short longevity
• Good weather proofing
• Aesthetically pleasing
• Relatively simple installation
APPLICATION METHOD :

1. Fix the batten on the 2. Fix the batten on the 3. Apply insect mesh 4. Fix the batten on the
wall. corner. mesh with the nail.

5. Fix the wooden pilot at 6. Extra pieces of battens

the bottom first. are attached at joint to fix 7. Ensure an 8mm gape is 8. Always seal and grain.
shorter length of cladding. left between the cladding
and the batten.
 PVC CLADDING (Interior):

• It was used as a decorative interior wall finish and had unique properties compared to other wall cladding at a time.
• Pvc panels usually have a hollow core and are light weight with a smooth surface and tongue and groove system for east
installation.

 PROS :

• Highly durable: they can last for years without warping or bending they are less likely to get damaged
while handling.
• Affordable: they are affordable alternative to the conventional pop or gypsum ceiling panel.
• Clean installation: panels can be cut and trimmed without difficulty, they do not create dusty
environment during installation.
• Light in weight
• Easy to maintain: do not require paint, varnish or coating or other special type of coating for routine
maintenance. PVC panels just need quick wipe with damp cloth.
• Resistance to dampness : The panels are water proof.

 CONS :

• Has plastic look

• Not resistant to heat
• PVC might release toxic gases

 THICKNESS : 6MM , 7MM ,7.5MM, 8MM , 9MM, 10MM ,

12MM
APPLICATION METHOD :

1. Measurement 2. Mark on board 3. Apply adhesive

of wall and cut it glue on wall 4. Place panel in position
( help to secure Firmly press against the wall
panel in place) from top to bottom

5. Fix it with screw 7. Fix two panels by tongue 8. Repeat this procedure 9. Fill all the joints
at equal distance and grooved joinery with help of silicon
method(which creates water
tight seal)
 NATURAL STONE CLADDING (interior & exterior):

• Stone sidings are applied to the exterior walls of

buildings to give it the appearance of a solid stone. Elegant,
natural, and earthy.

• It is comprised of thin layers of natural or simulated stone

on the exterior of buildings.

• It is available in casted slab type and natural stone.

ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES TYPE THICKNESS SURFAC PRICE

E
• Strong • High environmental impact WALL TILE 20 - 25 FINISH 205/- PER
• Good longevity • expensive ROUGH SQ.FT
• Low maintenance

TYPES OF STONE
APPLICATION METHOD :

Straight joint External joint Internal joint

1. Prepare the mortar 2. Mortar apply on the wall.

3. Apply mortar on the joints.
 FLEX STONE CLADDING (interior & exterior):

• A flexible wall tile that can be applied to both flat and curved surfaces helping to create a whole dimensions to
an interior known as the material flex stone.
• This innovation can bend easily around walls, ceilings, and floors as a wall covering.
• Used currently for the spiral staircases and rounded ceilings.
• These material is ideal for both renovation and restoration projects as it can be applied directly to the walls of
tiles, concrete, plaster board and wood.

TYPE COVERAGE THICKNESS KG DIMENSION

QUICK STACK 0.9 SQ.FT 50MM 4.06 21” X 9”

CALGARY 0.55 SQ. FT 40MM 3.36 9” X 5”

MADRID 1.1 SQ.FT 50MM 5.00 16” X 10”

BASALT 1.1 SQ.FT 60MM 4.00 22” X 11..5”

INSTALLATION METHOD :
STONE VENEER CLADDING (interior):
Natural Stone Veneers are an innovative product that use as an actual real
stone that has been thinly scraped off the rock face ,creating a light weight
2mm natural stone panel that can be use to create stylish feature walls.

SIZE : 14” Diagonal size

THICKNESS : 1”

INSTALLATION METHOD (1) :

1. Apply adhesive 2. If the back of the stone
backside of the panel. veneer becomes visible in the
groove, the perfect amount of
adhesive is applied.
3. Put the first row absolutely
4. Make the surface even
straight on to surface to be
with the help of sand paper.
sure that the other series will
be built up correctly.

6. Excess end should be grind

5. Fix sheets with the help of with the sand paper. Do not
tape to tighten up. pull otherwise it can break.
INSTALLATION METHOD (2) :
1. Measure the wall surface.
5. Check the width of gape.
4mm wide is ideal.
2. Apply adhesive on the wall
surface.
6. Press firmly against the wall.
3. Apply the adhesive with
good sense of proportion. 4. Put the first row absolutely
straight on to surface to be
sure that the other series will
be built up correctly.
7. To protect stone veneer the
surface required varnish.
 TERRACOTTA RAINSCREEN CLADDING (exterior):

• Manufactured with natural and aged raw clay without other

chemicals, fired at high temperatures, terracotta cladding is an
architectural cladding material that provides certain degree of thermal
insulation and weather resistance while creating an aesthetically
pleasing facade.

ADVANTAGES
•Available in wide
range of colors and
unique art
•Safety and shock
resistance
•Acid and alkali
resistance
• energy conservation
•Easy to installation
DISADVANTAGES
• Because of clay
material it has a
chances of leakage
and damage
• The color will fade
over the years

DIMENSION THICKNESS RPS

1200 X 400 MM 17 MM 495/- PER

SQ.FT
 INSTALLATION METHOD :

1. Fix the bracket on wall. 2. Join the vertical 3. Join the vertical
post on the post with the 4. Fix the insulation material
bracket. help of bracket on with nails.
the other side.

5. Angle section fix on the 6. Fix the horizontal 7. Fix the C-section on the 8. Join terracotta panels with
corners. supporting rail. all vertical post. the help of bracket and then
install the terracotta panels
ALUMINIUM COMPOSITE PANEL CLADDING (exterior):
• it is commonly used for the non structural rainscreen cladding system,
where the priority is to provide protection from the elements as well as
striking external finish.

• Various metal panels connected together and attached to the building in a

wide varities of ways.
1) Folded connection
2) Ribbed connection
3) Interlocking
4) Flat lock
materials : stainless steel , galvanised steel, weathering steel, aluminium,
titanium, Zink.

WIDTH 4 MM
ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES
LENGTH 6 MM
• Effective weather resistance
•Low maintenance • High environmental impact THICKNESS 0.2 TO 4 MM
• Very good insulator
BOW 0.5% OF LENGTH AND WIDTH
• Durable
• Easily installed SQUARNESS MAX. 5MM
• Good longevity
•Recyclable
INSTALLATION METHOD :

1. Fix Precast aluminium 2. Tape is used to protect 3. Cement grout is

sheet with help of nailing. the edge of the sheet. poured.

4. Trowel is used to remove extra 5. Remove the tape.

cement grout.
CURTAIN WALL CLADDING (exterior):
• A curtain wall is defined as thin, usually aluminum-framed wall, containing
in-fills of glass, metal panels, or thin stone. The framing is attached to the
building structure and does not carry the floor or roof loads of the building.
The wind and gravity loads of the curtain wall are transferred to the building
structure, typically at the floor line

• Curtain walls can be classified by their method of fabrication and

installation into two types :
1)stick system
2) modular systems

ADVANTAGES
• Filtration of natural light into the building
• Prevents air and moisture
• Fire resistance
• Transfer horizontal wind load
DISADVANTAGES
• Regular maintenance
• Costly and time consuming
• Not durable as baked on original coating
• it can not be re-anodized

• There is no standard thickness for a glass curtain wall – the framing size and glass thickness will depend on
many factors , such as ultimate wind speed for locality , building height , terrain category , local pressure on
the facade , glass type and the size of the glass panes.

• Despite all that , expect external glass elements to be atleast 10 to 12mm thick . framing elements will be
atleast 100mm deep.

• The two most common thickness of glass is 6 mm monolithic and 25mm insulating glass.
  1) stick facade system
Stick systems are built from long vertical mullions attached to the building structure, with shorter horizontal
extrusions spanning between the vertical mullions to create the frames. Cladding materials are then installed
into the frames

Vertical aluminium
mullion

Fix bracket
through nailing
Horizontal Glazing
transom

 2) modular system

 In the unitized system, the curtain wall is composed of large units that are assembled and glazed in
the factory, shipped to the site and erected on the building. Vertical and horizontal mullions of the
modules mate together with the adjoining modules. Modules are generally constructed one story tall
and one module wide but may incorporate multiple modules. Typical units are five to six feet wide.
INSTALLATION METHOD :

1. Track is used to transport the pre 2. Guide rail is used for the internal
fabricated panels. transport.

3. To lift the panel through the vertical track 4. Place the panel from the
which is under the temporary protecting screen. bottom.
FIBER CEMENT CLADDING (interior & exterior):

This particular type of cladding is made by compressing sand, cement and cellular fiber into sheets.

Internal cladding:
• Wet room applications- tile backer boards
• Fire protection
• Partition walls
• Window sills

External cladding:
• Flat sheet for e.g. wind shields, wall copings
and soffits

 ADVANTAGES

• It is available in a large range of colors.

• It is low maintenance and easy to install.
• It is resistant to damp, fire and infestation. THICKNESS 4MM, 6MM, 8MM, 12MM,
• It does not warp, shrink or rot. 16MM, 18MM, 20MM
• It has good weather-resistance. SIZE OF CEMENT SHEET 8” X 4”
• It can be installed vertically or horizontally.
SIZE OF CEMENT PLANK 6” X 10’
PRICE RS. 25 SQ. FT.
INSTALLATION METHOD :

Corner holding
channel

1. Fix the vertical wooden 2. Nailing is used to 3. Install the fibre cement
post with the nails. firmly placed materials. panel.

J type channel

4. Install the panel into the 5. After placing fibre

corner holding channel. 6. Finished outcome.
cement sheet, screwing
has been done. Zee type channel
BRICK CLADDING (interior & exterior):
• Brick cladding is design to shed and repel water so that the water
can not reach the internal framing of the building.

• For safety reasons brick cladding is not recommended in

seismically active areas, where bricks could collapse during an
earthquake.

• It reduces the risk of damage to the framing caused by mold and

mildew.

• it is used as exterior wall cladding as well as interior cladding.

ADVANTAGES MATERIAL BRICK

• Strong
UNIT SIZE 210 X 60 X 12 MM
• Good longevity
• Low maintenance DIMENSONS 9 X 2.5 X 0.5 INCH
COVERAGE AREA SURFACE
DISADVANTAGES WEIGHT LIGHT
• High environmental impact PRICE 95 SQ. FT.
• expensive THICKNESS 15MM, 20MM, 25MM
BRICK CLADDING INSTALLATION(INTERIOR):

1. Use metal grid system 2. Each panel locks together. 3. Panels are fastened to the wall.

4. Level tube is used to check 5. Adhesive is use to fix brick 6. Gaps in the wall are then
the level of the brick. on the metal grid. filled with grout.

7. Remove the extra grout

with the help of trowel. Different colours Different styles
 BRICK CLADDING INSTALLATION (EXTERIOR):

1. Cut the brick into three 2. Use first class brick 3. Use wooden pieces as a spacer
quarter brick. for the cladding. between two brick joints.

4. Apply mortar on the 5. Remove the wooden 6. Apply mortar on the

wall. spacer. joints and finish it with
trowel.
FORTEX CLADDING ( RAINSCREEN) (exterior):

• Fortex cladding is a range of innovative cladding products that couple the benefits of low maintenance PVC.

•Fortex is available in a range of styles and in single and double plank formats.

• It is used in residential homes, mobile homes and commercial buildings.

• it is available in board and wide range of colours.

 ADVANTAGES:
• No painting required
• Low maintenance
• Washable
• Fire resistance
• Thermal insulation

WIDTH OF PLANK 170MM, 250MM, 300MM

PLANK LENGTH 5000MM
CLADDING TYPE CLADDING COVERAGE
DOUBLE PLANK 1.5 SQ. MT./ LENGTH
WEATHERBOARD 0.85 SQ. MT. /LENGTH
FLAT PANEL 1.25 SQ. MT./LENGTH
 2. Fix insulation material
1. Fix horizontal wooden
between two horizontal
blocks on the wall.
wooden blocks.
5. Fix the vertical wooden
6. PVC channels are used
member on the weatherproof
to fix the fortex panel.
sheet.
9. Fix the top track
with screws. 10. Fix the fortex panel.
3. Join the insulation
4. Fix the weatherproof
material with the screw.
material on the insulation.
7. PVC channels are used
8. Fix the bottom track with
only for corners.
screws.
11. Connect fortex panel to
12. Then slide all panels
the vertical post with the
one above the others.
STUCCO CLADDING (interior & exterior):

• Stucco  is a construction material made of aggregates, a binder, and water.

•  It is used as a decorative coating for walls and ceilings, and as a sculptural

and artistic material in architecture.

•  Stucco may be used to cover less visually appealing construction materials,

such as metal, concrete, cinder block, or clay brick.

 ADVANTAGES  DISADVANTAGES
• Cheap • High environmental impact
• Durable • Can not use recycled stucco
• Versatile
• Fire retardant
• Basic materials are plentiful
CHARACTARISTICS ONE COAT STUCCO CONVENTIONAL STUCCO OR THREE COAT
THICKNESS 1 3/8” TO 1 1/2” 7/8”

WEIGHT / SQ. FT. 4.5 TO 6 LBS 10 TO 12 LBS

COMMON WEATHER BARRIER WEATHER BARRIER

ASSEMBLY CI LATH
LATH SCRATCH COAT 3/8”
3/8” TO ½” BASE BROWN COAT 3/8”
COAT VARIETY OF FINISHES
VARIETY OF FINISHES

COMMON USES SINGLE AND MULTI SCHOOL

FAMILY RESIDENTIAL OFFICES
LIGHT COMMERCIAL HOSPITAL
 GLASS REINFORCED CONCRETE (GRC) CLADDING (interior & exterior):

• It is commonly used to form exterior cladding panels.

• GRC is composed from high-strength, alkali-resistant glass

fibres embedded in a concrete matrix.

• Grc panels has become a key element for its enormous advantage over
traditional method currently the use of GRC precast panels are being
extended to construction of a stairs, power lines, street lights and countless
other applications that are emerging due to its versatility and greater
understanding of the material in the field of engineering and architecture.

ADVANTAGES
• Lightweight cladding system
•  Installation is easier
• More cost-effective due to the lower weight
•  Good durability
• Fire resistance
• weather resistance
•  sound insulation

THICKNESS : 12MM TO 15MM

WALLPAPER (interior):
• Wallpaper, ornamental covering material for walls made from long sheets of
paper that have been stencilled , painted or printed with abstract or narrative
design.

• Wallpaper had been regarded as a substitute for painted cloth, leather and wood
panelling.

• Used in the manufacture of wallpaper to give it a shiny lustre.

Advantages:
• Cost effective
• Easy to maintain
• Cut in any size of piece
• Easy to handle
• Easy to install
• No colour fade, no dust.

Disadvantage

• short life span

• some wallpaper damage the wall during remove.
• joints are seen in some wallpaper.

Thickness:

0.80MM TO 2.8MM
 EXAMPLE-CLADDING
RESIDENTIAL BUNGLOW, AHEMDABAD BY SPASM ARCHITECTS
Weathering steel, often referred to by the genericized trademark COR-TEN steel and sometimes
written without the hyphen as Corten steel, is a group of steel alloys which were developed to
eliminate the need for painting, and form a stable rust-like appearance after several years' exposure to
weather.

Weathering refers to the chemical composition of these steels, allowing them to exhibit increased
resistance to atmospheric corrosion compared to other steels. This is because the steel forms a
protective layer on its surface under the influence of the weather.
The corrosion-retarding effect of the protective layer is produced by the particular distribution and
concentration of alloying elements in it. The layer protecting the surface develops and regenerates
continuously when subjected to the influence of the weather. In other words, the steel is allowed to
rust in order to form the protective coating.[
 CURTAIN WALLS
What is a curtain wall?
•Unlike other building materials, a curtain wall system is thin and lightweight, usually
aluminum and glass.
•These walls are not structural, and by design, they are only able to carry their own weight,
while transferring the load of wind and gravity to the structure of the building.
•The design makes it air and water resistant, to ensure that the interior of the building remains
airtight.

Types of curtain wall systems

1.Stick Curtain Wall System:

•In this type of curtain wall system, the components are assembled piece by piece on the
structure of the building.
•This system is mainly used for low-rise buildings or in small regions. This is due to the fact that
for reaching higher elevations it is important to have exterior access.
•This system promises flexibility as it gives space for onsite adjustments. Though it has the
advantage of low shipping costs, the labor and time consumption should not be
underestimated as tend to run quite high.
Typical joinery and components used for stick
construction 
2.Unitized Curtain Wall System:
•In this type of curtain wall system, the parts are already assembled in the factory.
•The components are installed and brought as a single unit from the factory to the site. This
negates the need for individual installation.
•The size of the unitized curtain walls is directly proportional to the floor to floor height of the
structure. Popular in high-rise buildings, they don’t need external supports such as cranes or
scaffolding. Only mini cranes or temporary hoist are needed.
•This system offers the benefits of quick construction and good quality as the components are
manufactured in a factory setting. However, this type of curtain wall system tends to increase
the shipping charges due to need for larger and better protection during transportation to the
site.
Components of a curtain wall:
Following are the structural elements
of a single curtain wall unit installed
on the building structure.

•Transom
•Mullions
•Vision Glass
•Anchor

Common Curtain Wall Materials :

1. Vision glass – double or triple
glazed, with reflective coatings
2. Spandrel (non-vision) glass
3. Stone veneer
4. Aluminium
5. Fibre-reinforced plastic (FRP)
6. Louvres or vents

Basic components of a typical curtain wall system

TYPES OF INFILL:
Infill refers to the large panels that are inserted into the curtain wall between mullions. Infills
are typically glass but may be made up of nearly any exterior building element. Some
common infills include metal panels, louvers, and photovoltaic panels.

1. Glass

• The most common glazing

type, glass can be of an almost infinite
combination of color, thickness,
and opacity.
• For commercial construction, the two
most common thicknesses are 1/4 inch
(6 mm) monolithic and 1 inch
(25 mm) insulating glass.
• The 1 inch insulation glass is typically
made up of two 1/4-inch lites of glass
with a 1/2 inch (12 mm) airspace.
• In residential construction, thicknesses
commonly used are 1/8 inch (3 mm)
monolithic and 5/8 inch (16 mm)
insulating glass.
• Larger thicknesses are typically employed for buildings or areas with higher
thermal, relative humidity, or sound transmission requirements, such as laboratory
areas or recording studios.
• Glass may be used which is transparent, translucent, or opaque, or in varying
degrees thereof.
• Transparent glass usually refers to vision glass in a curtain wall.
• Opaque glass is used in areas to hide a column or spandrel beam or shear wall
behind the curtain wall.

2. Fabric Veneer

• Fabric is often much less expensive and

serves as a less permanent solution.
Unlike glass or stone, fabric is much
faster to install, less expensive, and
often much easier to modify after it is
installed.
• Because of low density of fabrics total
weight of structure is very low then
strength consideration of structure is
not too important.
3. Stone Veneer

• Thin blocks (3 to 4 inches (75–100 mm) of stone can be inset within a curtain wall
system.
• The type of stone used is limited only by the strength of the stone and the ability to
manufacture it in the proper shape and size.
• Common stone types used are: calcium silicate, granite, marble, travertine,
and limestone.
• To reduce weight and improve strength, the natural stone may be attached to an
aluminum honeycomb backing.
4. Panels

• Metal panels can take various forms including aluminum plate; aluminum composite
panels consisting of two thin aluminum sheets sandwiching a thin plastic
interlayer; copper wall cladding, and panels consisting of metal sheets bonded to rigid
insulation, with or without an inner metal sheet to create a sandwich panel.
• Other opaque panel materials include fiber-reinforced plastic (FRP), stainless steel,
and terracotta.
5. Louvers

• A louver is provided in an area where mechanical equipment located inside the

building requires ventilation or fresh air to operate.
• They can also serve as a means of allowing outside air to filter into the building to
take advantage of favorable climatic conditions and minimize the usage of energy-
consuming HVAC systems.

6. Windows and vents

• Most curtain wall glazing is fixed, meaning there is no access to the exterior of the
building except through doors.
• However, windows or vents can be glazed into the curtain wall system as well, to
provide required ventilation or operable windows.
MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR
Curtain walls and perimeter sealants require maintenance to maximize service life. Perimeter sealants,
properly designed and installed, have a typical service life of 10 to 15 years. Removal and replacement
of perimeter sealants require meticulous surface preparation and proper detailing.

factory applied fluoropolymer
Aluminum frames are generally painted or anodized. Care must be taken when cleaning areas around
anodized material as some cleaning agents will destroy the finish. Factory
applied fluoropolymer thermoset coatings have good resistance to environmental degradation and
require only periodic cleaning.

Recoating with an air-dry fluoropolymer coating is possible but requires special surface preparation
and is not as durable as the baked-on original coating. Anodized aluminum frames cannot be "re-
anodized" in place but can be cleaned and protected by proprietary clear coatings to improve
appearance and durability.

Stainless steel curtain walls require no coatings, and embossed, as opposed to abrasively finished,
surfaces maintain their original appearance indefinitely without cleaning or other maintenance. Some
specially textured matte stainless steel surface finishes are hydrophobic and resist airborne and rain-
borne pollutants. This has been valuable in the American Southwest and in the Mideast for avoiding
dust, as well as avoiding soot and smoke staining in polluted urban areas.
NEWYORK TIMES
BUILDING:
INTRODUCTION New York times building
Type Office, retail

Location 620 Eighth Avenue

Manhattan, New York 10018
Coordinates 40°45′23″N 73°59′24″WCoordinates 40°45
′23″N 73°59′24″W
Construction started 2003
Completed 2007
Cost $850 million
Owner The New York Times Company (58%
owner) and Brookfield Office
Properties (42% owner)
Management Brookfield Office Properties
Height
Architectural 1,046 ft (318.8 m)

Roof 748 ft (228 m)

Top floor 721 ft (219.9 m)
Technical details
Floor count 52
Floor area 1,545,708 sq ft (143,601.0 m2)
Lifts/elevators 32 (24 passenger, 8 service)
Design and construction
Architect Renzo Piano Building Workshop, FXFOWLE
Architects
Developer Forest City Ratner Companies
Structural engineer Thornton Tomasetti
Main contractor AMEC Construction Management

City Skyline
The 52-story glass and steel structure reinforce the values of the Times Company and its culture of transparency. The
building’s basic shape is simple and primary, similarly to the Manhattan grid. It is slender, and does not use mirrored or
tinted glass which render towers mysterious and hermetic subjects. On the contrary, the use of double skin curtain wall with
186,000 ceramic rods that act as a sunscreen deflecting the heat and an inner wall of floor to ceiling water-white glass
allows the building to adapt to the colors of the atmosphere.

FLOOR PLANS
LONGITUDINAL SECTION TRANSVERSE SECTION
FAÇADE DESIGN:

• Philosophy of a "transparent" organization and one dedicated to creating a high quality work environment for their
employees was selected. The exterior of the building was proposed as a transparent floor-to-ceiling, all-glass façade
that encouraged openness and communication with the external world.

• The building is promoted as a green structure. The design incorporates environmentally sustainable features for
increased energy efficiency as double-skin curtain wall, automated louver shading system, etc.

BUILDING FAÇADE BUILDING FAÇADE

DOUBLE-SKIN CURTAIN WALL:

• The façade system that is being proposed by the group is a double-skin façade, consisting of the existing interior
glazing system, with a 3’ airspace and an outer single glazed system. The existing interior glazing system is made up
of a 1” Insulating Glass Unit that is clear with a Low E coating.

• The structural frame is an aluminum mullion system. The spandrel panels are made of 3/16” aluminum outer panel
with a 2 ½” rigid insulation backup. The airspace contains a horizontal louvered shading system at each floor to
provide shading to the interior spaces.

• The shading configuration has been designed to provide the equivalent shading to the existing system. The outer
façade layer is made up of an aluminum mullion system with a single lite of 5/8” laminated glass. The double
façade system is enclosed on both sides and open on both the top and bottom to allow for natural airflow.

• The use of floor-to-ceiling glass maximizes light and views for people inside and outside the building. The
horizontal white ceramic rods on the building facade, which are spaced to allow occupants to have unobstructed
views while both seated and standing, act as an aesthetic veil and a sun shade.

• They are made of aluminum silicate, an extremely dense and high-quality ceramic chosen for its durability and
cost-effectiveness. Glazed with a finish similar to the material used on terracotta to reflect light, self-clean, and
resist weather, the rods change color with the sun and weather. Additionally, the automated louver shades move in
response to the position of the sun and inputs from sensors, blocking light to reduce glare or allowing it to enter at
times of less direct sunlight. The movable shades reduce energy consumption about 13% by reducing solar heat
gain by 30%.
TYPICAL WALL SECTION : DUAL FAÇADE STRUCTURAL ASSEMBLY:

DUAL FAÇADE CONSTUCTION PROCESS:

CURTAIN WALL DETAIL:

LEGEND:
SERVICEABILITY AND DOUBLE SKIN FAÇADE INTERIOR VEIW OF FAÇADE
MAINTENANCE
Serviceability and
maintenance has to be
considered with a system
like this. The existing façade
with the rod shading system
could be cleaned and
serviced from the exterior of
the building. There are some
challenges in doing so, such DOUBLE SKIN FAÇADE CAVITY
as, cleaning behind the rods.
The rods create an obstacle
for cleaning and
maintenance. The proposed
system creates a challenge in
cleaning the interior of the
double façade. The louvered
shading system was selected
partially because it is
specified to be able to ENLARGED DOUBLE SKIN FAÇADE
support a person walking on
it. Cleaning and maintenance
can be performed within the
double façade cavity. This
creates a need for access to
the cavity. Access to the
cavity will be from one end
of the façade where there
will be access doors for each
floor.
 FKI Tower (Federation of Korean Industries Tower)

• The FKI Tower Is completed in December 2013.

• It is the new headquarters for the Federation of Korean Industries.

• The building unique skin helps in reducing the internal heating and
cooling loads, while collecting energy through photovoltaic panels
integrated in spandrel areas of the southwest and northwest facades.

• The exterior texture is both folded purposely and visually distinctive.