Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Types of Curtain Wall Facades

You know when you enter a beautiful, spacious museum or hotel lobby and there is this incredible stone wall design that catches your eye? That is a curtain wall. It obviously doesn't involve the type of curtains you put in your living room, nonetheless the name remains, and these fabulous works of art continue to span the globe wherever notable structures are found.
And what type of facade can you create for your space? The possibilities are endless, and even companies that engineer these amazing wall designs will tell you that the challenge to create a feature with a material they have never used, or a design that seems impossible, is an exciting opportunity.
Metal - Metal facades can be created with materials such as brass, copper, aluminum, or silver-nickel, to mention a few, and are commonly assembled to create incredible abstract designs. Since metal is generally very heavy, most metal facades consist of a thin coating of metal that is mounted to a "substrate" like melamine, laminate, fiberglass, concrete, or porcelain.
Glass - Glass facades are basically what you see in a downtown area--those glass paneled skyscrapers. Those are a form of "glass facade." Inside a corporate lobby, along a wall, floor-to-ceiling glass is an attractive addition to an ambience with all kinds of tempered, frosted, or crystal clear glass panels, sometimes paired with a water feature.
Stone - Stone facades are everywhere. They are on residential houses--you know those cottage-looking chimneys with the rounded river rock? They are fairly expensive if you use real rock, but many builders nowadays use the composite type that looks like stone. Of course, stone is actually used, but it is much more expensive. Stone curtain wall design is one of the most common ways to dress up a space and does not even need to coincide with a fireplace or water feature. Many developers pair stone with copper or bronze for a modern rustic look or stainless steel for a very modern look.
Axis Facades (http://www.facades.com) is a premier facade design firm that specializes in curtain wall design and curtain wall engineering across the globe. Billings Farnsworth is a freelance writer.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Billings_Farnsworth

1 comment:

Little Lady Cakes said...

We're moving into a new house soon and you have a great helpful blog.

I will be sure to stay around for a bit!

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