Product Description

The external facades of a building are more than a protective mantle, or an intelligent skin regulating temperature and light, they also determine its very appearance. By unusual choices of materials and the use of complex technology, facades have become increasingly significant in recent years. External surfaces are being perceived as an integral part of the building and are therefore being designed as such.

This volume focuses on the wide-ranging aspects of facade design, from the selection and use of materials to the advanced technical possibilities now open to the architect. A wide array of carefully selected international examples show the theory in the practice. All plans, details, and large scale sections of the facades have been researched with the high degree of competence typical of the editorial staff from the review Detail. Expert authors provide the essential information needed to plan and design facades and elucidate on the latest developments in technology and materials.

Product Details

• Published on: 2006-04-21
• Original language: German
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 192 pages

Language Notes
Text: English (translation)
Original Language: German

About the Author

The architect and Editor in Chief of DETAIL Christian Schittich (1956) has written most of the titles in the DETAIL series.

Customer Reviews

In Detail Series sets a new standard for contemporary architecture
I cannot say enough about the quality of this entire series, and this book is among the best of the set. Few architecture books are of this high quality; one usually expects some level of editorial compromise; either we get lightweight analysis and documentation with beautiful photographs, or you get overly complex, teched out stuff that doesn't understand the fundamental concepts. Or it's just bad architecture. But this entire series, from the quality of the writing, the great beauty and clarity of the drawings, and finally to the aptness and excellence of the finished architecture; it represents the new state of the art. Buy the whole series, but start with this one and "Building Simply", which I'll rave about separately.

Seductive Packaging
The way architects use materials and the effects they are after in the exterior envelope nowadays are quite surprising. "Building Skins" reports to us these exciting limelight phenomena. The book focuses mainly on two issues that pertain to the production of architectural skin; first, is exploration of materiality; and second, is interdisciplinary integrated approach to energy performance. It sounds pretty banal, but because of the cases provided are handsomely put together, the experience of reading is ever afresh and anew.

Schittich's wonderfully written essay in the beginning of the book helps a reader to quickly understand the forces (historical, technological, aesthetical, and environmental) that pushed this global interest in visually-effective or performance-efficient façade making. Attitude towards materials and building skin, the book summarizes into (mainly) three groups of architects.

First group of architects (e.g. Zumthor, reactionary to flickering-aesthetics), uses untreated materials to renew and expose the very attributes of materials. Second group of architects (e.g. Herzog De Meuron, embracing digital-friendly attitude), uses machine-treated materials to explore new visual effects. Third group of architects (e.g. Thomas Herzog, focusing on climatic parameters), integrates solar manipulators into the façade. The book also lightly touches on the issues of artificial lighting that are becoming more crucial to contemporary urban nightscape.

Supported by clean detail drawings, there are ample examples of building skins. Similar to any of the Birkhauser Detail series; the book is richly informative on the technical terms of materials and treatment on materials. It also introduces some German architects that are pretty much foreign to English-speaking audience. The two essays by Lang & Krippner are also worth mentioning.

Seductive building packaging will cool down as time passes by, but meanwhile, this book will serve its purpose.

Spectacular buildings with unique sidings
There was a time when there was no question as to what the outside skin of a building was going to be, glass alternating with metal panels. Something monolithic looking like the UN building.

Now significant advances in materials, architectural design, creative use of conventional materials like shingles, concrete, or sprayed on foam are producing building where the skin becomes more than just what you see.

The book is organized into two main sections. The first third or so is used to describe the general changes that have been taking place in the general area of building skins.

The last two thirds show where various treatments have been used in actual buildings. The buildings vary from tiny, micro houses to athletic stadiums, stores to factories.

This is European publication. Most of the buildings are in Europe, with a few from Japan. They represent the most significant advances in design I have seen in a long time.