Unlock Excellence with Bespoke Curtain Walling
24/6/23
Combining form and function to support architectural excellence, glazed curtain walling delivers a modern aesthetic while helping to create a comfortable living and working environment. Through a bespoke approach, aluminium facades can help to create outstanding building designs. Dan Gleeson, Reynaers Head of Commercial Sales, outlines the benefits of choosing glazed curtain walling.
Curtain wall systems equip architects with the freedom to create an aesthetically led facade which meets the specific performance requirements of the building. There are two main types of curtain walling; stick and unitised facades – both of which can be adapted to create bespoke features that are engineered to emphasise geometry, or a particular profile.
Performance and Aesthetics
Spanning multiple floors and covering a large surface of the building, the curtain wall forms a significant part of the envelope. As such, systems can directly impact the performance of a structure, such as water tightness and thermal characteristics, daylighting, ventilation regimes, acoustics and building movement.
Each different curtain wall type offers varying levels of performance, depending on characteristics like profile design, gaskets, and openings. CW 50, for example – the leading curtain wall system from Reynaers – offers all-round performance having passed CWCT Sequence B testing, providing independent accreditation. Different technical variants can also accommodate specific fire resistance requirements where needed.
While the technical performance of curtain walling is a primary consideration for architects, aesthetic requirements are another factor for including them in a design. As a fast and cost-effective way of introducing large volumes of glazing into a building, these systems can create a distinctive appearance.
For occupants, the benefits are clear. Large and often full height windows flood rooms with natural light, making them more comfortable, practical, and modern. They can create greater connections between inside and outside spaces, while also helping them to fit into their environment more easily. To achieve this, it is crucial for architects to specify systems which maximise creative freedom, without compromising the performance benefits required.
Ensuring Correct Specification
To unlock the benefits made possible through curtain walling, it is crucial to work closely with suppliers and design teams from the outset of a project. Particularly on large scale projects, such as high-rise buildings, where curtain walling is most in demand.
At Reynaers we encourage direct collaboration between our partners. Through our Consult programme, in-house specialist consultants, engineers and technicians work closely with architects and building professionals to offer technical assistance and fully understand a project's requirements.
Collaboration is the key to creating bespoke designs that allow visions to be realised through high quality curtain walling that offers excellent performance as well as stunning aesthetics.
For more information: www.reynaers.co.uk