DETAIL 5.2025: Facades

The Art of Cladding

The facade is a building’s most outward-facing element. The interplay of materials, textures, colours, and transparent or opaque surfaces defines not only its external character but also its contribution to the urban fabric. While facades in past centuries evolved from traditional construction methods and locally sourced materials, today’s design possibilities are far more varied. Technical advances have extended the range of materials we can use and combine across various construction systems. Windows can be any size – from fully enclosed to fully transparent, virtually anything is possible. However, stricter regulations on thermal insulation and airtightness have introduced new constraints. Single-skin facade systems are now the exception; in most cases, a double- skin wall structure with a protective outer layer – the cladding – has become the standard.

The projects featured in this issue reveal the diverse ways architecture firms approach the art of cladding – from used roadside safety barriers repurposed for a Swiss maintenance depot to a rich mix of textures shaping an art complex in New York.

When it comes to conversions, options may be more limited. In Ljubljana, the architectural character of a former printworks was preserved through barely perceptible facade interventions as it was transformed into an office and fitness centre. By contrast, the new cladding of an old port building in Den Helder, the Netherlands, radically redefines its appearance.