Facade Associates

Trigger warning! Confirmed OCD sufferers DO NOT inspect the image below! This quintessential example of South East Asia construction presents a conundrum - on the one hand the junction box is obviously and unecessarily misaligned with the stone floor……On the other hand the stone is perfectly cut around the offending item…. But also the junction box is obviously not of an external grade that will resist UV for any length of time and is covered in perma-sticky packing tape that will permanently adhere to the cover within weeks…. Pondering the sequence of decisions taken to reach this end point is a path to madness, and yet construction professionals and owners with an interest in final appearances cannot just look away. The difference between good and great is often what is NOT there, the mind is not distracted by the error and can focus on the experience of place created by this new construction. Some will look at this and feel it is fine - why fret? I would suggest that those people also fall into the category of those who would repaint a door without removing the hardware or using masking tape. Does this upset you? Do you have similar examples? Should we just chill out and focus on more important things? Is this the SE Asia equivalent of ‘wabi-sabi’?

Dusit Central Park update - PT tendons in place for pouring of the upper rooftop slabs of the retail podium. This excellent view from one of the Dusit Parkside unit balconies will qualify as a kind of 'urban shikkei' or ;borrrowed landscape' with the cascading rooftop landscaped park merging into Lumpini Park and the ever changing high-rise vista beyond. The Office at Dusit Central Park approaches its second setback, it's simplicity of form and detailing really emphasizing the verticality The Dusit Thani Bangkok Hotel opens (or rather re-opens) in three weeks. See you there! https://lnkd.in/gbPC6mqP

This understated, much-loved store is a Rolls Royce Ghost gliding to an afternoon tea in a garden with family versus the other malls neon Lambo gunning its way to an all-you-can-eat Mala Shabu Shabu. Central Chidlom has been quietly housing the most prestigious local and international brands with the widest product ranges in Bangkok since it's opening by the Chirativat family in 1973 as Thailand's first ‘one-stop shop’. The building has undergone several transformations over its lifetime and has now settled on a sublime façade design by renowned British Architect John Pawson. The  firms mininalist style and elegant restraint is a perfect match for the brand, but a style that has rarely been succesfully implemented in the local construction market. Characterized by simplicity, clean lines, and the use of natural light, distinguished by a focus on spatial proportions, the careful selection of materials, and a refined sense of scale, the project exhibits an elegant restraint, prioritizing functionality and the sensory experience of space over decorative embellishments. All refurbishments present fresh challenges and this is no excpetion – an accumulation of interventions over 50 years needed archaeological grade assessment to find appropriate and safe attachment points for the new façade, and distribution of load types to points where capacity could be most easily verified. Facade Associates rose to a challenge abandoned by others, designing a hanging semi-unitised façade system with no dead loads transferred to intermediate floors with primary structure unverifiable in bulk prior to construction. All major loads are directed to column heads and faces and in plane to wide slabs, removing uncertainty on capacity and isolating the façade from indeterminate live load movements. The huge typical glass size of 5.3 metres high by 2.1 metres wide was a point of contention for many months but critical to the vision of the designer. FA convinced stakeholders that not only was the design feasible but preferable to alternatives with smaller glazing modules The all white translucent glazed facade was enabled with the use of white one-part structural silicone, white glazing tape, and white silicone gaskets. Local façade contractor KAMA are doing a great job so far tackling the difficult site and supplying and installing both steelwork (via sub-contractor JSE) and glazing systems. Opening scheduled Christmas season 2024.

🚀 New Research Spotlight: Lifecycle Assessment of Curtain Wall Facades - End-of-Life Scenarios 🚀 https://lnkd.in/gBCEqUCj I'm excited to share an open-access (thanks Authors!) research paper on the lifecycle assessment of curtain wall facades, focusing on end-of-life scenarios. It provides valuable insights and underscores the importance of sustainable practices in our industry. 🔍 Key Highlights: Analysis of the environmental impacts of curtain wall facades. Exploration of end-of-life scenarios and their sustainability implications. Data prompting further discussion and exploration. 🌟 Appreciation for the Authors: we appreciate the authors' thorough research and dedication to advancing facade sustainability, contributing significantly to eco-friendly construction practices. ❗ Critical Observations: While this paper is significant, a few aspects could influence the conclusions: *The 40 and 100-year service lives require recoating finishes every 25 years, which is not feasible in-situ—deconstruction is necessary. Same for gaskets in the unitized system, which we've never seen replaced during service. *Aesthetic trends and functional obsolescence question the feasibility of 40- and 100-year scenarios, most facade replacements we see are for these reasons rather than failure. *Different glass used in each system impacts the B6 operational energy use indicator under EN 15978 and the GWP results. B6 is missing from Figure 1, but other LCA stages are shown. *Including B6 data would show that glass contribution to reducing GWP is high and tunable, for the same embodied carbon, with a wide range of operational energy usages due to available coatings. (However, laminated coated IGU’s presently go to landfill as difficult to recycle economically, as noted in the paper.) *Mill-finish aluminium alloy, rarely used for exposed surfaces, corrodes based on environment and alloy, forming an unsightly patchy white oxide layer. Appropriate alloys with increased corrosion resistance may be a solution. *Most glass in large buildings requires heat treatment; smaller modules and thicker annealed glass may reduce PERT and PENRT, but current trends are opposite. These points highlight how sensitive the conclusions may be to initial assumptions. Addressing these, we can refine our approach to sustainable facade design. Some areas we will investigate thanks to this paper: - Can we design a unitized façade with replaceable (in-situ) gaskets? - To reach a 40- or 100-year service life, we need to future-proof the façade system—anticipate and design for functional/code changes, design for aesthetic modifications without complete façade replacement e.g. caps, fins, shading and their finishes and materials. -How would Vacuum Insulated Glass (VIG) perform in LCA? -What local code changes may be implemented in the next 20 years? I encourage all to access the paper—what are your takeaways?

Dusit Bangkok Hotel at Dusit Central Park - completion imminent, first guests end September 2024. A very satisfying result for these huge bay windows, but what did it take to get here? - Full size pre-tender VMU at site (with horizontal transom split due to vmu contractor concern about very big glass) -Full size post-tender VMU at main con works by nominated facade sub-con (no horizontal transom split) - Full size typical and corner bay Performance Prototype (PMU) at accredited test laboratory in Thailand - Late glass spec change after 6 months of glass sample procurement and viewing due to lower reflectivity requirement from project-specific local authority (before glass 18%, required 11-13%). New samples and viewings urgently undertaken whilest trying to preserve subtle colour and avoid 'black building syndrome' (typical low-reflectivity neutral glass appearance) - Overcoming glass size and weight concerns with transport and replacement (glass eventually shipped from China in open top containers, glass size 2.8mH x 4.8mW up to 2.9mH x 5.5mW) -Replacement using custom 'mega davits' with high capacity anchors cast-in to roof slab and under pedestal floor - Vigorous discussions over cladding: small perimetral frame edge vs no frame but more side joints - Minimisation during design of site-applied sealant to reduce inevitable mess from final push to handover. I think this will be judged a resounding success, congratulations to all collaborating stakeholders! : Owner: Viman Suriya / Dusit Group Architect: Dragon JV (OMA+A49) Facade Contractor: KAMA Facade Testing: Kaskal Laboratory

Singha Complex: A Masterpiece of Modern Architecture and Sustainable Design In collaboration with Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates (KPF) and Design 103 International Ltd., Singha Complex in Bangkok is a stunning example of contemporary architecture. KPF took charge of the overall architectural design, while Design 103 International Ltd. handled the retail podium design. Inspired by the movement of liquids and the intricate patterning of prints and fabrics, the interior design features gentle curves that guide visitors seamlessly through the space. The warm bronze tones reflect Singha’s core business in beer production, adding a luxurious touch to the building's identity. The Singha Complex is a dynamic mixed-use development, integrating office spaces, retail areas, and residential units. With a strong emphasis on sustainability, the complex boasts energy-efficient systems, green spaces, and innovative materials. This design aims to create a vibrant urban environment, enhancing the quality of life for its occupants and visitors. #SinghaComplex #ModernArchitecture #SustainableDesign #Bangkok #KPF #UrbanDevelopment #GreenSpaces #InnovativeDesign #MixedUseDevelopment #OfficeSpaces #RetailDesign #ResidentialUnits #LuxuryDesign #ArchitecturalInspiration #ContemporaryArchitecture #SustainableArchitecture #DesignConcept #InteriorDesign #ArchitecturalDesign #DynamicDesign #EnergyEfficient #UrbanLiving #QualityOfLife #BuildingDesign #Cityscape #Architects #DesignExcellence #EcoFriendlyDesign #BuildingInnovation

Trent Precast Concrete Ltd has achieved another milestone! 👏 Today, the first delivery of Architectural Precast Concrete Lattice Finns for 150 Aldersgate for JRL Group was successfully signed off. This project has been extremely challenging, pushing the boundaries in terms of methods of manufacture and design. From inception to delivery, Trent Precast has led the way in the creation of these technically challenging panels. The credit goes to the entire team involved in getting the project this far. Trent Precast is excited to continue delivering and completing the project with the same level of quality and workmanship applied thus far. Onwards and upwards! JRL Trent Precast JRL Group Ltd GM: Matthew Burton OP: Craig W.

When dealing with facade 𝐜𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐦 𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐮𝐦 𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬-𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬, a typical approach is to "𝐦𝐢𝐱-𝐚𝐧𝐝-𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡" the geometry of commercially available profiles, or to apply incremental and custom changes to achieve the required goals 🎯 But if a thermal break is used, changing geometry implies losing knowledge of the cross-sectional properties in terms of bending stiffness, as these are 𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬-𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 by the system supplier📋 We recently issued 𝐀𝐒𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐳𝐞𝐫𝐨, a freeware Rhino/GH component which allows quick design iterations in geometry and material properties and it can give immediate feedback on bending stiffness, section modulus or degree of composite action, among other things, 𝐭𝐨 𝐨𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬-𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐧-𝐭𝐡𝐞-𝐟𝐥𝐲 🚀 This plugin extends traditional beam theory and it is 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐥-𝐚𝐠𝐧𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜. It can be also used for steel layered cross sections, laminated glasses, sandwich panels, etc... You can try it out at this link for free: https://lnkd.in/diJW-Yfm We are currently developing the full version with additional features to streamline the structural design of facade multi-layered elements ✏️ If you are interested in custom development for your company, do get in touch with us! Carlos Pascual Agulló Mauro Overend Algorixon #facadeengineering #grasshopper #structuralengineering #computationaldesign

Rope access technicians remove protection from glass and cladding and apply final seals to Dusit Thani Hotel Bangkok bay windows. The light gold low-e coating looking good - I think its partially because the gold is a complimentary colour to the blue sky so the contrast between clouds and blue sky is enhanced in the reflections. The service maintenance access method is also rope access from a temporary davit system (that can also carry cradles). Glass replacement (each bay window glass weighs 900kg and is 4.8m wide by 2.8m high, the corner unit at 5.2m wide weighs 1 tonne) is from 'mega-davits' with custom electrical hoist units. Floor plates for the davits and mega-davits are cast into roofslabs and concealed under raised terrace flooring. Due to the podium rooftop limiting drops to ground directly beneath the bay windows elevation replacement glass will need to be lifted to the base of the elevation by mobile crane on the access roads at ground level. (Note to esteemed Guests: Thank You for not breaking the glass!) Post-completion glass replacement is relatively rare in Bangkok (no typhoons, external lites are laminated, toughened glass usage limited) so a balance of upfront expenditure on equipment versus risk of occurrence leads to a heuristic that glass replacement methods can be 'challenging but safe and never impossible'

We are hiring! We continue to work on some of the most exciting and prestigious facade projects in Bangkok and are looking for ambitious candidates to join the team: Facade Systems Designer (AEC Suite) Project Manager x Junior Consultant Site Inspector Some Facade Contractor and/or site experience essential. Previous consultancy experience beneficial but not essential. Creativity, critical thinking, a pro-active learning ability, speed and adaptability will be needed to excel in these posts. Apply via website contact form or Linked-In for further details. Immediate start possible for some roles.