1. Walt Disney Concert Hall
Location: Los Angeles
Architect: Frank Gehry (Gehry Partners)
Material: Stainless steel metal panels
Why We Like It
The curves are intended to represent the musical movement and motion of Los Angeles. We may not be familiar with either of those but how it plays out with the use of stainless steel (approx. 165,000 square feet of panels) certainly is stunning. We can only marvel at all of the curves and lines. And the patience that must have been needed to get everything to line up during the installation.
2. Son-O-House
Location: Eindhoven
Architect: Lars Spuybroek
Material: Perforated stainless steel
Why We Like It
Less of a house and more of a sensory structure, it elevates the use of some materials, similar to those we use, into a performance piece. Aided by sensors and speakers, visitors collectively (rather than individually as is the case in much interactive art) influence and change the sound produced. We've always though facades have something to communicate. This one certainly does.
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3. Al Bahar Towers
Location: Abu Dhabi
Architect: Aedas Architects
Material: Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)
Why We Like It
A responsive facade that opens and closes in response to the sun? That's a complicated, clever and visually stunning approach to controlling solar gain, and one of the smartest facades we've come across. Given our own fascination with the importance of sun shading, along with the sheer scale of the facade, it would be difficult to leave it off any list of amazing facades.
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4. Museo Soumaya
Location: Mexico City
Architect: Fernando Romero Enterprise
Material: Curved steel columns with hexagonal aluminium tiles
Why We Like It
A large part of the appeal in this facade stems from admiration for use of the aluminium hexagons. We enjoy working with aluminium and this showcases its beauty and versatility perfectly. The angles and curves of the building achieved with a simple geometric aluminium shape (and those steel columns) is stunning and we can only imagine its most entrancing as you walk past, the light and shade changing with every footstep.
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5. Nakâra Residential Hotel
Location: Cap d'Agde
Architect: Jacques Ferrier Architecture
Material: UHPC Panels
Why We Like It
It's the dance between the light and shade. We might be a little predisposed to highlighting this facade given our own fascination with dappled light (partly) led to the creation of the dapple range. Regardless, the way this double facade harnesses the use of light is quite something.
6. Sukhimuvit 91 House
Location: Bangkok
Architect: Archimontage Design Fields Sophisticated
Material: Technowood
Why We Like It
If ever a house showcases the ability of louvres to maintain occupant privacy and control solar gain, it is this (though we like to think The Hills Lodge did a decent job of it too). Situated in a busy area of Bangkok's eastern suburb, between the business district and a residential area, it hides a family home without making it feel like a fortress inside, that is completely shut off. We imagine the shade from the relentless sun is quite nice too.
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7. Apartments @143
Location: New Delhi
Architect: Plan Loci
Material: Roll formed aluminium or steel
Why We Like It
Its all in the looks. It's an interesting way to combine the benefits of louvred shading the balustrade that's distinct from anything else we've seen. Looking at the connections, we don't think it would last long in the wind in New Zealand. But we're pretty confident we could solve that and achieve a similar look that's been wind tunnel tested and ready for our conditions.
8. Infintus Plaza
Location: Guangzhou
Architect: Zaha Hadid Architects
Material: Perforated Aluminium
Why We Like It
The scale is pretty impressive, but it's the detail that really appeals. The facade is made up of a repeating pattern of diamonds, each consisting of 4 aluminium triangles. These 4 triangles concave in the centre. Then depending on where the panels are on the building, they may be pushed inwards further at the centre point, opening them up and exposing the space and between the panels. It's a clever trick that changes the light and shade on the exterior (and interior), adding further to the already impressive aesthetics.
9. Eight Tenths Garden
Location: Guangzhou
Architect: Wutopia Lab
Material: Perforated Aluminium
Why We Like It
The folding fan style use of perforated aluminium is simple yet incredibly effective. For us, it showcases what's possible with perforated aluminium when used on a large scale. It creates this veil on the outside of the building which makes the whole thing look unlike anything else.
10. Te Ara Atea
Location: Christchurch
Architect: Warren & Mahoney
Material: Custom Concave Louvre Profile
Why We Like It
Ok, this is one of ours. And we might be suffering from immediacy bias given it was only finished late last year. It is unique though. The way the light is reflected or absorbed by the profiles as you walk past is entrancing. You can read more about this project here.
So that's our 10. There's many more that didn't quite make it onto the list but we'll save them for another post, some other time. Did we miss any that should be on here?