Connections – Tolerance, Adjustability, Geometric Accuracy
Connections, those transitions between systems and materials, are critically important when the surfaces are curved or complex. Well-designed connect…
121 results
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Kinematic Structural Glass
The structural glass storefront facade at 111 Main Street in Salt Lake City lends itself as a case study in accommodating large building displacement…
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SSG and Seismic
With the advent of more sophisticated analysis methods and the desire to optimize geometries of structural silicone joints in high performance design…
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Determination of Interlayer Structural Properties for Use in Laminated Glass Design
We have seen rapid expansion in the last decade of laminated glass design using modern analytical and computational methods. Essential to the proper …
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Ceramic Precast Composite Panels
An innovative lightweight ceramic precast composite panel is introduced in this paper that offers the unique benefits of prefabricated off-site const…
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Addressing Embodied Carbon
Reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the building sector is critical to limiting global temperature rise to less than 1.5⁰C. Construction and build…
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Structural Skin: Integrating Structure and Cladding
From gothic masonry to the sculptural building facades of today, exposed structural surfaces are often the most defining element of architecture. Increasingly, however, designers sit at a nexus of these aesthetic considerations and performance-driven design.
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Structural Silicone Glazing
The recent 50 year anniversary of the first use of silicone sealant in a 4-sided structural silicone glazing application marks a sustainable and prov…
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Design Considerations and the Complex Facade
The design of complex, high-performance facades involves balancing attention towards principles of material selection, thermal and moisture protectio…
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Pioneering the Structural Terracotta Mullion Façade
Architects today must explore alternative enclosure materials to meet evolving energy codes and embodied carbon regulations. Terra cotta has been mos…
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Developments in Gridshell Design
In 1959 Heinz Isler challenged the world of concrete shell design by proposing a series of shapes for shells that were very different from what most …
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Origami-Inspired Facade Design
To paraphrase Robert le Ricolias, the art of the structure is where to put the folds. Using that inspiration, fundamental concepts from origami, topo…
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Ballistic and Blast Integrated Design
Increased security needs have led to a demand in enhanced curtain wall facade performance. In addition to thermal, acoustic, and structural requireme…
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City Development and Cladding Design
High-rise buildings in growing cities could become more vulnerable to variations in wind flow due to the continuous changes in urban topology. The ae…
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Hardened Facades Effects on Structural Systems
To ensure the safety of U.S diplomatic personnel overseas, the U.S Department of State (DoS) has developed facade retrofits capable of resisting high…
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Doubling Mies
Mies van der Rohe’s concurrently designed projects for Commonwealth Promenade Apartments (1953-1956) and the Esplanade Apartments (1953-1957), saw th…
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Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
Steven Holl Architects designed two new buildings in the Museum District in Houston, Texas. Knippers Helbig is the facade consultant of both projects…
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Facade Wind Loading
Wind induced pressure is a major design consideration for building facades. However, the effects of facade geometry and urban terrain on wind loading…
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Printed Facades?
While additive manufacturing (AM) offers unprecedented freedom of design and a remarkable potential for material efficiency and lightweight structure…
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Renewing Two Saarinen Icons
Kresge Auditorium and the MIT Chapel, designed by Eero Saarinen and built in 1955, are both world renowned works of architecture and powerful symbols…