A facade or façade /fəˈsɑːd/ is generally one exterior side of a building, usually, but not always, the front. The word comes from the French language, literally meaning “frontage” or “face”.
In architecture, the facade of a building is often the most important aspect from a design standpoint, as it sets the tone for the rest of the building. From the engineering perspective of a building, the facade is also of great importance due to its impact on energy efficiency. Many facades are historical, and local zoning regulations or other laws greatly restrict or even forbid their alteration.
In modern highrise buildings, the exterior walls are often suspended from the concrete floor slabs. Examples include curtain walls and precast concrete walls. The facade can at times be required to have a fire-resistance rating, for instance, if two buildings are very close together, to lower the likelihood of fire spreading from one building to another.
In commercial construction, the facade systems that are suspended or attached to the precast concrete slabs will be made from aluminium (powdercoated or anodized) or stainless steel. In recent years more lavish materials such as titanium have sometimes been used, but due to their cost and susceptibility to panel edge staining these have not been popular.
In smaller mixed use or commercial construction, brick, stone, stucco, hardi plank, steel along with many others new materials that come to market can be used. Staten Island Construction will design your facade using elements of the neighborhood, durability and the most fire resistant options available.
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