What is a Glass Façade?
Simply put, glass wrapping the exterior of a building is a glass façade. These building façades are regularly used in modern-day designs due to their simplicity and wide range of design applications.
These façades add glamour and enhance the style quotient of the entire building. However, glass façades are not just for visual aesthetics – they are also highly functional, offering excellent sound and heat insulation.
If you are unsure about which types of glass façades to choose for your construction project, a client, or even your own home renovation, we have got you covered. Here is a curated list of façades and glass facade types available to achieve the perfect balance of aesthetics and functionality.
Types of Glass Façade
1. Curtain Wall Façade
These are curtain-like structures that are non-load-bearing and are attached to the floors of the building where the façade is incorporated. Curtain wall façades support only their own weight and not the dead load of the building.
A connection exists between the curtain wall and the building’s columns and floors, allowing the weight of wind to be transferred from the façade to the building itself.
2. Storefront Curtain Wall Façade
This is a non-load-bearing façade primarily designed for ground floors. It is usually built between the ground and the roof of the building above it.
This building façade offers optimal thermal and sound insulation if constructed using specialised glass. It can be easily customised and is quite cost-effective.
3. Framing Façades
- Unitized Curtain Wall
This type of curtain wall is composed of large units that come pre-assembled and glazed from the factory before shipping to the building site for installation.
Unitized curtain walls form a core component of the building’s exterior, enhancing thermal efficiency, sound insulation, and fire safety.
- Semi-unitized Curtain Wall
A semi-unitized curtain wall is a type of structural glazing where the primary structural framing components are erected individually, like an erector set. Vertical mullions are attached first to the floor slabs, and the horizontals are then attached to create a grid.
4. Frameless Façades
Frameless façade systems are common in modern architectural glazing. Frameless glazing offers significant design potential and is an excellent way to maximize natural daylight.
5. Tension System
High-tensile cables or stainless-steel rods are used to transfer the load of the façade to the main structure, increasing transparency. The two main types in the industry are tension rod façades and cable net walls.
Types Of Glass
1. Laminated glass
A laminated glass consists of layers of ordinary glass stacked together. Laminated glass is heavier and tougher than normal glass. It provides robust protection from UV rays and excellent insulation from outside noise.
2. Toughened Glass
Also known as tempered glass, this is a more durable form of glass available in various thicknesses. It is ideal for applications requiring fire resistance and high strength.
3. Insulated Glass
Insulated glass unit is a type of glass consisting of two or more panes separated by a thin air film, allowing heat to dissipate more effectively, making it an excellent choice for insulation.
4. Solar Control Glass
Solar control glass is designed to reduce the amount of heat entering a building by absorbing the sun’s rays that fall on the glass panels. To learn more about its applications and benefits, check out our guide to solar control glass
5. Tinted Glass
Tinted glass serves both aesthetic and functional purposes. When sunlight hits it, it also works as an effective insulator.
Find the perfect façades with AIS
Manufacturing high-quality glass products for diverse applications has been our speciality for over three decades. In that time, we have refined our craft, making us a leading glass solutions provider in India.
At AIS Glass, we manufacture high-quality toughened glass to build durable and elegant façades with contemporary styling. Our solutions are customisable to meet different customer needs. Get in touch with us and explore our wide range of glass solutions.