The Evolution of Curtain Wall Systems
The curtain wall is not only a carrier of the building’s appearance, but also the crystallization of the integration of modern architectural technology and aesthetic concepts.
Since the mid-19th century, curtain walls have gone through multiple stages of development from structural breakthroughs, material innovation to intelligent development worldwide. In this post, let’s sort out the international and Chinese development history of curtain wall systems. After that, we will review how this industry has evolved from a “decorative component” to a high-performance, systematic building shell.
1
The development of curtain walls came from breakthroughs in materials and structural technology brought about by the Industrial Revolution.
☛ With the increase in building function requirements and the rise of modernist architectural thought, curtain wall technology keep advancing.
☛ The emergence of silicone structural sealants has made a breakthrough in curtain walls in terms of air tightness and water tightness.
☛ The Alco Building in Pennsylvania, USA, effectively solved the waterproofing problem by way of pressure balance. That has laid the foundation for the subsequent systematic design of curtain walls.
☛ Developed countries began to promote curtain wall systems on a large scale, with increasingly rich material types and increasingly mature technologies.
☛ Unitized curtain walls are widely used in high-rise buildings for their advantages of prefabrication, factory production, and rapid on-site installation.
☛ Curtain walls have also become an important medium for architectural design expression. For example, the Valencia Planetarium in Spain uses glass curtain walls to create a futuristic spatial vision.
☛ In the 21st century, curtain walls have moved towards intelligence and sustainability.
☛ High-performance smart glass, ventilated double-layer curtain walls, photovoltaic integrated curtain walls and other systems have emerged.
☛ Curtain walls began to integrate technologies such as induction dimming, sunshade, and natural ventilation. And so it gradually becomes an important component of building energy saving and comfort.
2
The development of curtain walls in China started relatively late, but the progress was rapid.
In that period, China did not have mature industry standards. The use of curtain walls are mainly the exposed frame stick type, and the technology was mainly imitated and introduced,.
Beijing Great Wall Hotel
In 1995, the Aluminum Doors, Windows and Curtain Wall Committee of the China Building Metal Structure Association was established. And with that, the industry management system was gradually established.
Various curtain wall systems such as hidden frame curtain walls, stone curtain walls, and aluminum plate curtain walls gradually developed. While the point-supported and unitized curtain wall technologies were introduced.
The technical level of enterprises has been improved, with the “introduction-digestion-re-innovation” gradually being realized. And so they have preliminary independent research and development capabilities.
With the introduction of energy-saving and environmental protection policies, green curtain walls have become the mainstream of the industry.
Energy-saving glass, broken bridge aluminum profiles, renewable materials, etc. are widely used in curtain walls.
Product performance has been continuously improved. And indicators like heat insulation, sound insulation, weather resistance, and safety came more close to international advanced levels.
The industry has gradually developed towards industrial chain integration, intelligent manufacturing and standardization. Then lots of curtain wall companies with international competitiveness emerged.
3
The global construction industry is facing a transformation from “high growth” to “high quality”, and the curtain wall industry is no exception. In the future, the curtain wall system will continue to evolve in the following directions:
☞ System integration: The curtain wall is no longer a single structure, but a multi-system integration of structure, energy consumption, ventilation, and lighting.
☞ Digital drive: BIM, parametric design, and digital manufacturing will become mainstream design and construction methods.
☞ Green intelligence: With energy consumption optimization as the core, it integrates solar power generation, intelligent shading, dynamic ventilation and other functions.
4
The development of curtain walls is an architectural evolution history that includes material science, structural engineering, aesthetics, and humanities. From the first attempt of the Crystal Palace to the widespread application of green intelligent curtain walls today, it has not only changed the appearance of buildings, but also continuously reshaped the city’s skyline. In the future, curtain walls will continuously play a key role in promoting architectural innovation and achieving sustainable development.
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