Archinect - News

A fatal apartment building fire in Valencia, Spain, raises questions on the safety of building materials

2024-02-27T13:11:00-05:00

Valencia is reeling from a fatal fire at an apartment complex in the Spanish city. The incident began on the night of Thursday, February 22nd, and though the cause has not been definitively established, early reporting has suggested that the building’s cladding may have played a part in the disaster.

Ten people have been confirmed to have been killed in the fire, whose identities match the list of ten people deemed missing by authorities. In an isolated moment of relief, four people who had been included on the preceding list of 14 missing people have been located alive.

As per Spanish outlet El Pais, the vice-president of the Valencia College of Industrial and Technical Engineers, Esther Puchades, suggested that the building’s cladding included polyurethane and when “heated it is like plastic and it ignites.” In response, IPUR, Spain’s polyurethane manufacturers’ association, issued a statement saying there was no evidence that polyurethane was used in the subject building.

Related...

Minneapolis’ attempt to curtail EIFS cladding is causing pushback from architects and builders

2023-07-24T18:37:00-04:00

These kinds of guidelines cite “sustainability,” but miss a larger point about housing in Minneapolis. While it’s true that some types of texture and massing look “cheaper” than others, there are legitimate questions about whether or not newer types of building materials — EIFS, metal cladding, and the like — are more climate friendly and affordable than other materials that seem more traditional.

EIFS (aka “synthetic stucco” or “Exterior Insulation Finishing Systems”) are but one material in the proposed bans put forth by city planning officials in Minneapolis recently in an attempt to formalize a set of 2014 guidelines.

EIFS capabilities have advanced beyond a widely-known early design flaw, namely their proneness to water infiltration, and could now be an inexpensive but vital weapon for builders in the effort to deliver housing rapidly to the city’s beleaguered market.

A proposed residential project by Laney LA makes use of dark Shou Sugi Ban cladding nestled in Lake Tahoe's landscape

2023-07-19T19:48:00-04:00

Lake Tahoe is the project site of Laney LA's unbuilt residential design project titled the SQ Residence. The Hermosa Beach-based architecture and design firm share model images and drawings of a residential project proposal aimed to resemble a mountain cave that "acts as a fortress within a demanding environment."

The firm is no stranger to showcasing new projects alongside meticulously designed architecture models, which help add to the design proposal's narrative.

Model image courtesy of Laney LA.

The 4,488 sqft home utilizes Shou Sugi Ban cladding, a dark, striking exterior material that applies a traditional charred timber cladding technique found in Japanese building and design methods.

Image courtesy of Laney LA. Visualization: Negar Zahiri

The firm shares, "The dark shell of the home enhances its ability to withstand the harsh climate while blending with the forest in order to increase the visibility of wildlife and other natural wonders."

Image courtesy of Laney LA. Visuali...

CupaClad's natural slate rainscreen cladding system aims to improve facade design for the elements

2023-07-03T12:00:00-04:00

This post is brought to you by CupaPizarras.

CupaClad, a leading provider of innovative and sustainable building solutions, has launched a new product that promises to improve the world of architectural cladding with its Natural Slate Rainscreen Cladding System.

A system that offers provides a durable and sustainable option for design projects while creating a unique combination of aesthetic appeal and superior performance, the natural slate material provides an ideal material facade and cladding solution for architects and design professionals.

CupaClad's system is designed to provide superior thermal and acoustic insulation while also protecting the building from environmental elements such as moisture and water damage. Their Natural slate system is also made from non-combustible materials that are impact resistance and earthquake resistant. According to CupaClad, their systems have been "specially designed to resist structural movements without cracking, providing stability and s...

UK announces massive cladding remediation mandate in wake of Grenfell inquiry

2023-01-31T11:45:00-05:00

England's housing developers have been given an ultimatum - commit to repairing unsafe buildings or be banned from operating in the market. Developers now have six weeks to sign a government contract to fix their unsafe buildings from the past 30 years. According to the government's new plan, homeowners living in buildings whose construction poses a potential fire risk will be reimbursed, and building companies who installed the unsafe cladding must pay to replace it with a safer material.

Speaking to the press on Sunday, UK Housing Secretary Michael Gove admitted “faulty” guidance was to blame for the Grenfell Tower tragedy, stating his opinion that the building industry had gone underregulated for years. Cladding manufacturers like Celotex and Kingspan were not included in the mandate. Gove said the government will be committing a total of £5 billion ($6.15 billion) towards the effort.

'Shop of horrors': Oliver Wainwright reviews Morphosis' newly-opened Orange County Museum of Art

2022-12-13T17:20:00-05:00

Nowhere is the gulf between digital promise and physical fact more spectacularly evident than at the new Orange County Museum of Art (OCMA) in California [...] Almost a generation in the making, it feels like the final death rattle of a bygone age, the last gasp of an era preoccupied with novel form for form’s sake. Perhaps it is fitting that this flimsy, paper-thin architecture is held together with tape.

The Guardian critic paid a visit to the new museum building to offer a thoroughly dejecting assessment based on what he observed to be a disorienting entrance, confounding wayfinding system, atrium configuration, and defective cladding panels made necessary by a “performative shell” that has come to be an “expensive and elaborate” trope of its designers.

Morphosis partner-in-charge Brandon Welling claimed the firm was pushed into its October completion date and is still going through its punch list of small details that will complete the design, which Wainwright called a “$94 [million] hymn to the difference between render and reality.”

“I have no interest in completing projects,” says Thom Mayne - too bad for the Orange County Museum of Art https://t.co/RIvHSkUuZE pic.twitter.com/RdYTpOSVSo
— Olly Wainwright (@ollywainwright) December 13, 2022

Builders for the project pinned some of the issues on supply chain delays and said some of the hastily assembled stopgaps like tape and sof...

Finger-pointing closes Phase II of the Grenfell Tower fire inquiry as possible criminal charges loom

2022-11-09T15:09:00-05:00

The close of the 300-day-long inquiry into the devastating 2017 Grenfell Tower fire in London saw attorneys for the victims pinning the “primary responsibility” on the building's designer, Studio E Architects, adding that a “rogue's gallery” comprised of Arconic Architectural Products and the engineering concern Exova were also to blame, along with the “rolled-back state” and a coterie of Grenfell subcontractors.

“The full extent of the disaster was caused by a complex combination of corporate greed with complete disregard for safety, professional incompetence, oversight and organisational failings, and facilitated by an insufficiently robust regime,” Barrister Stephanie Barwise said during her final statement.

A representative for Kingspan, makers of the faulty K15 insulation used in 5% of the facade, added their view that “responsibility also rests with those responsible for the design, construction, and approval of the refurbishment.”

Previously on Archinect: New findings state ...

Cladding fire breaks out in 35-story Dubai apartment tower

2022-11-07T17:00:00-05:00

A massive fire was reported in the early hours of Monday morning at the 8 Boulevard Walk Tower in Downtown Dubai. Located near the Burj Khalifa, the 35-storey tower was ablaze and was extinguished just before 4am. The building seems to have extensive fire damage on the façade spanning through all floors.

The cause of the fire is unknown but appears to have been affected by the structure’s cladding, which residents told The Daily Mail was supposed to be replaced following a New Year’s Eve blaze in 2015 that caused significant damage to the nearby Address Downtown Dubai hotel.

1/ #Dubai

The Emaar skyscraper of the largest developer in Dubai partially burned down

The fire started early this morning near the Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world. pic.twitter.com/frFKZI1zu9
— David Kime (@CyberRealms1) November 7, 2022

Similar incidents prior to this have raised concerns for the safety of high-rises in Dubai completed before 2012 during a torrent of construction in the capital. According to some reports, at least 500 buildings in the UAE are susceptible owing to the combustibility of their cladding, which contains the same thermoplastic material likely to have fueled the deadly 2017 Grenfell Tower fire in London. No injuries have been reported.

This is now the second large fire...

Design team develops bio-glass cladding tiles made from mussel shells

2022-05-31T20:27:00-04:00

London-based architecture studio Bureau de Change and Lulu Harrison, a postgraduate student in Central Saint Martins' Material Futures program, have collaborated to create a series of cladding tiles made from glass using mussel shells. Their work explores alternatives to the processed and unsustainable materials used in traditional glass production that also prioritizes the use of locally-sourced materials.

The bio-glass, named Thames Glass, is made from a mixture of the ground-up shells of quagga mussels, sand, and waste wood ash. These invasive mussel species often clog the transfer tunnels used by water and wastewater services company Thames Water. Rather than being removed and sent to a landfill, Harrison developed an eco-sensitive solution by using the shells as a raw material to produce this unique kind of glass.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Bureau de Change Architects (@bureaudechange_architects)

The biomaterial is entirely handmade, making e...

A piece of cladding fell off of the Hancock Center in Chicago

2022-01-07T17:09:00-05:00

A large chunk of aluminum cladding fell off the Hancock building earlier this week, frightening neighbors. The piece of cladding fell about 3 p.m. Wednesday, landing atop a planter on the building’s south side off Chestnut Street. No one was injured.

The incident is eerily reminiscent of the tragic 2019 death of architect Erica Tishman in Manhattan, which has resulted in recent criminal charges in addition to a host of lawsuits brought against the property developers and city by the architect’s family and Department of Buildings.

Engineers have temporarily given the okay to the building’s property manager and 2nd Ward Alderman Brian Hopkins in lieu of a more detailed inspection, which they say will take place as soon as the weather allows.

“This is the first time anyone can ever recall a piece of this aluminum cladding material coming off the building. It simply hasn’t happened,” Hopkins said. “We don’t think this is an indication of a trend that pieces are suddenly going to start falling off the building. We have no reason to believe that.”

10 examples of metal in architecture we liked this week

2021-05-07T13:28:00-04:00

In case you haven't checked out Archinect's Pinterest boards in a while, we have compiled ten recently pinned images from outstanding projects on various Archinect Firm and People profiles.

Today's top images (in no particular order) are from the board Metal.

Tip: use the handy FOLLOW feature to easily keep up-to-date with all your favorite Archinect profiles.

↑ Meinel Optical Sciences Research Lab at the University of Arizona in Tucson, AZ by Richärd Kennedy Architects; Photo: Bill Timmerman

↑ Shimao · The Wave in Tianjing, China by Lacime Architects; Photo: CAAI

↑ Yellowstone Residence in Big Sky, MT by Stuart Silk Architects; Photo: Whitney Kamman

↑ L'Equatoria Logements in Rennes, France by Christophe Rousselle Architecte; Photo: Takiju Shimmura

↑ Shaftesbury Theatre in London, UK by Bennetts Associates (the firm was also featured in Archinect's Studio Visits series); Photo: Peter Cook

↑ Moose Road in Hopland, CA by Mork Ulnes Architects (the firm was also featured in Archinec...

Grenfell Tower inquiry: foul play alleged in fire tests of foam cladding panels

2020-11-17T12:44:00-05:00

Executives who sold combustible insulation for use on Grenfell Tower perpetrated a “fraud on the market” by rigging a fire test and making “misleading” claims about it, a public inquiry has heard. Celotex, a subsidiary of the French construction materials company Saint-Gobain, behaved in a “completely unethical” way, admitted Jonathan Roper, a former assistant product manager.

Create modern architecture that is built to last with CUPA PIZARRAS natural slate

2019-11-25T08:00:00-05:00

This post is brought to you by Cupa Pizarras

Smart sustainability is not “just a fad” in contemporary architectural design — it's a lifelong necessity. Natural slate has proven to be a reliable exterior building material for its timeless appearance and its remarkable resistance to the elements. With over a century of experience, leading natural-slate manufacturer Cupa Pizarras has modernized this ancient material to adapt to contemporary architectural styles and present-day needs with their natural slate products, which include their CUPACLAD® Natural Slate Rainscreen Cladding Systems and a variety of roofing slates.

CUPACLAD® 101 for the Fernelmont House in Namur, Belgium.

CUPACLAD® 201 VANGUARD for the Vestjysk Bank in Hvide Sande, Denmark.

Many of today's architecture firms have turned to Cupa Pizarras for the flexibility, easy installation, high quality, and unique appearance of their slate products. Not to mention that one out of every three pieces of natural slate installed in ...

10 fresh examples of metal in architecture

2019-11-08T03:00:00-05:00

In case you haven't checked out Archinect's Pinterest boards in a while, we have compiled ten recently pinned images from outstanding projects on various Archinect Firm and People profiles.

(Tip: use the handy FOLLOW feature to easily keep up-to-date with all your favorite Archinect profiles!)

Today's top images (in no particular order) are from the board Metal.

↑ Zinc House in Chicago, IL by dSPACE Studio

↑ Longgang Cultural Centre in Shenzhen, China by Mecanoo and CCDI (local architect)

↑ Miner Road in Orinda, CA by Faulkner Architects; Photo: Joe Fletcher

↑ Ray-Mont Logistics in Quebec, Canada by Lemay; Photo: Adrien Williams

↑ 8th Street Market in Bentonville, AR by Hufft

↑ House in Sun Valley, ID by James Merrell Architects P.C.

↑ Liva Riverside Book Bar Reconstruction of East China Normal University in Shanghai, China by Lacime Architects; Photo: Zhang Qianxi, Xu Zhe

↑ Muangthongthani Carcare in Nonthaburi, Thailand by Archimontage Design Fields Sophisticated; Photo: Chaovarit...

Fortify your next building project with the dynamic CUPACLAD® Natural Slate cladding system

2019-10-28T09:00:00-04:00

This post is brought to you by Cupa Pizarras

When it comes to designing the facade of a building, choosing the right materials is paramount to making that first impression count. Many architects worldwide have brought their projects to life with the CUPACLAD® Natural Slate Rainscreen Cladding Systems by leading natural-slate manufacturer Cupa Pizarras. The global company has revolutionized this reliable material for its unique aesthetic, versatility, sustainability, and incredible weather-resistant durability and longevity.

Their CUPACLAD 101 RANDOM in particular is a flexible cladding system that combines different slate sizes to create a dynamic composition. RANDOM comprises of 50×25, 50×20, and 50×15 cm slates installed horizontally with concealed screws.

College of Engineering, Technology, and Aeronautics at Southern New Hampshire University designed by Wilson Architects.

Just like their other CUPACLAD 101 systems, RANDOM uses self-drilling stainless steel screws with large-diam...

For the first time in 69 years, John Lautner's Sherman Oaks house is on the market

2019-07-16T13:44:00-04:00

One of Frank Lloyd Wright's most notable disciples, John Lautner made a distinct impact in California, specifically in Los Angeles. Known for his residential works, Lautner's exploration of space and material echoes Wright's organic architectural influence. The eye-catching curvilinear Louise Foster House, for example, considered to be one of Lautner's earliest commissioned works, resembles the David and Gladys Wright House, an elevated, circular home Wright completed for his son in 1952.

The 1,200-square-foot Foster House, complete with a redwood-clad exterior and a grand sunburst ceiling showcasing a tantalizing wood finish, is currently for sale.

Image © Junwan Li/Courtesy of Compass

A perfect getaway for someone looking to escape the busy city, the house sits on a 5,556-square-foot lot.

The two-story home has gone through some renovations over the years. According to usmodernist.org, Lautner decided to t...

Grenfell Tower fire: lawsuit launched against US building material suppliers

2019-06-21T14:51:00-04:00

American attorneys famous for claims in construction disasters have launched a landmark wrongful death lawsuit in Philadelphia against three US companies on behalf of 69 of the 72 people killed in the 2017 Grenfell Tower fire in London, and 177 who were injured in the tragedy.

"They are targeting Arconic, Inc., which they claim supplied the Reynobond Polyethylene Cladding (PE) panels on Grenfell; Celotex Corporation, which they claim supplied the insulation used in the cladding system; and Whirlpool Corporation, which manufactured the fridge-freezer thought to be linked to the start of the fire," reports Global Construction Review.

10 new examples of metal in architecture

2019-02-01T14:19:00-05:00

In case you haven't checked out Archinect's Pinterest boards in a while, we have compiled ten recently pinned images from outstanding projects on various Archinect Firm and People profiles.

(Tip: use the handy FOLLOW feature to easily keep up-to-date with all your favorite Archinect profiles!)

Today's top images (in no particular order) are from the board Metal.

↑ HOME in Paris, France by Hamonic+Masson & Associés with Comte Vollenweider; Photo: Takuji Shimmura/Milène Servelle

↑ House in Peconic Bay, NY by Mapos Architects, DPC

↑ 5300 McConnell in Los Angeles, CA by ShubinDonaldson; Photo: Benny Chan

↑ Natural History Museum of Utah in Salt Lake City, UT by Ennead Architects

↑ Formosa1140 in Los Angeles, CA by Lorcan O'Herlihy Architects; Photo: Lawrence Anderson

↑ SculptureCenter in Long Island City, NY by Andrew Berman Architect; Photo: Michael Moran/OTTO

↑ Rio Vista Residence in Dallas, TX by Buchanan Architecture; Photo: Charles Davis Smith, FAIA

↑ Parametric Car Garage in Berk...

Grenfell-style cladding causes value of upscale London apartments to drop by 90%

2018-04-16T16:21:00-04:00

A homeowner in a housing complex in London with Grenfell-type cladding has been told the value of her £475,000 home has collapsed and is now just £50,000. Galliard Homes, the developer of the 11-block complex in New Capital Quay in south-east London, is facing a £30m-£40m bill to replace the cladding and is locked in a legal dispute over who should pay.

The New Capital Quay development—home to about 2,000 residents—is believed to be the largest private development to have flammable cladding after the 2017 Grenfell fire tragedy that killed 71 people, The Guardian reports. The apartments are now considered unsellable.

From shiny to rusty: 10 impressive examples of metal in architecture

2018-03-02T09:00:00-05:00

In case you haven't checked out Archinect's Pinterest boards in a while, we have compiled ten recently pinned images from outstanding projects on various Archinect Firm and People profiles.

(Tip: use the handy FOLLOW feature to easily keep up-to-date with all your favorite Archinect profiles!)

Today's top images (in no particular order) are from the board Metal.

↑ DA Residence in London, UK by deDraft; Photo: Whitaker Studio

↑ 437 Madison Avenue in New York, NY by Fogarty Finger Architecture PLLC

↑ Hay Barn in Somis, CA by SPF:architects

↑ TreeHouse in Portland, OR by LEVER Architecture

↑ Sunac Chongqing One Central Mansion Sales Pavilion in Chongqing, China by aoe; Photo: Ligang Huang

↑ Raif Dinckok Cultural Center in Yalova, Turkey by EAA-Emre Arolat Architecture; Photo: Cemal Emden

↑ The Tillary Hotel in Brooklyn, NY by Cl-oth Interiors

↑ Parker Arts, Culture & Events Center [PACE] in Parker, CO by Semple Brown | Architects & Designers; Photo: Ron Pollard Photography

↑ Orsman Roa...

Natural slate for a smooth Scandinavian design

2017-11-27T12:12:00-05:00

Since ancient Roman times, natural slate has been used as a reliable building cladding material due to its remarkable durability, its versatile style, and its resistance to fire and water. Leading natural-roofing slate manufacturer Cupa Pizarras revolutionizes this material for present-day needs with their CUPACLAD® Natural Slate Rainscreen Cladding Systems. The CUPACLAD® systems were created to adapt natural slate to contemporary architectural styles and evolving trends, which continuously prioritize ecological and sustainable construction.

Villa P, designed by N+P Arkitektur.

From renovations to newly constructed buildings around the world, one of every three natural-roofing slate cladding installations uses the Cupa Pizarras brand. One such project is the beautiful Villa P in Fredericia, Denmark. Designed by N+P Arkitektur, the 2,100 sq.ft. harbor-side residence uses the CUPACLAD® 101 LOGIC cladding system to help create its timeless, Nordic-inspired aesthetic.

Instead of prefabr...

LafargeHolcim & Heliatek present photovoltaic concrete cladding system

2017-11-08T14:44:00-05:00

Photovoltaic (PV) concrete cladding is set to outperform rooftop solar, according to LafargeHolcim, which has developed a façade system with partner Heliatek. The team said that the photovoltaic energy-generating concrete facade has the capability to double the energy generation traditionally achieved by roof-based solar systems.

"A prototype of this new photovoltaic facade system will be presented at Batimat, the French construction fair in November, and a pilot project is planned in 2018," LafargeHolcim writes in a recent announcement.

Fire safety reform: Australian state government to audit, replace and ban flammable cladding

2017-08-02T13:46:00-04:00

The state government will audit the use and ban the supply of the potentially flammable building cladding that led to London's deadly Grenfell Tower inferno, in what it styles as Australia's toughest fire safety reforms. [...] Better Regulation Minister Matt Kean said the government had undertaken an audit sample of about 180,000 residential and commercial towers constructed in NSW since the 1980s. About 1000 of those buildings "may have [unsafe] cladding", the Minister said.

"The [New South Wales] state government said it would introduce reform that would identify buildings encased in unsafe cladding," the Sydney Morning Herald reports, "require them to be inspected and force building owners to foot the bill for replacements and ban the sale and supply of unsafe material."

82 buildings fail fire safety test in the wake of Grenfell Tower tragedy

2017-08-01T04:00:00-04:00

Eighty-two buildings have failed a new fire safety test set up in the wake of the Grenfell Tower fire, ministers say. The test examines the safety of building cladding and insulation in combination. It comes as an independent review of building regulations and fire safety has also been announced by the government. It will look at current building regulations and fire safety, focusing on high-rise residential buildings.

"The new fire safety test is the first of a wave of more comprehensive assessments, which come after previous tests were carried out on hundreds of cladding samples in recent months - many of these failed standards for flammability," the BBC reports and outlines key examination goals of the upcoming independent review.

At least 80 people lost their lives and over 70 were injured in a tragic fire on June 14 that rapidly spread through the building and engulfed the majority of the 24-story Grenfell Tower block of public housing flats in West London.

Grenfell Tower Fire: Up to 30K Other Buildings Clad in the Same Material Likely Responsible for the Fire

2017-06-19T12:23:00-04:00

There are tens of thousands of buildings in more than 87 tower blocks across the United Kingdom clad in the same aluminum composite that experts claim was largely responsible for the severity of the blaze that erupted on Grenfell Tower in Kensington and claimed at least 79 lives. The material, which is banned in the United States and elsewhere, is intended to improve the aesthetics of the towers, in part to raise nearby property values.

In the case of Grenfell Tower, by just spending £5,000 more on the £8.6 million refurbishment, a fire resistant cladding could have been used and saved these lives. This is not new information. Back in 2000, an inquiry said all cladding systems should use non-combustible materials, following a blaze in Scotland responsible for the death of an elderly man. In addition to the cladding, a lack a sprinkler systems has been blamed for the fire. Just one of eight councils has said it put sprinklers into their flats—18 out of 2,925.

Experts, such as archit...

A factory-making factory: Assemble revives manufacturing (sort of)

2017-04-13T17:39:00-04:00

By creating a machine that extrudes shaped clay, Assemble have created a factory that places an emphasis on the physical creation of one's environment (as well as the spontaneous ideas that can develop from working with materials and processes).

It's a throwback to the late 19th/early 20th century days when factories weren't necessarily about dehumanizing automation but rather more about the complexity of manufacturing using all sorts of tools and last-minute problem-solving techniques. This video by Vice gives a thorough tour of the concept, process, and blue-and-white-clad result of Assemble's "A Factory As It Might Be"...

Inventively-clad gentrification in the form of Bordeaux's "Urban Dock"

2016-12-22T13:13:00-05:00

Take an abandoned industrial neighborhood in Bordeaux, France, affix a masterplan by urbanist Nicholas Michelin to it, and then add in an inventive cladding system over a 56-unit apartment building, and you have the fundamental makings of "Urban Dock," a recently completed project by Hamonic + Masson & Associés. The title is rooted in a metaphor, the kind of idealistic gentrification that parachutes into a depressed urban swath and attempts to liven things up. Whatever one's feelings about that, the undulating series of extruded porches and shifting color schemes is eye-catching:

As a press release explains, "The building is clad in metal, which is occasionally perforated in order to allow loggias to appear whilst also highlighting the articulation of projections and recesses, creating intriguing vertical patterns. The cladding also produces an iridescent ‘double skin’ with different transparencies and a shell-like effect, with a shimmering exterior that provides a contrast to the...

After massive Dubai skyscraper blaze, experts concerned about towers built before 2012 with 'highly flammable exterior cladding'

2016-01-04T13:58:00-05:00

The companies that made and installed the exterior panels on The Address Downtown Dubai hotel say that most of the towers built in the city prior to 2012 used non-fire-rated exterior cladding. The disclosure comes as investigators probe the causes of the spectacular blaze [...] on New Year’s Eve. An investigation by The National into the origins and specification of the exterior panels used on the building raises serious questions over the fire safety of hundreds of buildings.