Curtain Wall

Curtain Wall
2019-09-16

A curtain wall is one of the primary means of expression in modern architecture. It is a non-load-bearing wall, typically made of glass and metal, mounted in front of a structural frame. Curtain walls are hung from a building's structure, rather than being part of the structure itself; their invention in the early 19th century (the Hallidie Building in San Francisco is considered the first example, dating to 1918) broke strongly from the traditional architectural expression of small windows in heavy walls. Early curtain walls were made of steel frames with single-pane glass, but advances in technology and sustainability concerns have made aluminum framing with insulated glass the standard today.

Curtain walls are used primarily in tall office buildings as well as in multifamily and institutional buildings. Yet they are also found in houses, primarily modern ones of at least two floors.

Modern Living Room by Norris Architecture

The first two photos show a modern house in Nashville from the outside and inside. Curtain walls typically span vertically, as is the case here, meaning there is some design freedom in the location of the horizontal and other mullions in between.

Modern Exterior Rhodes Architecture + Light

Most curtain walls have a regular grid of framing, allowing for a variety of infill pieces: clear glass, spandrel glass (solid, single-pane glass in front of insulation), metal panels, operable windows and even doors.

One of the main characteristics of curtain walls is transparency, which some people desire and others find to be create the feel of living in a fishbowl. Regardless of photos like these, just about all buildings with curtain walls have blinds, curtains or other shading elements to cut down on solar heat gain and maintain privacy.

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Curtain Wall2019-09-16

Curtain Wall
2019-09-16