SUSPENDED CURTAIN WALL
A curtain wall is an external facade of a building that fully or partially wraps around a building structure like a curtain, protecting its interior from unstable natural phenomena. It does not serve as a structural load-bearing element and is installed in a kind of suspended state from the reinforced concrete frame of the building. Therefore, it is called a “suspended curtain wall”. The curtain wall carries only its own weight and external loads acting on its surface (such as wind, seismic forces, etc.) and transfers them to the building’s main structure through special connectors. Additionally, the structure of the curtain wall has the ability to move or deform independently of the main structure of the building.
Curtain wall systems first appeared in the 19th century with the development of large glass panels and became more widespread after the 1930s, when aluminum first became accessible as a construction material.
MAIN TYPES
Curtain walls can have a variety of appearances, but their common feature is that they consist of closely spaced vertical and horizontal supports, with panels made of glass or other materials placed inside.
There are two main categories of suspended curtain walls based on their manufacturing and installation methods: The Unitized (modular) curtain wall system and The Stick curtain wall system.
UNITIZED CURTAIN WALL SYSTEM
The unitized curtain wall system consists of large-sized blocks. These blocks, including the glazing, are fabricated in a workshop and then transported to the construction site as ready-made modules to be installed on the building facade.
STICK CURTAIN WALL SYSTEM
In this system, metal profiles are assembled one by one directly at the construction site and the glass panels are mounted into the frames on site (either from the inside or outside of the facade, depending on the conditions).
APPLICATION AREAS
In most modern buildings is used one of the curtain wall systems to provide an attractive facade. Primarily used in commercial or high-rise buildings, such transparent facade coverings can illuminate the interior, create a desired and comfortable indoor atmosphere, provide a clean and aesthetically pleasing appearance from the outside.
As ARTİ-GROUP, we can design, supply and install curtain walls in a variety of formats. Our company works closely with leading aluminum system suppliers and we have access to a wide range of premium systems.
