We can thank Aluminium for the changing image of modern cities and towns. The clarity of lines, the desire to grow skyward, the beauty, functionality and environmental compatibility of present-day megalopolises.
The glass faces of skyscrapers are supported by light weight and sturdy Aluminium frames. Entertainment, Trade and Exhibition centres literally rest on Aluminium frameworks. Stadiums, pools and other sports facilities are also uses to built Aluminium structures.
This metal became one of the most useful material among builders, architects and designers.
Architectural Aluminum Structures is now a specialty for designers. Architectural Aluminum provides easy installation,engineering, design, fabrication and assembly services for custom systems, such as Curtain Walls, Storefront and Window Wall.
The firm works with architects and General Contractors to meet desired aesthetics and performance criteria while providing details that interface with other external enclosure substrates. It includes installs systems with infills including aluminum panels, composite materials, and natural stone.
A curtain wall is an outer covering of a building in which the outer walls are non-structural and utilized only to keep the weather out.
As curtain wall is non-structural type, it can be made of light weight materials, it reducing costs of construction.
When glass is used as curtain wall, main advantage is that most of natural light can enter within the building.
The curtain wall does not carry any structural load from the building other than its own dead load weight.
Here wall transfers lateral wind loads that are incidenting upon it to the structure of main building through connections at floors or columns of the building.
A curtain wall is designed to water infiltration, resist air and absorb sway induced by wind and other forces acting on the withstand wind loads,building, and support its own dead load weight forces.
Curtain wall systems are typically designed with help of extruded aluminium frames, although the old curtain walls were made using steel frames.
The aluminum frame is typically infilled with glass, which provides an architecturally pleasing building, as well as benefits such as day lighting.
However, the effects of light on visual comfort as well as solar heat gain in a building are more difficult to control when using large amounts of glass infill. Other common infills include: stone veneer, metal panels, louvres, and operable windows or vents.
Curtain walls differ from store front systems in that they are designed to span multiple floors, taking into consideration design requirements such as: thermal expansion and contraction; building sway and movement; water diversion; and thermal efficiency for cost-effective heating, cooling, and lighting in the building.
