"Facade Talks" Series Begins

The AURA-Focus conference series, which brings architects and designers together with building products and manufacturers on a common platform, has launched a new event series on façade technologies in collaboration with façade systems company Reynaers Alüminyum Türkiye. The series, which began with an examination of the development of the façade as a building element from a historical perspective, will be studied by experts in all its aspects—from the architectural design process to implementation techniques, from architectural solutions in different geographies to energy-generating technologies. The first of the three-conference series, "Interface in Buildings: Façade," was held on 19 December and hosted Prof. Dr. Mustafa Özgünler, Faculty Member at Mimar Sinan Güzel Sanatlar Üniversitesi. The event, open to all participants and free of charge, attracted significant interest from architects representing the sector, façade consultants, building industry professionals, academics and students.

The conference examined the origins of the façade through humanity's struggle with nature:

Since primitive times, the façade has existed as a protective shell resolved between the exterior and the body. In terms of form, this shell renewed itself as humanity evolved. To examine the relationship established with the shell, parallels were drawn between the developmental forms of shelters built by primitive humans and nests constructed by animals. Visuals and construction techniques were presented on nests built by bees within geometric shapes, termites by stacking earth, ants beneath the ground, and beavers by carving channels. The natural factors determining façades today are: light through openings and closures, heat—the density of layers applied to the structural shell—hazards from which we need protection, such as fire, and façades are being developed by taking these dynamic elements into account. The first conference concluded by indicating that we are on a course where future façades will achieve the dynamism to respond simultaneously to environmental stimuli.