The project archive names this complex Bangkok Innovation Hub and presents a terracotta facade organized around deep openings, long horizontal wings and a taller landmark volume. Warm red-brown ceramic surfaces unify buildings of different scales, while repeated vertical profiles give the glazed zones shade, depth and a consistent rhythm.
For a new project, the useful lesson is not a claim about one material delivering an entire sustainability strategy. It is the coordination of solid cladding, open screens, glazing and structure so that architectural expression and measurable enclosure requirements can be developed together.
| Archive project name | Bangkok Innovation Hub |
|---|---|
| Visible ceramic language | Red-brown wall fields and closely spaced vertical terracotta profiles |
| Facade composition | Recessed glazing, framed openings, a strong base and repeated bays across several building volumes |
| Key coordination task | Set ceramic module, screen depth, structural support, drainage and movement details before procurement |
Use one ceramic language across different building scales
The archive view shows a complex with low wings, a prominent corner volume and varied window proportions. A limited clay colour helps these parts read as one composition. At the same time, the facade avoids a uniform surface: deep frames, recessed glass and vertical ceramic elements create shadows that change with the viewing angle.
This approach benefits from a family-based product schedule. The design team should establish which areas use flat panels, which use linear profiles and which corners or soffits require special shapes. Shared colour and surface references can unify the family, while controlled differences in format provide hierarchy. Draw every transition so the supporting rails and closure pieces do not become accidental visual features.
Design vertical terracotta screens around orientation and view
Vertical ceramic profiles can act as a brise-soleil, a privacy layer or simply a strong facade rhythm. Their actual effect is governed by orientation, section depth, spacing, angle and distance from the glass. Solar and daylight modelling should test those variables elevation by elevation; a generic statement about reduced heat gain is not a substitute for project analysis.
Geometry
Define profile section, projection, centre spacing, orientation, span and end condition. Include intermediate support where engineering requires it.
Background
Coordinate glass colour, spandrels, rails, slab edges and access zones because they remain partly visible through an open screen.
Load path
Engineer ceramic units, inserts or rods, brackets and primary attachments as a complete system for the governing loads and movements.
Service access
Plan cleaning, glazing replacement and safe removal of individual ceramic pieces before the screen density is fixed.
Coordinate solid panel fields with deep glazed openings
The most distinctive bays appear as dark glazing set behind substantial red-brown frames. The visual depth can come from several construction layers: cladding returns, a structural opening, the screen support zone and the curtain wall. Their tolerances accumulate. Set a clear control plane and confirm how each trade measures from it.
Large-scale details should cover heads, sills, jambs, external corners, parapets and base conditions. Preserve drainage at every recessed opening and maintain continuity of the air and water control layers behind the ceramic facing. If the facade is a ventilated rainscreen, cavity ventilation, flashings and compartmentation must remain effective through changes in geometry.
Performance is assembly-specific. Wind resistance, water penetration, fire behaviour, thermal transmittance and impact response depend on the substrate, anchors, rails, insulation, membranes, cavity barriers, ceramic units and workmanship. Match calculations and test evidence to the proposed build-up and the project’s codes.
Select colour, texture and format with full-size samples
Digital photographs communicate the overall warm palette but cannot define an acceptance standard. Fired clay may show controlled variation between units and batches. Request physical samples representing the intended range, then review them beside the proposed glazing, metalwork and paving in relevant daylight. A larger sample array is more informative than one small piece.
Panel and profile formats should respond to structural spans, handling limits and the facade grid rather than an image alone. Early supplier review can identify standard sizes, feasible custom sections, tooling implications and suitable packing. For tender comparison, issue one coordinated schedule rather than leaving each bidder to interpret the elevation independently.
Turn the concept into a traceable procurement package
A productive request for quotation includes elevations and details, quantities by unit type, target sizes and finish, profile section and spacing, proposed subframe, design loads, required standards, delivery country and programme. Identify corner pieces, cut units, spares and any mock-up quantities separately. This lets the manufacturer assess feasibility and lead time against the actual design.
| Design development | Coordinate module, joints, screen geometry, access, movement and interface responsibility. |
|---|---|
| Technical approval | Review calculations, applicable tests, material data, fixing details and representative samples. |
| Mock-up | Include a panel field, screened opening, corner and material transition; agree visual and workmanship criteria. |
| Production and delivery | Record approved references, batches, packing sequence, inspection results and spare units. |
Control setting-out from the first typical bay
Survey the receiving structure before releasing fixed dimensions. The subframe should accommodate declared tolerances without forcing ceramic units or reducing required engagement. Install and inspect the first representative bays early, checking rails, brackets, profile orientation, joint gauges, end alignment and interfaces before repetition makes correction difficult.
Keep concealed-work photographs and inspection records tied to elevation and grid references. Protect units during adjacent works and replace pieces with edge damage or unacceptable finish. A planned stock of clearly labelled spares supports future maintenance and helps preserve the original colour distribution.
Develop a terracotta facade and screen package
Send the project location, elevations, intended panel and profile dimensions, colour and texture references, approximate quantities, performance requirements and delivery schedule. LOPO can review current ceramic facade options and prepare samples for coordinated design development.