A built example is LC LIVIN in Lahnstein, Germany, where the residential building faces a railway line. Designed by MPLUS Architekten, the project uses a Kalzip FC façade system incorporating FC 30/300 and FC 30/350 profiles with partial perforation. The aluminium profiles feature an AluPlusPatina finish in Bronze B40 and Champagne G12, with installation carried out by Werhand GmbH & Co. The façade incorporates sound-absorbing insulation positioned behind the metal skin and was developed and acoustically tested in collaboration with the Fraunhofer Institute.

The Perforation Is Doing the Work

The principle is more sophisticated than simply putting holes in an aluminium panel.

When sound reaches a perforated surface, air moves through the openings. Friction and viscous losses around the perforations convert part of the acoustic energy into heat. The cavity behind the panel then becomes a critical component of the absorber. Its depth, perforation geometry and absorptive backing determine which frequency ranges can be attenuated effectively.

This is why a perforated façade cannot be evaluated by the metal sheet alone.

Typical acoustic assemblies can use sub-millimetre to millimetre-scale perforations, controlled open areas and cavity depths of several centimetres or more. Increasing the cavity depth generally shifts the absorption response toward lower frequencies, while the perforation ratio influences the acoustic resistance of the panel. For architects, this creates an unusual opportunity: the acoustic treatment can remain on the exterior while becoming part of the façade language.

The most effective systems can integrate the acoustic layer into a ventilated rainscreen construction. Behind the perforated aluminium, mineral wool or another porous absorber occupies the cavity. The external panel provides weather protection while the backing material dissipates acoustic energy.

This approach is particularly relevant where conventional acoustic insulation alone cannot solve the problem. Railway noise, for example, contains significant low-frequency components, making façade composition, glazing selection and junction detailing critical.

The weakest component can ultimately determine the performance of the entire envelope. A high-performing opaque wall paired with poorly specified glazing, inadequate seals or acoustic vents can undermine the intended result.

That makes acoustic façade engineering a system-design problem rather than a material-selection exercise.

Did you know a façade could be engineered to absorb sound? What may look like a simple perforated aluminium skin can, when combined with the right cavity, insulation and detailing, become part of a building’s acoustic defence. Projects such as LC LIVIN show that acoustic performance is no longer confined to what sits behind the façade, the façade itself can be engineered to work with sound.

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The building provides approximately 16,500 m² of primary accommodation, including nine galleries dedicated to the Titanic story, a temporary exhibition gallery, gift shop, restaurant, café, bars and banqueting suites capable of accommodating up to 1,000 diners. A further 16,000 m² of ancillary accommodation, including a multi-storey basement car park, forms part of the development. The project was procured under an NEC Contract.

Its distinctive facade comprises more than 3,000 panels, approximately 2,000 of which are unique. Developed from initial cardboard models, the complex geometry reflects the hulls of Titanic and its sister ships, while the overall star-like plan references the White Star Line emblem.

The 6,200 m² facade is clad in 3 mm-thick Novelis J57S® batch-anodized aluminum in a natural anodized finish. The panels were installed by EDM Spanwall, with the aluminum selected for its consistent metallic appearance, colour and gloss, as well as resistance to UV exposure, corrosion and weathering.

Completed for the 2012 centenary, Titanic Belfast has received numerous awards, including the 2013 RICS Award for Design & Innovation and the 2014 RSUA Design Award – Arts Council of Northern Ireland Integrated Artworks Award. It was also a finalist for the 2012 British Construction Industry Award for Major Building Project of the Year (over £50 million) and was voted the world’s best tourism attraction in 2016.

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Located beside Liverpool Street Station, the project was constructed by Sir Robert McAlpine, with Ramboll responsible for structural and MEP engineering and Focchi Group delivering the glass façade.

A pre-demolition audit enabled significant material recovery. 98 steel beams were approved for reuse, approximately 2,500 m³ of concrete was crushed and incorporated into the foundations, and 9,500 m² of floor tiles were retained for future reuse. Around 100 tonnes of steel were incorporated into the new frame, while sections of the former aluminium façade were repurposed for the cycle ramp. These measures helped reduce embodied carbon from 755 kg CO₂e/m² to approximately 647 kg CO₂e/m².

The façade features a distinctive three-dimensional sawtooth geometry, with diagonal gold sand-coloured aluminium bands forming faceted triangular surfaces. The geometry was designed to maximise daylight while controlling afternoon solar gains.

The insulating glass units, manufactured by AGC Interpane Architectural Glass, incorporate Stopray 52/27 solar-control glass, iplus 1.1 low-emissivity glass and laminated safety-glass configurations. The main specification includes an 18 mm argon-filled cavity with Super Spacer® T-Spacer SG from Edgetech Europe/Quanex, achieving approximately 50% light transmission, a g-value of 25% and Ug of 1.0 W/(m²K).

For the large-format structural glazing, the T-Spacer SG provides enlarged contact surfaces for a robust PIB primary seal, supporting long-term gas retention and durability despite wind loads, temperature fluctuations and pressure changes.

The project at 2 Finsbury Ave, London EC2M 2PA, UK, is also targeting BREEAM Outstanding, WELL Platinum and a 5-star NABERS rating.

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The project involved Ove Arup & Partners as structural and services engineer, with Laing O’Rourke as main contractor. In 2020, owner Hammerson appointed BAM to refurbish the exterior ahead of the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games. The intervention focused on the façade, involving the controlled removal, refurbishment and reinstatement of every aluminium disc, together with the installation of a new layer of high-performance insulation behind the cladding.

The complexity of the façade required precise control of the individual components. BAM used 3D point-cloud scanning and digital modelling to survey the existing geometry, while architectural metalwork specialist Structural Stairways implemented a QR-code identification system. Each disc was recorded during dismantling, allowing it to be traced and returned to its original position after refurbishment.

The works were carried out while the department store remained operational and pedestrian and transport routes around the Bullring remained active. A bespoke scaffolding strategy accommodated the building’s curved geometry while maintaining access to surrounding public areas and the nearby Moor Street bus stops.

The refurbishment retained Selfridges’ defining aluminium envelope while upgrading the building’s thermal performance. With nearly 16,000 façade elements individually managed, the project demonstrates a technically rigorous approach to conserving a complex architectural skin while improving the performance of the existing building envelope.

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Jansen AG, headquartered in Oberriet, Switzerland, is an internationally active company with more than 100 years of experience in developing steel profile systems for windows, doors, fire protection and façades. Alongside its steel expertise, Jansen also provides plastic solutions and high-quality powder coating services. Schüco International KG, based in Bielefeld, Germany, celebrates its 75th anniversary and is known worldwide for aluminium, steel and PVC-U system solutions focused on quality, sustainability and lifecycle performance.

Under the renewed agreements, Jansen will continue to distribute Schüco aluminium systems exclusively in Switzerland and the Principality of Liechtenstein. At the same time, Schüco retains exclusive distribution rights for Jansen steel systems in key European markets including Germany, Luxembourg, the UK, Ireland, Scandinavia, Finland, the Baltic States and Greece. The cooperation reflects a partnership that began in aluminium in 1978 and expanded into steel distribution in 2000, proving the strength of a long-standing sales model.

A new addition strengthens the collaboration further: since 1 January 2026, Schüco International S.C.S. in France has begun distributing a significant portion of steel systems from the former RP Technik Profilsysteme GmbH in France and the French overseas territories under the RP Technik name.

Leadership from both companies emphasised shared values, innovation and customer focus as key drivers behind the renewal. In a market facing increasing change and sustainability demands, the extended partnership highlights stability, technical expertise and a joint commitment to delivering advanced steel and aluminium solutions for modern architecture.

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At the exhibition, Everest will officially showcase:

• EV Hybrid Series window systems, combining PVC insulation performance with aluminium exterior finishing
• Advanced thermal insulation solutions focused on improving building energy efficiency
• Premium design profiles with slim, contemporary lines aligned with current architectural trends
• High-performance glazing configurations designed for comfort, durability and long-term efficiency
• System details and technical demonstrations highlighting design flexibility and installation quality

The presentation reflects Everest’s commitment to developing high-performance window technologies that respond to increasing market demands for sustainability, energy savings and modern façade integration.

FENSTERBAU FRONTALE is internationally recognized as a key meeting point for system suppliers, manufacturers, architects and façade professionals, serving as a launch platform for new technologies shaping the future of the window and building envelope sector.

By introducing the EV Hybrid Series at this global industry event, Everest reinforces its position as a forward-thinking manufacturer focused on innovation, performance and premium design solutions for the evolving European construction market.

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The façade concept: one frame, one identity

The defining element of Vitra’s envelope is a continuous aluminium frame that wraps the building like a perimeter outline. Instead of treating the façade as a typical repeated curtain-wall grid, the project uses this frame as a vertical “edge condition”, a strong architectural border that stays visually legible from street level to crown.

This strategy does three important things:

• Gives the tower a clear, graphic silhouette against a crowded skyline
• Unifies podium + tower into one coherent massing gesture
• Creates a strong visual hierarchy, where the frame leads and the glass supports

Dark glass as the quiet surface behind the “structure”

Within the aluminium boundary, the tower is clad in dark-toned glazing, making the central volume read as sleek, continuous, and calm. The glass isn’t trying to be decorative, it functions as the “body” of the building, while the aluminium frame acts as the “signature.”

This contrast is the façade’s key visual performance:

• Aluminium = definition, rigidity, identity, outline
• Dark glass = depth, reflectivity, minimalism, continuity

The result is a tower that feels more like a single object than a stack of floors, the façade is intentionally restrained, emphasizing silhouette and proportion over pattern.

The frame as a façade “separator” between public and private

Vitra’s program shift is built directly into the envelope language. The building sits on a wedge-shaped podium that holds the commercial component, topped by an outdoor terrace and pool. From this base, the residential tower rises directly through the centre, and the aluminium frame becomes the element that clearly defines the transition between the public urban base and the exclusive residential levels above.

Instead of breaking the tower with setbacks or dramatic geometry, the façade does the work: it signals where the commercial city-facing functions end and where the private residential volume begins, all without losing visual continuity.

Residential façade logic: premium vertical rhythm

Above the podium, the tower contains 100 residential units, arranged as two apartments per floor. This layout supports a façade that is intentionally clean and uniform, prioritizing:

• Consistency of glazing lines and reflections
• A slender, vertical proportion rather than bulky massing
• A “quiet luxury” surface, where the envelope reads elegant instead of loud

At the top, the façade culminates in a rooftop sky lounge, giving the building a distinct crown-level destination while keeping the same disciplined exterior language.

A façade designed like a product

Vitra feels unmistakably Pininfarina in the way it treats architecture like an engineered object: one concept, executed with control. The aluminium frame acts as a continuous architectural stroke, giving the building instant recognisability in a skyline filled with glass towers. Meanwhile, the dark glass plane keeps the tower sleek, premium, and visually unified.

In a city where height is common, Vitra’s impact comes from the façade’s discipline, a continuous aluminium outline holding a dark glass volume, turning a mixed-use high-rise into a single, coherent architectural statement.

The photography is courtesy of Pinifarnia. 

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The installed equipment, referred to by Celetek as an “Alubender” solution, is used for panel machining and edge preparation, supporting façade companies that work with cladding materials where clean geometry and stable edge finishing are essential. In façade manufacturing, the quality of panel processing directly affects final installation: accurate edges, stable folds, and repeatable dimensions help reduce tolerance issues on site and improve overall façade alignment.

This type of solution is typically applied in the processing of façade panels such as aluminium composite panels (ACP/ACM) and other cladding boards that need controlled edge machining before bending or assembly. For high-volume façade work, using dedicated machining equipment is a key step toward achieving uniform quality across large series, especially when projects demand tight joint lines and consistent visual rhythm.

Celetek underlined that the customer decision was driven by a focus on quality and precision, positioning Muratori Machines as a professional solution for panel machining. The installation adds another reference point for Muratori equipment within the Spanish façade market and strengthens Celetek’s footprint as a supplier and technical partner for industrial façade production in the region.

With this early-2026 delivery, the message is clear: façade manufacturers are upgrading their production lines with machinery that delivers cleaner processing, repeatable accuracy, and stronger quality control.

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Building on the proven performance of the DGS570, the new DGS573 introduces three fully electronic axes, significantly expanding cutting capability while reducing setup time. This advancement allows fabricators to process complex aluminium sections with greater positional accuracy and repeatability, even on demanding architectural profiles.

At the heart of the machine are two 550 mm diameter saw blades, which travel vertically from beneath the working tables. Combined with automatic 3-axis head positioning, the system enables precise compound cuts in a single cycle, ideal for frames, mullions, transoms, ring beams, ridge beams, and rafters used in modern curtain wall and roofing applications.

The DGS573 also retains Kombimatec’s highly valued extended cut function, allowing profiles longer than the bed length to be processed without interruption. Meanwhile, the cleat cutting feature supports automated repeat cuts from a single bar length, helping fabricators reduce material waste and maximise throughput, an increasingly critical factor in high-volume aluminium production.

From a digital standpoint, the machine is equipped with an overhead colour touchscreen control panel, providing operators with full command over cutting lists, backups, and configurations. Ethernet and USB connectivity ensure fast transfer of optimised cutting data, allowing seamless integration into digitally driven fabrication environments.

Supporting the technology is Kombimatec’s well-established reputation for training, service, and aftercare, ensuring customers can fully exploit the machine’s capabilities from day one.

With the DGS573, Kombimatec delivers a future-ready cutting solution that aligns perfectly with the needs of today’s aluminium façade and envelope specialists, setting a new benchmark for compound double mitre saws in the industry.

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