How much do you know about modern curtain wall design in the construction today？

As it is well acknowledged, curtain wall can be defined as a non- vertically loaded exterior wall supported by the primary structural frame of the building. Since the introduction of metal and glass curtain wall systems in the early 1900s, structural glass curtain walls have become very popular in the architectural design of modern building structures.

In the modern buildings, curtain walls are playing a significant role in architecture not only to protect mid-rise and some high-rise buildings against the harshest elements, but also to improve vertical stability, especially on structures in natural disaster zones. Also, a well-crafted curtain wall design is regarded a matter of beauty in building construction. From aluminum-framed patterned materials to beautifully curved glass, curtain wall facade system that envelop an entire building or only one side are non-load bearing and created to be as aesthetically pleasing as possible. In the modern curtain wall buildings, curtain wall designs do provide benefits to the building even though much of the consideration goes to its aesthetic nature. One of the main benefits that modern curtain wall can provide is to protect the underlying structure from atmospheric agents. Furthermore, a curtain wall will give the possibility to have a series of horizontal and vertical non-structural elements cladded with insulating walls or with transparent fixtures. All this allows the architect to no longer have structural constraints but only functional and aesthetical ones.

In the current market, glass curtain wall system and aluminum curtain wall system are very popular among people, which are widely used in commercial and residential building projects. Both of them are designed to resist wind and earthquake loads, to limit air leakage, to control vapour diffusion, to prevent rain penetration, to prevent surface and cavity condensation as well as to limit excessive heat loss. It is even further designed to resist noise and fire. In practical applications, there are various types of curtain wall systems available for choice. And stick built curtain wall is the oldest curtain wall type in use, which is a cladding and exterior wall system that is hung on the building structure from floor to floor. Stick built curtain wall system can be constructed very air tight and resistant to water penetration. When the aluminum frames are assembled, a corner block is installed at the junction of the vertical mullion and rail. This corner block separates the glazing cavity of the sealed units from the glazing cavity of the spandrel area.