Pushing the Boundaries

More architects are turning to composites to create dazzling designs.

Highly complex facades featuring dramatic curves are becoming a signature of today’s architects. New technology and materials are helping designers create these increasingly intricate facades that push the boundaries of engineering. “Younger architects, developers and contractors are hungry for standout unique projects,” says Andy Bridge, vice president of industrial markets and director of research and development for Janicki Industries in Sedro-Woolley, Wash. Composites are poised to help architects in this mission. And as architects push the limits, they are more open to considering the possibilities available from previously unexplored materials. To date, the biggest obstacle facing the use of composites in architectural applications has been a lack of familiarity with the product. But with new composite-based projects going up around the world, and new guidelines now available governing FRP’s use in architecture, experts predict that composites are likely to become a greater part of the design conversation. Capitalizing on Today’s Trends In many ways, composites fit perfectly into many of today’s top architectural trends. “They can produce highly curved shapes for truly innovative designs,” says Robert Steffen, Ph.D., PE, associate professor in the Department of Construction Management for Western Carolina University in Cullowhee, N.C. In addition, Steffen adds, “The texture, color and appearance of composites can be customized far beyond what can be done with metals.” Composites also dovetail neatly with today’s interest in sustainability. The U.S. Green Building Council predicts that up to 48 percent of new nonresidential construction in 2016 will be green, and that number is expected to grow significantly in coming years. Architects are seeking materials that are environmentally friendly to manufacture and highly durable once installed. Composites fit that bill. Bill Kreysler, president of Kreysler & Associates in American Canyon, Calif., and chairman of ACMA’s Architectural Division, points out that composite systems are environmentally efficient to manufacture since less material is needed to perform the same function as traditional building materials. This gives manufacturers a comparatively lower environmental footprint. Moreover, Kreysler adds, “Those of us in the composites business know our material is extremely durable. It’s been proven over decades.” Stephen Van Dyck, a partner with LMN Architects in Seattle, adds that architects may also be more willing to work with composites due to today’s wider use of 3-D modeling technologies. “[Architects] are now using tools like Rhino, which is the same essential platform that boat builders have been using for years to communicate ideas to their manufacturing floor,” Van Dyck explains. He notes that many of these new software platforms also are able to easily convert design data into fabrication information. “The processes are converging,” he says. Looking beyond today’s design trends, David Riebe, vice president of Windsor Fiberglass Inc. in Burgaw, N.C., sees the shift to composites as a necessity. Riebe cites United Nations’ statistics that suggest a 66 percent increase in population by 2050 will lead to significant demand for new housing stock – enough for 44 new buildings every day for the next 40 years. “With this demand and the emerging technologies and transportation networks that are in place, it isn’t long before we begin to see radical changes in the way buildings and infrastructure are built,” he says. “I really think that given material choices to meet this crazy demand, composites are becoming a necessity.” While these advantages may seem obvious to composite fabricators, the architectural industry is only just discovering the ways that composites can help them reimagine building facades. The Future of Buildings For architects interested in experimentation, composites seem to present near limitless potential. “To me, composites are the future of buildings,” says Van Dyck. “They’ve proven to be very effective in conflating multiple needs of structure and skin and envelope, and that idea of solving lots of problems with a single system is compelling and potentially disruptive to our industry.” Julia Koerner, a lecturer at UCLA’s SUPRASTUDIO, an experimentation-driven research platform for architecture students, agrees. “To have a lightweight, but at the same time strong material with the opportunity to create complex freeform geometries is a fantastic fabrication technique for architecture students and works well in combination with cutting-edge digital design modeling processes,” she says. A combination of light weight, strength, aesthetics and structural needs drove Japanese architect Kengo Kuma’s recently unveiled use of composites for seismic reinforcement. In renovating the former head office of fabric manufacturer Komatsu Seiren, the design team sought to reflect the “fabric laboratory” the building was set to house. The concrete block building, known today as “fa-bo,” is surrounded by hundreds of thin strands of reinforced fiber that run from rooftop to ground. These thermoplastic carbon fiber strands – known as the CABKOMA^™ Strand Rod – are designed as an exterior reinforcement that essentially anchor the building in place in the event of an earthquake. The exterior reinforcement, working in conjunction with interior bracing walls, reportedly exceeds structural seismic requirements. What makes the application all the more striking is the seemingly delicate appearance of the rods. Komatsu Seiren explains on its website that the CABKOMA Strand Rod features an inner layer of carbon fiber, an outer layer of synthetic fiber and inorganic fiber, all filled with thermoplastic resin. The result is what the manufacturer calls the lightest seismic reinforcement in the world. A 525-foot-long roll of the fiber weighs about 26 pounds. As the manufacturer points out, metal wire with the same degree of strength is about five times heavier. It’s an impressive application that demonstrates the possibilities of composites in architecture. But the application stands out, in part, because few other architects are exploring composites’ potential as a structural member. Overcoming Hurdles to Adoption Industry experts point to factors that may limit the use of composites in structural applications. “Years ago we used to think it was going to take over steel and concrete as a structural element,” Steffen says. “But when you’re an FRP engineer, you realize quickly where it should be used and when it should not be used.” Steffen recalls working for a bridge builder in Australia. The company aimed to create structures entirely out of composites, but quickly realized the costs were too high. Instead, the company found that composites worked well in certain minimal areas – the cables for suspension bridges, for example – but not for the superstructure itself. “There are plenty of areas where composites should not be used because they cost more than your typical concrete or steel,” Steffen says. But, he adds, “When you consider its light weight, there are applications where the size of construction equipment can be decreased and you can save your money there.” For example, in raising composite facades, contractors can use a small scissor lift rather than a more expensive crane needed to lift concrete components. “That’s a great plus for architectural facades. And there’s nothing wrong with a well-designed precast concrete beam. So why compete with that – unless the cost comes down and the durability can be warranted,” Steffen says. Riebe agrees that in some cases it is difficult to justify the expense of composites for a structural application – but that’s only in traditional structural applications. “Currently, it is difficult to imagine FRP being used as columns and beams, or as a material replacement for traditional construction assemblies,” he says. “But if you look at monocoque structures, which rely primarily on structural surfaces and not individual members, composites begin to become a preferred material. This is why the aerospace and marine industries have so strongly embraced composite structural skin systems.” Bridge advises composites fabricators to shift the conversation with architects and owners from upfront costs to big-picture savings. “We need to better explain the total installed cost of composite solutions and steer the focus away from just the uninstalled initial cost,” he says. As Bridge explains, those cost reductions include lower costs for support structure, reductions in crane capacity and location, erection savings and anti-corrosion benefits, just to name a few. [caption id="attachment_3488" align="aligncenter" width="750"] The BBVA headquarters in Madrid features GFRP fins as a lightweight shading device and eye-catching architectural feature. Photo credit: @BBVA / Carlos Benítez-Donoso[/caption] Kreysler adds that it may be some time yet before true structural applications of composites are allowed by building codes due to the material’s reputation for poor fire resistance. With fire-resistant additives, these products can pass smoke and fire tests for certain applications, but this capability is still being proven. Kreysler & Associates’ recently completed facade for the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art is among the first projects to pass requirements for smoke and fire resistance for buildings over 40 feet tall. Even so, consistent fire-resistance is a challenge that fabricators are still addressing. But it was FRP's ability to meet certain fire regulations in future installations that helped prompt its use as the foundation of a complex green wall system in the Public Service Answer Center in the Bronx, N.Y. Fabricated by Windsor Fiberglass, the wall is a series of molded fiberglass “cassettes” – essentially stacked boxes that resemble a waffle. The cassettes are integrated with an LED lighting system and slots for irrigation, providing everything plants need to grow. Other drivers for the use of GFRP included the ability to control surface finish and the possibility of inexpensively re-tooling visible components, giving future installations a unique appearance. For Kreysler and ACMA, expanding recognition of composites’ fire-resistant and structural capabilities is a challenge in need of a solution. “We’re working on it, and I think that’s going to be the next focus of the ACMA Architectural Division – to address the codes and at least attempt to get FRP recognized as a [structural] material.” Scaling Up Applications As a result of these challenges, many designers are working on experimental ideas and exploring small-scale applications. Ryan Salvas, senior associate and design director for fabrication shop CW Keller in Plaistow, N.H., notes that in the past year his company has had inquiries for several architectural projects looking to use composites. These range from facade panels that serve as sunscreens for a high-rise project to a series of fiberglass “study pods” to provide quiet working environments. “It seems like the market is ready for composites to come around in scale,” Salvas says. In a 2015 paper prepared for the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat, Jesus Cerezo Miguel and Miguel Angel Nunez Diaz of Madrid-based facade consultant ENAR aimed to convince designers of the benefits of FRP over conventional materials in certain applications on high-rise buildings. “High-rise buildings can extract the most advantages of the FRP composites,” the paper concludes. “Unlike other building typology, tall buildings must be pioneers with the use of FRP composites to make the case that they can be light, thin and consequently of appropriate use.” [caption id="attachment_3490" align="alignleft" width="225"] Fresh Air Building Systems turned to GFRP for its green wall system inside the Public Service Answer Center in the Bronx, N.Y. Each of the fiberglass "cassettes" -- or small boxes -- will contain English ivy, golden pathos, Boston fern and other plants.Photo Credit: Windsor Fiberglass Inc.[/caption] The paper, “Fiber Reinforced Polymer: A New Material Used in Facades of Tall Buildings,” focuses on the recently completed 19-story headquarters of Spanish banking conglomerate BBVA. The building dramatically incorporates self-supporting GFRP fins as a shading device. Each fin is manufactured in two pieces measuring more than 8 feet wide and reaching as tall as 32 feet. These massive fins feature a sandwich structure, which the engineers found could increase their load resistance for less cost than traditional materials. The sandwich consists of an inner structural core of polyethylene terephthalate that provides the panel’s stiffness and two outer layers of polyester resin reinforced with fiberglass. The resin includes alumina loads that allow the fins to meet European fire-resistance standards. Of course, many U.S. architects point out that European designers have been quicker to adopt composites in architecture due to differences in building codes. Expanding Guidelines In the U.S., a significant challenge to getting composites specified has been the lack of code recognition for composites. Today, due to the efforts of ACMA’s Architectural Division, the International Building Code (IBC) recognizes FRP for architectural, but not structural, applications. “You can’t use FRP as a load-bearing element in a building without going through a special exception clause in the building codes,” Kreysler says. The limited allowance by the IBC is cited as one of the most significant barriers to wider use of composites in architecture. “If it’s not in the building codes, it’s considered experimental,” Kreysler says. “You can come up with something new and different and propose it for a project, but you’re required to jump through a bunch of hoops to do it. And if you ever want to do it again on another project, you’ve got to go through the process again.” Moreover, the recognition FRP now has in the IBC codes doesn’t provide real guidance for architects interested in using this material. “The reality is that the little bit of code that relates to composites is very hard to interpret. [It’s difficult] to make any clear deductions about how you might go about applying this technology,” Van Dyck says. To provide that translation, ACMA’s Architectural Division has released a new document featuring a comprehensive set of guidelines and recommendations for using FRP in architectural products and designs. “Guidelines and Recommended Practices for Fiber-Reinforced-Polymer (FRP) Architectural Products” is available free for a limited time at svy.mk/1SSF7nX and will be distributed at ACMA’s Composites Pavilion at the AIA Convention May 19-21 in Philadelphia. “In the past we’ve been able to show some photos and cursory documents, but nothing that has all the information [architects] need,” Steffen says. “Now if a project comes along they can go to the document and know if seismic is handled, how bending loads and attachments are taken care of, etc.” Gaining Acceptance from Architects Seeing more composites in architectural applications will take more than code changes; it will require education. For example, although composite fabricators take for granted their product’s durability and strength, these are among the first questions asked by many architects. “They have a misconception that it’s only for light loads or there are no long-term durability studies,” Steffen says. That’s largely due to a lack of familiarity with the product. “In the educational requirements for accredited schools of architecture, there are entire curriculum blocks dedicated to covering building construction materials and systems,” Riebe says. “However, as a relatively new building material, FRP is not included in most of these curricula. All the time is spent on steel, timber, concrete and glass. There needs to be a concerted effort by the composites industry to help introduce composites into these types of courses and to equip the educators with the most current and relative data.” To this end, Riebe explains that ACMA’s Architectural Division held the first “Composites Challenge.” It invited five architecture schools to participate in a semester-long composites design exploration. “We held workshops for 75 students earlier this spring and are looking forward to incredible results. These are the types of activities that are crucial to introducing the future leaders of the architectural industry to the possibilities of composites,” Riebe says. The strongest and most imaginative entries in the challenge will be on display at CompositeBuild.com’s booth in the Composites Pavilion at the AIA Convention. Koerner adds that the costs of materials and fabrication equipment may hold some schools back from adding composites to their curriculum. UCLA’s Architecture and Urban Design Department works with donated materials from local composites suppliers. Matthew J. Glawatz, associate principal of The Clark Enersen Partners, an architecture firm in Lincoln, Neb., adds that education for practicing architects also is crucial. “Due to our lack of understanding of these products, I would encourage manufacturers to expand their efforts to engage the architectural community,” he says. “We do like to be on the cutting-edge of building technology, but at times it eludes us if we are not presented with the possibilities that exist.” Education could range from a simple 30-minute presentation on the benefits of a specific product to a customized continuing education session, says Glawatz. Having someone on staff who speaks the architects’ language also could prove helpful for composites manufacturers. Riebe finds that his background as a licensed architect allows him to serve as a guide to architects making decisions on materials during the design process. “One strategy would be to hire a recent grad of an architectural program, as they most likely will know the latest modeling and manufacturing tendencies in the industry,” he suggests. Riebe’s architectural background also has helped him understand the importance of getting involved early in the process in a design-assist role. “We essentially become consultants and part of the team in the hope of securing the actual fabrication down the road,” he explains. But Van Dyck points to one more obstacle that still needs to be overcome: convincing owners that composites belong in architecture. “That right now is our hurdle. We’ve proven concepts, we’ve proven the value proposition, and we’ve proven the cost is not insurmountable, but we’re working on getting these clients excited about making the leap to be the first to do something like that,” he says. “It’s a two-sided effort: designers need to overcome this fear factor, but owners do, too.”