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What else does it say?
One of our practice traits is a history of timeless,
utilitarian buildings. Hopefully this building is part
of that family. You see it in the materials – concrete,
glass and steel. There aren’t any flashy colours or
elements and it’s a direct response to the functional
requirements of the school, yet maintaining a
timeless design language.
There are some very sleek, slick details including
your window frames and material finishes that really
enrich that design.
Our detailing really flows from that philosophy. We
go to enormous lengths to create details and those
might not be immediately apparent to the user, or
appear as a strong element in every photograph, but
there is a pleasure in resolving all of that complexity
in a very minimalist, elegant way.
Many organizations are risk-averse to every
imaginable issue - from maintenance, to running
costs and breakages that this sort of innovation
never sees the light of day. How do you convince the
doubting Thomases?
We address each of those issues and learn more
about the possibilities with glass on each project.
Having said that, issues with maintenance and
breakages for instance have never been a problem.
Some might say: ‘Too much light, heat or cold will
enter the building’. We tend to control that with
window furnishings as well as glass selection. That
management typically forms part of our contract and
the result adds a special layer of interest as well as
the design development of our facades.
What counter-argument do you advance to X