Reza Kabul reflected on how façade design thinking has evolved over four decades, from the façade as an independent layer to a performance-driven system integrated with structure, climate and technology.
The façade is not an independent layer; it is the result of a larger architectural idea. Over four decades the way designers think about that outer skin has shifted from purely compositional concerns toward performance, climate response and systems integration.
From iconic skins to integrated systems
Early reference points such as the granite façade of the AT&T Building in New York (1984) and the inside-out expression of Lloyd’s of London (1986) treated the façade as a powerful formal statement. Later projects including the parametric diagrid of the Gherkin in London (2003) and the terraced green façades of Parkroyal Collection Pickering in Singapore (2013) showed how structure, environment and envelope could be conceived together.
Passive strategies and climate responsiveness
Design-led, nature-driven approaches prioritise climate responsiveness: selecting façade systems that control heat, light and air while reducing reliance on mechanical systems. Living walls, green façades and carefully oriented shading devices form part of this vocabulary.
The next decade
The trajectory points toward façades that function as complete systems rather than decorative skins. Thermal, acoustic, solar and embodied-carbon performance become non-negotiable. AI-controlled louvres and living systems are already appearing in briefings for new work.
Current ARK projects
Recent and ongoing work by the practice includes the Fintech Hub, Nakshtra Regalia II, Narmada and Hyatt Regency in GIFT City, a Pullman Hotel in Amritsar, and the Sadhu Vaswani Mission in Pune. These projects continue the exploration of material detail, structural expression and climate-appropriate envelopes within the Indian high-rise context.
Kabul closed by underscoring that performance is now paramount and that the next decade will reward practices able to treat the façade as both architectural expression and engineered system.