The Role Cladding Plays in Biophilic Design

Biophilic design is a concept in modern architecture that seeks to recreate a ‘natural habitat’ within a built environment. While not a new idea, this growing trend has seen a shift in the urban landscape, from steel and cement, to green and sustainable. To create this biophilic presence, architectural planning incorporates the core principles of the natural world through space, materials and design.

At Fairview, we specialise in delivering a biophilic façade solution through a range of quality natural cladding products. We boast a range of innovative, stylish and compliant materials to inspire and facilitate architects and designers to create a more natural environment for work and play.

Biophilic Façade Design | Incorporate Nature into Buildings

“If design doesn’t focus on aspects of the natural world that contribute to human health and productivity in the age-old struggle to be fit and survive, it’s not biophilic”

Stephen R. Kellert, Metrolpolis magazine

Biophilic design is more than just adding a couple of plants to the office lobby, it’s creating an entire ecosystem, where greenery becomes part of the fabric of a building and the functionality of the building considers nature as the solution. Allowing access to nature breathes life into a home or office. A biophilic façade supports a connection to nature. To be biophilic is to minimise artificial light and to create an open, bright space.

In modern society, 90% of our daily lives are spent within a manufactured environment, at work and at home. Yet, research has shown that as humans we have an instinctive desire to affiliate with the natural world, being primarily exposed to nature during our evolutionary process. We naturally seek daylight, open space, natural air, and an altogether greener ecosystem, and for good reason. It is widely accepted that being ‘with nature’ promotes better mental health and overall wellbeing.

Natural Shapes, Textures and Colours

Biophilic building design infuses natural elements of shape, texture and colour with sustainable materials used, to create a beautiful space that encapsulates the natural world we live in. At Fairview, we use various quality natural cladding products to achieve biophilic designs.

Genesis

Genesis is an environmentally friendly, cost-effective, and low-maintenance cladding solution that can be incorporated into any biophilic design project. With 18 of the most popular colour options in various shades and textures, this prefinished fibre cement façade system provides limitless possibilities for the creative designer.

This product is installed on a ventilated façade system, also known as a double-skin façade or rainscreen. This feature is to help protect buildings against wind, rain and temperature variations while keeping the building dry and energy efficient. Essentially, it keeps the building cool in the summer and warm during winter, a significant feature considering heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems typically account for around 40% of total building energy consumption. This feature means the building does not suffer from mold, fungi and rot, making it durable and nearly maintenance-free, helping prolong the structural integrity and ultimately the building’s lifespan.

Ventilated façade systems are designed to have acoustic benefits and provide an increase in the reflection of external noise, a primary source being road traffic noise. Some projects achieve an average reduction of up to 8dB.

New Canterbury Rd, Lewisham NSW, Australia built with Genesis Cladding

Stryüm

Stryüm is a stylish, non-combustible, solid aluminum cladding system that uses a new powder-on-powder finishing technology only recently introduced into Australia from Europe. This technology allows for textured woodgrains with custom solutions available for landmark or special projects, a perfect option for integrating natural aesthetics into building design. Stryüm suits any appearance or application requirement, while retaining the unparalleled environmental resistance of anodised products.

All standard and custom colours are available in a variety of gloss levels, metallic shades and textures for all design specifications. This option is easy to install and recyclable, a smart choice for all architects and designers.

Whitelaw Residence, NSW, built with Stryum woodgrain panels

Smartbric

Smartbric is a ventilated rainscreen brick façade system, sourced from a range of classic brick colours and locally sourced clay. Smartbric brick facings are lighter and quicker to install with all the energy and noise efficiency benefits that a ventilated system provides, whilst their appearance still results in a natural, traditional look and authentic feel.

There are two options, Smartbric Classic and Smartbric Rapid. Smartbric Classic offers a mortared brick-look, ideal for traditional façade designs. The product incorporates slots and grooves, allowing them to be tilted and lifted into the galvanised metal track or aluminium rail, and locked in place before mortar is applied. Smartbric Rapid has an interlocking tile profile and a ‘shadow’ groove to create a shadow line mortar effect. Smartbric Rapid is a unique extruded clay tile designed for speed and efficiency, allowing fast, mortarless installation. These cleverly designed tile facings deliver a stunning brick-look façade and can be removed and replaced as needed without unnecessary damage to the rest of the façade.

The Smartbric system is ideal for restoration projects, heritage style designs and upscale commercial buildings, or in an imported contemporary range of colours heralding more modern brick designs.

The Paper Mill, Liverpool using mixed materials, Vitracore G2 and Brick  

Terracotta Cladding as a Biophilic Design Option

Terracotta cladding is a popular biophilic design option when seeking the more natural look in an existing building. Made from fired clay; it comes in various shapes and textures that can be used in constructing any project, from schools and hospitals to art museums and multi-use developments. Consumer demand for biophilic design has made terracotta an aesthetically pleasing option, with traditional façade choices such as aluminum replaced by more natural, earthy construction materials.

Clayton

Clayton is Fairview’s innovative terracotta façade solution installed on a ventilated rainscreen system. Its durable nature means the ceramic façade panels are impervious to weather, impact-proof and shatterproof and require virtually no maintenance. Terracotta is also fireproof; requiring no sealants or grouts, which means the joints do not need maintenance either. Formed from the earth and famously able to withstand the test of time, terracotta is the epitome of sustainability.

Clayton is produced in a limitless array of colours, shapes and formats. Fairview’s terracotta cladding ticks all the boxes for large scale, sustainable and contemporary biophilic design solutions.

Cladding Materials that work with Biophilic Building Designs

Fortunately, there are many natural cladding materials that can be incorporated into a biophilic building design. Fairview work to help our customers make the right choice for their specific project.

With the construction industry moving towards natural designs and sustainable products, Fairview’s range of cladding solutions help you achieve world-class biophilic ‘Architecture’:

• Through-coloured prefinished cement cladding options like Fairview’s Genesis product range provide natural materials which make it a winner in today’s marketplace. The energy-efficient fibre cement panels are manufactured from natural products.
• Terracotta is another popular option due to being 100% natural. Providing an ‘earth-baked’ look, it’s a true reflection of Australia’s natural environment. The Clayton range is leading the way to a sustainable future in our nations’ built environment.
• Fairview’s Styrum range provides a collection of woodgrain and anodized finishes, perfect for use in A, B and C developments, and offers the ideal premium cladding solution for construction and architectural design professionals. With unmatched durability and longevity, this biophilic design option is up there with the best in quality cladding options.
• Smartbric provides a traditional and nostalgic offering. Produced with locally sourced, raw materials this product is brick-perfect in shape and consistency, with oxide pigments perfect for modern designs.
  
  

Summary

The biophilic façade is not a passing trend, it’s the future of the cladding industry in a world shifting towards a more sustainable future. At Fairview, we understand the value of biophilic design, and our innovative approach brings the highest quality products to all our customers. From a breathtaking, bespoke commercial or residential façade to striking civic spaces including major projects, we bring the same level of commitment, research, testing and support to all builds.

To find out more about how to incorporate biophilic design into your project, contact the team at Fairview for ideas, inspiration and trusted façade advice tailored specifically to your requirements.