Aluminium Architecture: Construction and Details

Aluminium is an extremely versatile material, its light weight and its resistance to corrosion make it a particularly suitable material for some specific building requirements. Even in the post-war years, aluminium was already playing an innovative role as can be seen in the work of the French engineer, Jean Prouve. For today’s sophisticated architecture, aluminium is highly rated with its clear aesthetical qualities and great strength.This book provides a systematic overview of the applications of aluminium as a building material, giving information on the properties of the metal and highlighting the latest technical advances. A selection of some 25 international projects document the application of aluminium in load-bearing structures, facades, roofs and windows. Amongst the projects included are Toyo Ito’s Aluminium House in Tokyo, Renzo Piano’s Mercedes Benz Design Centre in Stuttgart, SOM’s Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center, and Norman Fosters Greenwich Transport Interchange.