a+t architecture publishers

The projects included in HoCo, the new book on housing edited by a+t within the Density series, will be out next June 25 and it focuses on the construction solutions adopted. Some of the façade solutions standing out are:

· Specific processes like aliphatic polyurethane coatings or concrete colouring in order to obtain glazes and non homogeneous colours.

· Superficial coatings with metallic colours, such golden paint or bright silver iridescent renderings.

· Products derived from cement, such us coloured fibre cement boards and composite resin panels are a major façade cladding system. Besides, they are used for roof cladding, instead of ceramic and slate tiles. Their formalization ranges from undulated to flat boards, and they have become a medium-tech alternative to the traditional brick revetment.

· Steel or aluminium plates range from stretched to corrugated, flat or bent. They are commonly used due their low price, easy installation and durability.

· Prefabricated elements include some concrete slabs of the exterior entrance galleries and steel bathroom pods, which are built off site and mounted on site. Industrialised fabrication systems also include curved concrete panels, coloured with marble powder and reinforced with glass fibre. They are made-up out of a limited number of moulds.

· Structural insulated panels are often used as an alternative to brick or concrete block walls. They consist of a core of molded expanded polystyrene (EPS) insulation with engineered oriented strand board (OSB) laminated to the top and bottom faces.

· The traditional mortar rendering of walls has evolved to one-coat plasters or mortars applied over external wall insulation systems.