Moving Beyond All-Glass
While floor-to-ceiling glass has long been a hallmark of modern towers, its performance and aesthetic value have increasingly come under scrutiny. Full-height glass curtain walls often compromise energy efficiency and increase structural loads, prompting designers to explore systems that mimic curtain wall performance while allowing for reduced glass heights and optimized daylighting. At the same time, natural materials are making a comeback, as seen in projects like Ruby Square, where brick façades not only provide visual character but also improve thermal performance by contributing meaningful R-value to the building envelope, says Perkins Eastman Principal Dario Brito. These strategies demonstrate how thoughtful material selection and façade design can enhance both sustainability and architectural expression in highrise construction.
Rethinking Balconies
Balconies present a significant design and performance challenge in highrise construction. Traditional projecting balconies can compromise the thermal envelope, creating costly thermal bridges that affect energy efficiency. Alternatives such as Juliet railings or bay windows provide residents with a connection to the outdoors while maintaining a cleaner, more elegant façade and improving building performance. These solutions offer a balance between resident experience and energy efficiency, demonstrating how thoughtful design can enhance both comfort and sustainability in modern multifamily and high-rise buildings.
The Power of Early Collaboration
One consistent theme across regions is the value of collaboration with manufacturers. Engaging façade manufacturers early in the design process through design-assist strategies helps reduce risk by locking in cost, schedule, and technical expertise. This approach ensures that innovative systems are both constructible and financially viable, keeping projects on track while maintaining design intent. Early collaboration with manufacturers has proven to be a critical tool for Perkins Eastman in delivering high-performance, efficient, and aesthetically successful façades.
A Shared Ethos
A focus on the big picture is essential in highperformance design. In some regions, sustainability is still treated as a luxury because codes do not mandate it, yet resilient and healthy design should be considered a fundamental responsibility.
Building form, window-to-wall ratios, and HVAC strategies that balance occupant well-being with efficient operation are critical elements that influence performance and long-term value.
Developers increasingly understand the costs and impacts of building systems, making it essential for architects to deliver solutions that balance aesthetics, constructability, and efficiency while ensuring buildings are durable, energy-conscious, and comfortable for occupants.
Toward a Healthier High-Rise Future
As the conversation around high-rise façades evolves, one thing is clear: performance is now a design driver, not an afterthought. Passive House, panelization, natural materials, and smarter balcony strategies all point toward a more holistic future.
The era of “all glass, at any cost” is ending. What comes next is a high-rise that breathes smarter, lasts longer, and delivers healthier homes for the people inside.
6 Perkins Eastman
