At the annual American Institute of Architects (AIA) Conference on Architecture, more than 800 building product manufacturers revealed the latest products. For two days from July 21-23 architects explored booths, galleries, and displays set-up across 200,000-square-feet at the Javits Center. The newest materials and technological advancements debuted, including a selection of handsome architectural products, as well as not-so-sexy (but useful) building solutions.
SF Special
Hirt by Goldbrecht Systems
Press a button for an entire glass wall to completely disappear, silently retracting into the ground. Unlike other operable walls that offer views that “bring the outside in,” this gigantic retractable “window” actually disappears from all sightlines–from views looking both in and out. This particular model is made-to-order at variable lengths, the largest to date being 66 feet long and weighing over 16,000 pounds.
Dialock DT 750
Häfele
Tap a key-card on this RFID-enabled fixture to easily lock and unlock the door, eliminating the swiping and magnetic complications of conventional swiping strip cards. It is also available with a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) interface that enables smartphone-activated access.
Attack Resistant Door Solutions
Assa Abloy and School Guard Glass
Hardware manufacturer Assa Abloy and safety glass manufacturer School Guard Glass partnered to design an attack-resistant door for schools. When paired together, the Ceco Door with SG5 attack-resistant glazing survive the most brutal blows and even gunshots (see the video above). Stronger and longer-lasting than a security film, the system is easy and affordable to retrofit to pre-existing openings for increased security.
Malaysian Timber
The Malaysian Timber Council
Eleena Jamil Architect designed a four-walled enclosure fashioned entirely of Meranti timber to showcase the wherewithal and beauty of sustainably sourced hardwood from Southeast Asia. The modular structure promotes the material sourced by The Malaysian Timber Council, which strives to develop the country’s timber industry by creating greater market access and trade opportunities.
400T Series Thermal Curtainwall
Tubelite
Looking to get LEED gold? This thermally broken curtainwall is designed to meet the strictest energy codes. The expanded thermal break and thicker gasketing system reduces solar heat gain and condensation.
Bowtie terracotta cladding
Palagio Engineering
Developed specially for the courtyard of a luxury high-rise in Manhattan, these ivory bowtie-shaped terracotta slabs reflect natural light to increase brightness to the center of the building. The glossy tiles are attached to an invisible anchoring system that creates a geometric, continuous cladding.
MULTIFIX
Rockwool
Improve a building’s energy performance and efficiency with Rockwool’s hybrid stone-wool roofing insulation and coverboard. The flat roof weather barrier requires just one layer, making the entire assembly of a project easier and faster. And like all of the company’s products, the insulation is made of non-combustible material with a melting point of up to 2150°F—hot damn!
AdvanTech Subfloor Adhesive
Huber
As an alternative to slower, more laborsome floor assembly, Huber’s polyurethane adhesive gel allows for quicker installation (a great solution for rising labor costs) on dry, wet, or frozen wood. It can also be used to fill in gaps in irregular surfaces.
Cabrio Balcony
Velux
This skylight cleverly expands living spaces by folding out into an extended awning makeshift balcony. The metamorphic opening activates the otherwise hard-to-use space beneath a steeply angled ceiling. The design is more or less straightforward and mechanical, opening and closing without much effort, just like any window.
