On August 24, The Architect’s Newspaper’s Facades+ conference series returns to Fort Lauderdale. The conference will be co-chaired by Jeffery Huber, principal at Brooks + Scarpa and head of the firm’s South Florida studio. Hosted at Le Meridien Dania Beach, the conference will include a Methods & Materials Gallery, exhibiting the latest products from facade manufacturers, as well as a symposium room, which will hold eight expert-led presentations throughout the day. Click here to view additional information and register.

Mass Timber Facades: Bonnet Springs Park Event Center

The day begins with a presentation from Michael Frechette, associate at Sasaki, who will present a case study detailing the design of the new events center at Bonnet Springs Park. Located within the 168-acre park master planned by Sasaki for the city of Lakeland, Florida, the event center features a wrap-around glass facade that is protected from the sun by timber louvers. Frechette will discuss the project’s shading strategy and thermal performance in addition to the specification of timber and glass.

Sunshine Legacies: Vernacular Design in South Florida

Next, a roundtable discussion on South Florida’s vernacular architecture will be led by Allan Shulman, founder of Shulman + Associates and professor at the University of Miami School of Architecture, and Margi G. Nothard, founder and director of design at Glavovic Studio. Panelists will suggest new facade strategies for projects that maintain heritage while addressing climate resiliency, updated building codes, and energy efficiency. Contemporary applications of breezeblock, the popular midcentury material, will be considered as a means of natural ventilation and shade.

Resiliency, Quality, and Performance: Facades for Truly Affordable Housing

Nothard will return to the stage for a spotlight presentation on Glavovic Studio’s recent affordable housing projects in South Florida and Los Angeles. Nothard will share her approach which balances concerns for the housing crisis and climate change with the continuing reality of budgetary constraints. Glavovic Studio’s work will offer attendees, whether they work at small or large firms, high-performance solutions to energy efficiency without the prices many associate with the advanced technology used on large commercial and institutional projects.

Educational Experimental: High Performance Facades for Research Institutions

This panel combines case studies from Bohlin Cywinski Jackson (BCJ) and Brooks + Scarpa, covering their recent work for the University of Florida (UF). Daniel Lee and George Murphy, principal and associate at BCJ, respectively, will present Malachowsky Hall, a new facility for UF’s data science and information technology programs. The building, designed to be high performing, is enclosed by prefabricated aluminum panels and glazed with electrochromic smart glass.

Jeet Singh, senior project manager at Brooks + Scarpa, and Gary Krueger, vice president of TLC Engineering Solutions, will then take the stage to discuss the Bruno E. and Maritza F. Ramos Collaboratory Building for UF’s School of Design, Construction, and Planning (DCP). The building, currently under construction, will be formed by two opposing, semi-circular wings clad in floor-to-ceiling windows and brickwork cantilevered above the ground level. The new addition will include rooftop photovoltaic panels and skylights, improving the building’s performance and allowing natural light in.

Reflections on Resiliency: Future-Ready Envelope Design

Presented by South Florida industry leaders Jackie Touzet, founding principal of Touzet Studio, and Pat Bosch, founding partner of Perkins&Will’s Miami studio, this panel will explore the future of the building envelope. The panel will begin with the basic imperatives of the building envelope, branching off into a conversation about how South Florida architects, engineers, and contractors can collaborate to build higher-performing structures and improve the quality of the regional built environment.

Transparent Facades: ARTE Surfside

Miami’s luxury real estate development ARTE Surfside combines Italian travertine with large spans of transparent glazing, prioritizing the balcony as the facade’s primary expression. Silverio Patrizi, associate principal at Thornton Tomasetti and Giovanni Monti, president of glazing contractor and consultant GM&P, will detail testing requirements for the facade and how the team pursued concealing the building’s structural support.