Facade
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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| - | :''[[Charles Méryon]], [[Stryge]], [[chimera]], [[Notre Dame]]'' | ||
| - | '''Galerie des chimères''' (Eng: '''grand gallery''') is a gallery of [[chimerical]] creatures atop the [[Notre Dame de Paris]] cathedral. It connects the two towers on the west [[facade]] and was added to the cathedral when restoration program was initiated in [[1845]], overseen by architects [[Jean-Baptiste-Antoine Lassus]] and [[Eugène Viollet-le-Duc]]. The restoration lasted 25 years and included the construction of a [[flèche]] (a type of [[spire]]) as well as the addition of the [[gargoyle]]s on the ''[[Galerie des chimères]]''. | + | A '''facade''' or '''façade''' is generally one exterior side of a [[building]], usually, but not always, the front. The word comes from the [[French language]], literally meaning "[[frontage]]" or "[[face]]". |
| - | The creatures were designed by Viollet-le-Duc himself and produced by a team of 15 master sculptures around [[Adolphe-Victor Geoffroy-Dechaume|Geoffroy-Dechaume]]. The ''[[Stryge]]'', a noctural malevolent spirit resembling a [[vampire]], stemming already from [[Roman mythology]], is its best-known statue, already popularized by the French engraver [[Charles Meryon]] who published his famous print in [[1853]]. | + | In [[architecture]], the façade of a building is often the most important from a design standpoint, as it sets the tone for the rest of the building. Many façades are [[history|historic]], and local [[zoning]] regulations or other laws greatly restrict or even forbid their alteration. |
| - | Not much is known about the original gargoyles that graced the gallery between the two towers before the 1845 restaurations. One source are the descriptions of them in Victor Hugo's ''[[Hunchback of Notre Dame]]''. | + | ==Etymology== |
| - | ==Background== | + | The word comes from the French word ''façade'', which in turn comes from the Italian ''facciata'', from ''faccia'' meaning face, ultimately from post-classical Latin ''facia''. The earliest usage recorded by the [[Oxford English Dictionary]] is 1656. |
| - | Les [[Chimère (mythologie)|chimères]] par contre sont des statues fantastiques et diaboliques et souvent grotesques. Elles n'ont qu'un effet décoratif. On les retrouve au haut de l'édifice au sommet de la façade, au niveau de la balustrade couronnant la galerie supérieure qui relie les deux tours et qui se prolonge sur les quatre faces de celles-ci, la ''[[Galerie des chimères]]''. Tous les angles de cette balustrade servent de support ou de perchoir à des démons, des monstres et des oiseaux fantastiques. Ces éléments n'existaient pas au [[Moyen Âge]] et sont des ajouts incorporés par l'architecte [[Eugène Viollet-le-Duc]]. | + | |
| - | Ces statues monumentales, grotesques certes mais surtout effrayantes, étaient destinées à recréer l'atmosphère fantastique dans laquelle baignait le Moyen Âge. Ces œuvres furent conçues par [[Viollet-le-Duc]] lui-même qui les dessina, puis les statues furent réalisées par les membres d'une équipe de 15 sculpteurs remarquables du [[19th century]] rassemblés autour de [[Adolphe-Victor Geoffroy-Dechaume|Geoffroy-Dechaume]]. | + | ==Georgian façades added to earlier buildings== |
| + | It was quite common in the [[Georgian architecture|Georgian]] period for existing houses in English towns to be given a fashionable new façade. For example in the city of [[Bath, Somerset|Bath]] The Bunch of Grapes in Westgate Street appears to be a Georgian building but the appearance is only skin deep and some of the interior rooms still have [[Jacobean architecture|Jacobean]] plasterwork ceilings. | ||
| - | C'était là un pari bien audacieux de l'architecte. On ne peut nier que ce fut un grand succès. L'architecte-restaurateur ne se bornait plus à restituer les sculptures détruites, mais montrait par là qu'il était aussi un brillant créateur, doué d'un génie inventif personnel. Aux adversaires du travail de Viollet-le-Duc qui dénoncent une sorte de contre-façon, on répondra que de tous temps on a ajouté des décorations et ornements aux vieux édifices, et que les vitraux modernes qui ornent actuellement bien des sanctuaires gothiques, y compris Notre-Dame de Paris, sont la preuve que ce mouvement d'embellissement continue. Notre-Dame n'est pas un monument figé dans le passé, ni un musée, mais une cathédrale vivante. | + | ==Highrise façades== |
| + | In modern [[highrise]] buildings, the exterior walls are often suspended from the concrete floor slabs. Examples include [[curtain wall]]s and precast concrete walls. The façade can at times be required to have a [[fire-resistance rating]], for instance, if two buildings are very close together, to lower the likelihood of fire spreading from one building to another. | ||
| - | Confortablement installés au haut de la cathédrale ces créatures monstrueuses semblent contempler la grande ville et se régaler de toutes les turpitudes qu'elles y découvrent. Parmi elles, la plus célèbre est sans doute la [[Stryge]], esprit nocturne malfaisant semblable au [[vampire]], déjà redouté des Romains, qui fut popularisé par le graveur [[Charles Meryon]] qui en publia une célèbre gravure en [[1850]].{{GFDL}} | + | In general, the façade systems that are suspended or attached to the precast concrete slabs will be made from [[aluminium]] (powdercoated or anodized) or [[stainless steel]]. In recent years more lavish materials such as [[titanium]] have sometimes been used, but due to their cost and susceptibility to [[panel edge staining]] these have not been popular. |
| + | |||
| + | Whether rated or not, [[fire protection]] is always a design consideration. The melting point of aluminium, 660°C, is typically reached within minutes of the start of a fire. [[Firestop]]s for such [[Joint (building)|building joints]] can be qualified, too. Putting [[fire sprinkler system]]s on each floor has a profoundly positive effect on the fire safety of buildings with curtain walls. | ||
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| + | Some [[building code]]s also limit the percentage of window area in exterior walls. When the exterior wall is ''not'' rated, the perimeter slab edge becomes a junction where rated slabs are abutting an unrated wall. For rated walls, one may also choose rated windows and [[fire door]]s, to maintain that wall's rating. | ||
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| + | ==Film sets and theme parks== | ||
| + | On a [[set construction|film set]] and within most themed attractions, many of the buildings are ''only'' façades, which are far cheaper than actual buildings, and not subject to [[building code]]s (within film sets). In film sets, they are simply held up with supports from behind, and sometimes have boxes for actors to step in and out of from the front if necessary for a [[Scene (filming)|scene]]. Within theme parks, they are usually decoration for the interior ride/attraction/restaurant, which is based on a simple building design. | ||
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| + | ==Figurative meaning== | ||
| + | The word can be used as a [[figure of speech]] to describe the "face" that people show other people, as opposed to what they really think or do. | ||
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| + | ==See also== | ||
| + | * [[Curtain wall]] | ||
| + | * [[Double-skin facade]] | ||
| + | * [[Facadism]] | ||
| + | * [[Potemkin village]] | ||
| + | |||
| + | '''Non-architectural:''' | ||
| + | * [[Facade pattern|Facade (design pattern)]] | ||
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| + | {{GFDL}} | ||
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A facade or façade is generally one exterior side of a building, usually, but not always, the front. The word comes from the French language, literally meaning "frontage" or "face".
In architecture, the façade of a building is often the most important from a design standpoint, as it sets the tone for the rest of the building. Many façades are historic, and local zoning regulations or other laws greatly restrict or even forbid their alteration.
Contents |
Etymology
The word comes from the French word façade, which in turn comes from the Italian facciata, from faccia meaning face, ultimately from post-classical Latin facia. The earliest usage recorded by the Oxford English Dictionary is 1656.
Georgian façades added to earlier buildings
It was quite common in the Georgian period for existing houses in English towns to be given a fashionable new façade. For example in the city of Bath The Bunch of Grapes in Westgate Street appears to be a Georgian building but the appearance is only skin deep and some of the interior rooms still have Jacobean plasterwork ceilings.
Highrise façades
In modern highrise buildings, the exterior walls are often suspended from the concrete floor slabs. Examples include curtain walls and precast concrete walls. The façade can at times be required to have a fire-resistance rating, for instance, if two buildings are very close together, to lower the likelihood of fire spreading from one building to another.
In general, the façade systems that are suspended or attached to the precast concrete slabs will be made from aluminium (powdercoated or anodized) or stainless steel. In recent years more lavish materials such as titanium have sometimes been used, but due to their cost and susceptibility to panel edge staining these have not been popular.
Whether rated or not, fire protection is always a design consideration. The melting point of aluminium, 660°C, is typically reached within minutes of the start of a fire. Firestops for such building joints can be qualified, too. Putting fire sprinkler systems on each floor has a profoundly positive effect on the fire safety of buildings with curtain walls.
Some building codes also limit the percentage of window area in exterior walls. When the exterior wall is not rated, the perimeter slab edge becomes a junction where rated slabs are abutting an unrated wall. For rated walls, one may also choose rated windows and fire doors, to maintain that wall's rating.
Film sets and theme parks
On a film set and within most themed attractions, many of the buildings are only façades, which are far cheaper than actual buildings, and not subject to building codes (within film sets). In film sets, they are simply held up with supports from behind, and sometimes have boxes for actors to step in and out of from the front if necessary for a scene. Within theme parks, they are usually decoration for the interior ride/attraction/restaurant, which is based on a simple building design.
Figurative meaning
The word can be used as a figure of speech to describe the "face" that people show other people, as opposed to what they really think or do.
See also
Non-architectural:
