Terra Cotta

For the Architectural Ceramic Assemblies Workshop (ACAW) we collaborated with Heintges and TriPyramid to reimagine traditional with a protype for high-performing building envelopes. V-Soleil is made of a single interlocking v-shaped glazed terra cotta module that is arranged to create a diamond-shaped screen, which is supported on a double-layer tension-net structure. The module’s form is both visually dynamic and optimized for its shading capability.

Our work on V-Soleil was inspired by our current collaboration with Heintges on the new Education and Welcome Center at The Green-Wood Cemetery, a new terra cotta-clad building surrounding a historic Victorian greenhouse in Brooklyn, NY. In this project, custom glazed terra cotta baguettes will help the building achieve LEED Gold certification by screening windows to reduce solar heat gain, while referencing the historic fabric of the cemetery.