A few things we’re great at
Facades are a statement – not just a skin
The façade is the most complex, critical and communicative element of architecture. It is simultaneously a climate envelope, a power station, a communication surface and a statement. Anyone working on façades today must be capable of more than just creating beautiful designs: technology, sustainability, digitalisation and social responsibility are essential. A good façade is not a product of chance, but the result of knowledge, courage and a clear stance. Those who build them take on responsibility – for the building, for its users and for society. And that is precisely what makes architecture more exciting today than ever before.
What makes a good façade?
Good façade it is the interplay between the architectural skin and the underlying philosophy that determines whether a building is more than just an Instagram backdrop. Anyone designing façades today must not only create but also think – in terms of material cycles, data streams, energy flows and social messages. The façade has long been the most complex component of architecture.
Architecture’s face
The facade remains the face of architecture. It mediates between inside and outside, between private and public, between architectural art and developer logic. In current architectural production, it is often the only element from which a stance can be discerned – because floor plans and construction are often dictated by investors, standards, and software. The facade thus remains the last place where architects can still express their position.
Render vs Reality
Anyone searching for „facades” on Instagram today will find a flood of renderings that have little to do with real buildings. The facade becomes a surface, a filter, a brand. But anyone who thinks that’s enough has underestimated the complexity of the topic: Because a good facade begins where the pose ends and the performance begins.
What architects need to know today
Designing a good façade is now a full-time job – and requires more than just a flair for design. Building physics, materials science, digitalisation, production processes, installation procedures, maintenance concepts, certifications – the list of requirements is endless.
Anyone who wants to succeed here must know standards, guidelines, funding schemes and innovations inside out. At the same time, the market is demanding ever more bespoke solutions that can no longer be ordered from a catalogue. Tailor-made façades are in demand – and the potential for errors is increasing.
Technical expertise is one thing. The willingness to take responsibility is another. The façade is the most visible element of a building – and therefore also the one most heavily criticised. Errors in planning or execution become public knowledge immediately. Whether it’s external thermal insulation composite systems that flake off after a few years, photovoltaic modules that lie in the shade, or high-tech glass that dazzles more than it protects – the list of façade mishaps is long. To succeed in this field, you need experience, the courage to innovate and a willingness to learn from mistakes.
How we could support you with your projects?
Architects must learn to understand technology, design, and operation as a unified whole. They must be as familiar with data analysis, simulation, and certification as they are with materials science and installation. They must communicate with engineers, manufacturers, users, and authorities—without losing their objectivity. The facade is the hinge where these requirements converge.
This presents an opportunity to get to know one another, as we can demonstrate that architecture is more than just aesthetics. That sustainability, technology and approach are not at odds with one another, but rather reinforce each other. A façade as a stage for creative art? Why not? Now is precisely the right moment to get to know one another and build the future together.
Services
Facade’s concepts for architectual competitions
We start by understanding your project’s goals, architectural vision, budget, and site-specific challenges. We explore various façade systems, materials, and design configurations to identify solutions that balance aesthetics, performance, and cost-effectiveness from the outset.
Early Design & Concept stage includes:
– Concept details
– Preliminary detailing for early design stages
– Shop drawing template development
Tender documentation based on architectural design
We could prepare comprehensive design documentation, including specifications, performance briefs, and technical drawings, assisting you during the procurement and tendering process to achieve competitive, high-quality façade solutions.
We develop precise façade details for critical elements such as joints, interfaces, penetrations, movement allowances, and drainage paths. These details ensure that your façade not only looks great but functions reliably over the life of the building.
Once we have developed the design and written performance specifications, we can assist clients in tendering and procuring best value from prospective facade contractors
Architect support with complex facade details
For developers, architects, and general contractors we offer architectural technical detailing services, which include comprehensive details, sections, and joinery drawings for difficult building assemblies, transitions, and facade interfaces.
We help in translating the design intentions into detailed drawings that will facilitate quality and durable construction in compliance with the requirements of the project.
Facade access and maintenance strategy
Access and maintenance are essential considerations in the lifecycle of any building façade.
We provide façade access and maintenance strategies designed to ensure that building facade can be safely and efficiently serviced, inspected, and maintained.
We work closely with architects, developers, facility managers and maintenance systems manufacturers (BMU, monorails, david arms, rope access) to integrate appropriate and efficient access solutions into the building design.
Our expertise also includes the design of Building Maintenance Units (BMUs) for high-rise buildings.
Facade Assessment, technical advice and Due Diligence
With expertise built over many years and experience across multiple construction disciplines, we diagnose defects in existing façades for residential, commercial, and public buildings.
Our main objective is to identify shortcomings in façades and recommend the most cost-effective solutions to restore the building to the performance standards expected at the time of its construction.
Furthermore, we can prepare due diligence reports on façades and carry out façade inspections to assist building owners, purchasers and investors in assessing the condition, regulatory compliance and long-term performance of façade systems prior to purchasing a property or undertaking repair works.
Visual identity signage (logo) on facades
Main business sign is the central element of any facade branding — the sign that identifies your business name. It must be readable from a distance, clear in its message, and in harmony not only with your brand identity but with the surroundings and with the existing architecture of the building.
Large signs are designed on a special substructure capable of transferring all loads to the building’s structural elements, and the cost of manufacturing and installing this substructure often exceeds the cost of the logo itself.
Drawing on our many years of experience and our collaboration with logo manufacturers, we are able to advise on the appropriate size of the signage (logo), along with the concept, design of support elements, legal formalities and the best possible price offer for the chosen logo.
Projects
Below are a few projects we have collaborated on
About me
Daniel Miernik
Architect and Facade Consultant
For the past 10 years, I have been working as Senior Consulting Engineer | Facade at HB Reavis Group, which accomplishes tasks relating to the façade in Polish, German and UK markets. I have been involved in the successful realization of flagship HB Reavis projects such as 310 m tall Varso Tower along with the neighbouring, lower buildings Varso 1 (90m high) & Varso 2 (81m high), Forest Campus (120m high) in Warsaw and DSTRCT in Berlin. In this role, I have led a design team (architects, consultants, main contractors) bringing engineering knowledge and technical understanding into the development of the façade concepts, helping arrive at solutions to achieve the highest level of efficiency, quality within the constraints of the cost plan. I graduated with a degreea in Architecture (Lodz University of Technology, Poland) and master’s degree in Lightweight Facades (University of the Basque Country, San Sebastian, Spain). Prior to joining HB Reavis I worked as a façade designer for Grupo Folcrá Edificación designing a complex facades like 220 m tall Warsaw Spire Tower in Warsaw, Apple HQ in Cork and Riverbank Plaza Hotel in London.
Blog & news
Contact
Satisfaction begins with a meeting.
We spend most of our time in the centre of Warsaw, where we can arrange a meeting or visit you at your premises.