Construction Sector
20% of the world’s aluminium is used in the construction sector. A building is rarely constructed today without this metal, as the physical properties of aluminium make it a perfect material for construction. Its light weight means that the load on the bearing structure is less, and its strength makes it suitable for a great variety of solutions. Its resistance to corrosion gives it special advantages: aluminium is perfect for regions with severe weather conditions. Finally, its fluidity gives freedom to architects and designers.
Aluminium was first used in construction more than 100 years ago. At first it replaced metals traditionally used for reinforcement and decoration, such as cuprum, bronze, iron, and steel. In 1898, the Saint Gioacchino church by Raffaele Ingami was completed in Rome. Its dome was coated with silvery aluminium. Aluminium was widely used in finishing the interior of the Monadnock Building in Chicago, constructed by Burnham and Root in 1892. In 1926, aluminium was chosen as a material in the construction of the United Church in Pittsburgh designed by Henry Hornbostel.
All these are examples of conventional forms used in combination with an innovative material. A new page in the history of aluminium construction application has been written by Otto Wagner. The facade of the Die Zeit news agency building in Vienna, designed using aluminium panels and avant-garde electric illuminators, has become an example of a new architecural style. From 1904 to 1906, Wagner constructed the Postal Deposit Bank building . Marble panels decorating the facade were fixed to walls with aluminium bolts with protruding heads, which served as an additional decorative feature. In addition, decorative grids and reinforcements were made of aluminium. The architect’s courageous projects opened a new page in the history of the metal: aluminium became an emblem of style and modern design.
However, not only the representatives of ‘high design’ ensured a stable place for aluminium in architecture and construction. Inventors and businessmen made a significant contribution, too. For example, Francis Plym, noted that because of the condensation, wooden frames in shop windows decayed very fast. Therefore, he set up a metal window frame factory. By 1937, 75% of his goods were made of aluminium, which is resistant to corrosion.
‘Place, weight and time’. These words became a mantra repeated during discussions about aluminium in the construction sector. By applying aluminium using various methods, an architect could expand a space of a building, reduce the weight of any structure and speed up the construction process. These specific features turned out to be equally advantageous for avant-garde architects, businessmen and metal manufacturers.
The Aluminair building has become one of the best examples of the link between new designs and the opportunities of the aluminium industry. It was presented by A. Lawrence Kocher and Albert Frey at the architectural and construction exhibition in New York in 1931. The building is full of light with huge windows and open terraces and its name comes from the words ‘aluminium’ and ‘air.’ The cost of such a building was much less than that of traditional ones and was intended to solve the problem of housing for people of modest means. However, the minimalism and metallic shine reminded the public not of high-speed aircrafts and caring cars, but of factory interiors. Potential buyers were at that time not ‘mature’ enough to understand the new idea.
After the war aluminium became more and more common in architecture. Even now the US Military Air Academy chapel in Colorado Springs, designed by Walter Netsch and constructed in 1956-1960, impresses with its defined lines.
In Russia, aluminium alloys were widely applied in the construction of the Pioneers’ Palace (architects: V. Yegerev, V. Kubasov, F. Novikov, B. Paluy, I. Pokrovskiy, M. Khazhakyan). Construction of this large-scale building, which became a milestone in the history of domestic architecture, was completed in 1962. Five years later, in line with B. Belopolsky’s , Ye. Kozlov’s, and Yu. Tikhonov’s project, the USSR State Committee for Standards building where aluminium structures were widely used, was constructed on Lenin Avenue.
Aluminium is becoming increasingly used in the construction industry. It is used to produce ceilings and walls, window frames, blinds, doors, stairs, roof covers, wall panels partitions, HVAC systems and to construct houses and shopping centres, stadiums and bridges.
Aluminium structures, or aluminium construction materials, help to cool houses in summer, warm them in winter, and ensure comfort and dry air all year around. For example, aluminium walls with insulation and foil reflecting coating provide protection which is four times more effective than 10 cm brick coat or 20 cm-thick masonry.
Each year, millions of aluminium frames and doors are installed in new and old buildings. Durable, insulating, with a low compression and expansion ratio, they meet all modern requirements. Advanced technologies mean that solar batteries can be mounted into the frames, and it is expected that this energy-saving method will become popular in the future.
However, the application of aluminium in the construction industry not only opens opportunities for the future, but also helps to save the past. In recent years, aluminium has been increasingly applied as a main material in the restoration and reconstruction of historical buildings.