Adhered cladding systems to backup walls, stand alone panels and non-adhered fixing systems are
described in this chapter. In all systems the main concern is to obtain an efficient water barrier pointing
to the crucial function of an air space that is needed to improve the façade´s performance as a rain
screen. The cladding held onto the building by an anchorage structure and a layer of insulation anchored
to the grid supporting stone slabs creates a gap formed between the structure and the building thus
becomes a space in which the circulation of air decreases temperature excursions, improving the
building’s performance. With the development of curtain wall systems, consisting of vertical and
horizontal structural members, connected together and anchored to the supporting structure of the
building, providing all the normal functions of an external wall, without contributing to the load bearing
capacity of the building structure and the notable stone cutting technology ability, natural stone appear
as thin cladding slabs or panel within lightweight curtain wall or façade systems. 1
Non-loadbearing claddings in building, often in panelform, are most commonly used in conjunction with
a structural framework Before considering the eight main types of cladding system in detail we should
first briefly examine two concepts that have most closely influenced the development of these types of
[Link], there was the development of frame construction, and second, the introduction of
systems of prefabrication, whereby component parts of a building could be fabricated in a builder’s yard
or workshop prior to their assembly on an actual building site. The main benefits of precast concrete
over other cladding materials are its good strength-to-weight ratio, its mobility and, because it is a non-
combustible material, its fire performance. Precast concrete came into its own for use in cladding during
the 1950s and early 1960s with the development of high-rise housing. British architects quickly followed
the examples of Le Corbusier’s Marseilles Unité block, built between 1947 and 1952, although
manufacturers such as Trent Concrete and Empire Stone had been manufacturing high-quality cladding
elements in the 1920s and 1930s. Morris (1966) has described the history of the development of precast
concrete in Great Britain, France and the USA up to 1964. One of the most famous examples is the LCC
flats at Roehampton Lane (facing slab manufacturer Modular Concrete), which marks the beginning of
the continuous use of concrete cladding in the UK.2
Wall cladding unhesitatingly plays an integral role in any building. Not only it provides good aesthetical
value to a building, but most importantly it could function well to enhance building’s external surface
and physical structure. It must be noted that one type of cladding may not offer all features that other
types may have. Therefore, selection of the best cladding type for a building must be thoroughly studied
before decision is made. This is to ensure the type chosen is best suited to the purpose and intended
look of the building, thus minimizing the threats and drawbacks that may possibly occur. This
assignment has really helped us in the study of this course, and in the topic of wall cladding particularly.
We are now more enlightened on the subject especially with regards to the availability of vast selections
of cladding in Malaysia, the use of high-tech cladding systems, the cost contrast between different
cladding types and so much more. To sum up, we really enjoyed doing the research for the sake of this
1
Camposinhos R. "Wall and Cladding Systems." Polytechnic Institute of Porto, June 2014, pp. 2-3.
2
Brookes A. "Cladding of Buildings." Taylor and Francis e- Library, 2008, pp. 12-21
assignment and look forward to having such beneficial task like this one in the future! 3
3
Adhara A. et al. "Metal Cladding." Department of Quantity Surveying, Kulliyyah of Architecture Environmental and
International Islamic University Malaysia, May 2015, pp. 2-11.