Design

The residential façade, defined as the building enveloping shell, impacts the interior environment, while simultaneously acts as the backdrop of the exterior space. The duality of the façade makes the topic span over several architectural quests in one. While addressing the delicate question of integrity for the residence the design of the façade is also a subject of interest to the public view, with a large impact on the atmosphere of the urban environment in our cities. The thesis investigates the performance of the individual façade as a crucial contributing part of the coherent city and its’ simultaneous importance for the home environment. The focus is the interface, the transition where the private home and the public space meets. The thesis aims to define architectural qualities connected to the private home and the connecting public space, set in a Swedish city environment. Further, to develop design tools aiming to reach these qualities through features in the façade design. The purpose is not to propose the ideal façade, but rather to contribute to a more conscious approach to designing façades in general and inspire fellow architects by providing suggestions to design qualitative living environments. Through theoretical research of subjects like Enriched Environments connected to the human perception of the home, and influences from classical city planning theorists, conclusions are made leading to the outcome of a number of design principles possible to use as tools when analysing a façade and in the design process of a façade. The principles are showcased in a re-design of a façade of an existing building in Gothenburg. An analysis of the result regarding reached qualities and consequences of the design choices in the project are presented to conclude the project.