Contemporary architecture seeks solutions that improve the energy efficiency and comfort of buildings. In this context, double-skin façades have established themselves as an effective strategy for achieving these objectives. This system consists of creating two layers in the building envelope, separated by an air chamber that acts as thermal and acoustic insulation.

Benefits of double skin façades

The implementation of a double skin on the façade offers multiple advantages:

• Energy efficiency: The air chamber between the two layers regulates the interior temperature, reducing the need for air conditioning systems and, therefore, energy consumption.
• Thermal and acoustic comfort: This system improves the thermal and acoustic insulation of the building, providing a more comfortable indoor environment for occupants.
• Sun protection and natural ventilation: The double skin facilitates the control of solar radiation and promotes natural ventilation, contributing to the creation of healthier and more pleasant interior spaces.
• Visual protection and privacy: In buildings with curtain walls, the double skin offers an effective solution to ensure the privacy of occupants without sacrificing natural light. The outer layer can be designed with translucent or perforated materials that allow visibility from the inside out, but limit views from the outside in, thus ensuring the privacy of the spaces.

The IRIS System: Innovation in ceramic louvers

Among the solutions available for the construction of double-skin façades, the IRIS system stands out for its innovation and versatility. This dry construction system is based on vertical profiles between which double-notched ceramic pieces are inserted, allowing the creation of lattices of different thicknesses and geometries without the need for mortar.

Advantages of the IRIS System in contemporary architecture

• Industrialisation and speed of assembly: As an industrialised system, IRIS allows for quick and easy installation, without requiring highly specialised labour.
• Customisable design: The variety of formats, colours and textures of the ceramic pieces offers a wide range of aesthetic possibilities, adapting to the specific needs of each project.
• Energy efficiency and solar control: Ceramic lattices allow the incidence of solar radiation on the building envelope to be controlled, reducing the building’s energy demand and improving its thermal performance.
  
• Visual protection and privacy: The design of the lattices provides privacy for occupants, allowing natural light to enter and maintaining views to the outside without compromising privacy.
  
• Durability and low maintenance: The use of exposed brick gives the system high mechanical resistance and resistance to adverse weather conditions, ensuring a long service life with minimal maintenance.

Application in the New Faculty of Medicine in Badajoz

A notable example of the application of double skin facades is the new Faculty of Medicine at the University of Extremadura in Badajoz, designed by the studio Matos Castillo Arquitectos. This project incorporates the IRIS lattice system as a double skin on the façades, which protects against thermal changes and direct sunlight, improving the building’s energy efficiency.

The building’s volume is fragmented to avoid large screens that conflict with the surrounding structures, achieving harmonious integration with the environment. In addition, landscaped outdoor spaces and porches have been created to contribute to user comfort.

In conclusion, the integration of double-skin systems in façades, and in particular the implementation of the IRIS system, represents an architectural solution that combines energy efficiency, comfort, aesthetics and privacy, responding to the demands of sustainable and contemporary architecture.