Glass curtain wall would be a better option than window wall in tall buildings today

In practical applications, there are many specific reasons to select curtain wall system in the modern buildings today. And one most obvious feature is the ability to produce certain aesthetics in tall buildings. Since curtain wall is attached to the exterior slab of a tall building, you can achieve a continuous “curtain” of glass on the exterior facade.

Glass curtain wall would be a better option than window wall in tall building applications, for glass curtain wall is highly durable and does not require a lot of long term maintenance. In addition, since unitized curtain wall systems are fabricated in a controlled shop environment, fewer man hours in the field are required which helps achieve more stringent schedules. The savings associated with labor efficiencies in the shop and field often dispel budget concerns when it comes to evaluating the cost of unitized curtain wall compared with other systems. In addition, aesthetics of window wall differ greatly from glass curtain wall in building facade. Architects need to consider how the exposed slab edge will be addressed in the design stage of a project. In recent years, there are some very creative ways to work metal curtain wall into the facade to cover the slab edge and integrate into the window wall system. There are some window wall systems that can replicate curtain wall on a small sale, but fail to achieve the same continuous look as a curtain wall system on large scale facades.

For modern commercial buildings, window wall may not be considered an ideal option. For example, if your project is a 40+ story building and you want a continuous exterior glass facade, window wall is not the best choice because it does not have the structural strength and integrity of curtain wall in tall building applications. In addition, In terms of cost per square foot, in spite of a higher curtain wall cost in a construction project, window wall has a high quantity of caulk of joints which can lead to long term maintenance expenses. In short, making a decision between curtain wall and window wall can be tricky due to the many variables that should be considered for building envelope systems. Moreover, there is a lot to take into consideration when selecting a glazing system, and the right solution could shift based on the building structure design.