Cladding is basically a type of external cover applied on buildings for protection as well as aesthetic. Depending on structure use, it is made of a variety of materials such as metal, wood, vinyl or plastic, brick or steel. Among all, metal cladding is most notable in buildings. It serves as thermal insulation and protective layer.
Many city buildings around the world, including Ankara, have cladding systems. This city combines traditional Turkish architecture with modern designs to create eye-catching structures. Due to this spectacular architecture, there are different types of metal cladding in Ankara which are explained below.
Panel cladding
It is a type of cladding system with metal sheets stacking over another along exterior wall of a building. It gives both beauty and protection to the building and comes in various shapes. One of the prominent panel cladding examples in Ankara is Doğan Medya Center which panels are in perforated cubic shapes. They are created as a Braille alphabet system to symbolize “communication for all”. The whole structure was designed by Tabanlioglu Architects in 2008.
Wire mesh cladding
This modern steel woven cladding is a sturdy texture of steel wires intertwining in parallel rows and columns. Buildings with this cladding system benefit from natural ventilation, sun protection and large- scale surface. It is widely used in metal cladding in different Turkish structures.
Egemen Construction Central Administration Building is one example of wire mesh cladding in Ankara. It is built in an area of 45 m2 by Gökhan Aksoy Architects. Also, this cladding uses meshes with TF-60 fastening technique with eyebolt attachment at the bottom.
Another famous wire mesh cladding in Ankara is Turkish Contractors Association headquarter. It is designed by AVCI ARCHITECTS, a British-Turkish company. Wire meshes of the structures are made of stainless steel. To finish this building with metal cladding, a total 900 m2 stainless steel wire mesh has been used. It seems transparent from an outside view.
Aluminum cladding
It is a thin layer or panel which is applied over walls. Unlike other heavy cladding systems, due to the lightweight feature of aluminum, this metal cladding is easily installed. Additionally, it helps the structure to bear less weight than steel cladding. Also, it has a long-life span and great formidability. Besides, it enhances wall insulation and reduces extra expenses.
In Ankara, some huge structures have this cladding system on their façades. For instance, The Paragon Tower -a shiny tower in Ankara nights, has an anodized aluminum cladding system which boasts dynamism of the structure.
Copper cladding
Copper cladding is a strong layer of copper applied to a building façade. Due to highly corrosion resistance, copper is used in a wide variety of metal cladding including copper cladding. Copper cladding is a strong layer of copper applied to a building façade. It can be installed with traditional methods such as standing-seam, batten-seam, flat-seam, and corrugated panel.
Ankara Arena, a well-known building for sport activities, is a perfect example of copper cladding. It was constructed by Yazgan Design Architecture in an area of 55000 m2 in 2010. It also has a capacity crowd of 10000 people. In addition to transparent appearance, it prevents walls from overheating. It is also environmentally friendly and corrosion resistant. So, it has distinctive features over non-cladding stadiums, which make it one of the most creative stadium designs in world.
Corrugated steel cladding
One of the most common types of metal cladding in Ankara is corrugated steel cladding. It is the oldest material in the façade dating back to 1850. They are made from steel sheets including galvanized steel sheets.
Advantages of corrugated steel claddings
Because of their repetitive ridged surface, corrugated steel claddings are also used in roofs. It is not only cost-effective but also lightweight. Here are reasons why they are used in buildings widely:
Water remover
when it is used on the roof, it easily directs water downwards. This means that because the corrugated steel cladding surface is slippery, it automatically rolls down snow and water.
Great durability.
Corrugated steel cladding has a yield stress of 260 MPa. It is strong and can withstand harsh weather. As a result, this metal cladding can last even more than 100 years. Also, corrugated steel tensile strength is 460 MPa and can resist high pressures. Moreover, when coated with a zinc layer (galvanized corrugated sheet panel), it turns into a heavy corrosion-resistant layer against rusting.
Easy installation.
Because of being lightweight, corrugated steel cladding is easily installed. It also puts less weight on structures, so structures are stronger in earthquakes or even flood.
Lower price.
Compared to some types of cladding system, it is a bit cheaper and cost- effective. It is also so popular in the market that many architecture firms prefer this cladding type over others.
