Facade

A principal elevation read as the public face of a building.

Facade can include materials, openings, ornament, signs, and lighting. Structural and visual elevations may coincide or separate, as in a curtain wall.

Historic cities often regulate facade height, material, and preservation. Renovations may combine modern interiors with retained exteriors.

The Seagram grid, Gaudí’s organic elevations, and Hadid’s fluid envelopes represent distinct facade languages.