The skin of the building
A curtain wall hangs off the structure rather than carrying it, so it can be mostly glass without being structural. That freedom is why it defines modern facades, from slim aluminium grids on a mid-rise block to near-frameless glass walls on a contemporary villa. It is also a system that rewards early coordination: slab edges, anchor points, movement joints and waterproofing all have to line up months before the first unit arrives.
Al Jawadri works on facades both as a glazing specialist and as the main contractor responsible for the building behind them. Our facade projects include repeated balcony glass and aluminium elements across a G+7 residential building and large-format glazing on bespoke villas. We understand how the glazing interfaces with structure, finishes and rectification.
Systems we work with
- Stick-built aluminium curtain wall with pressure plates and caps
- Unitised and semi-unitised panels for repeated elevations
- Structural-silicone and butt-jointed glazing for flush external faces
- Point-fixed and bolted glass where the architect wants minimal framing
- Spandrel panels, shadow boxes and opaque aluminium infill
- Windows and openable vents within the facade grid
Performance in Dubai conditions
Facade glass has to manage solar gain, glare, wind pressure, thermal movement and noise. The glass build-up, usually double-glazed and laminated where required, is selected against the consultant's specification, and frames are detailed for movement and drainage. Dubai's energy-efficiency requirements for buildings influence the glass choice, so we work to your consultant's performance values rather than guessing them.
From drawings to installation
We take the architect's elevations, survey the as-built structure, prepare shop drawings and samples for approval, fabricate in controlled conditions and install with access plans and safety measures suited to the height. Snagging, resealing and cleaning are completed before handover.
For villas and smaller buildings, see our page on facade and tower glazing; for the glass itself, read our guide to glass types.
