A Detailed Look at Ceramic Façade Systems in Bogotá Searching Innovation Opportunities

Abstract

The tradition of ceramic façades in Bogotá dates back to more than a century ago. However, this tradition has been characterised by keeping a conventional construction approach, without any considerable evolution. This paper focuses on significant turning points in Bogotá’s tradition that have led to improvements in the construction environment, leading to possible paths for innovation with new proposals for ceramic façades. The central turning-point cases discussed are: Torres del Parque, the North Tower-Hilton International Hotel, brick façades for buildings that emerged after the Colombian Earthquake-resistant Building Standard (NSR-98), and the extension of the Santa Fe Foundation building. Through a detailed focus on these four cases in terms of their technological and morphological solutions, this paper aims to yield innovation opportunities for developing ceramic façade systems within an earthquake prone region.