Head Field Office Facade by rat[LAB]

The Head Field office in Noida by rat[LAB] studio is a visionary office project design featuring a parametric facade. The facade consists of vertical fins that adjust to the natural light and control the thermal and visual comfort of the office interior. The project is among the few examples of parametric facade to be built that showcases the potential of parametric facades to create energy-efficient and visually appealing office buildings.

Project Name- Head Field Office Facade
Studio Name- rat[LAB]

Facade design is a vital part of every architectural project and needs to be approached through an analytical study of multiple parameters like privacy, materials and environmental factors like sunlight, from which the final outcome emerges. Utilizing algorithms and machines to create adaptive and complex designs, various factors such as privacy, materials, and sunlight are taken into account to optimize the building performance and aesthetics. Making use of unique materials and intricate geometries together with the aid of machines and computational tools, the Head Field Facade is a statement on the upcoming parametricism in our nation.

The Head Field Facade project showcases a striking fusion of innovation and aesthetics,
featuring vertical fins that intertwine and puncture the exterior interface gracefully. During the day, these fins interact with sunlight in terms of light penetration and heat gain and generate a cooler environment within the interiors with a dynamic linear play of light and shadow. During the night, they turn into a responsive outfit for the landmark, with varying combinations of LED rope lighting extended throughout the fins by differential control systems.

Customized to project context and occupancy, the curving linear geometries were meticulously crafted using digital fabrication techniques as well as handcrafting, both in the workshop and on site. The use of CNC technology for aluminium and mild steel sheets helped develop the smoothly curving members with concealed lighting within the structure.

The design process involved a rigorous exploration of various forms and connections to achieve optimal efficiency and aesthetics. Curvilinear arrangement of fins, lateral screens of wedged flat plates and mild variable screening were studied with respect to context, solar radiation analysis and form. The final solution integrates the best features of these studies to create a distinctive, easy to build, and sustainable facade.

The structure consists of vertical fins smoothly transitioning into arches and creating a fluid structure that preserves interior-exterior visibility and offers construction modularity. As the facade adapts to varying natural lighting, it also generates a stunning visual contrast between the office interiors and the external environment. Thus, these vertical fins also regulate sun exposure and enhance the thermal and visual comfort of the workspace.