GRC facade projects can be seen all around the globe. This post will be updated on regular basis to list buildings with GRC facades. It may look like a small database with GFRC buildings.
I think it is worth to keep track of GRC facade cladding installations worldwide.
Do you know about a GFRC facade project which is not listed here?
Let me know via comment below and provide URL address for reference.
If you see any outdated information or broken link, please also keep me informed in the comments section.
GRC facade projects in Australia:
Monash University – 3d GRC facade rufurbishment
Clayton campus was built in 1950’s 1960’s. The facade of the eight-storey science South Building & Medical School extension part was refurbished in 2018.
Kosloff Architecture designed lighweight GRC panels which cover the original brick facade. New building skin improved the building energy performance. Refurbished facade allows for better shading of windows and helps to retain thermal mass.
This project is an excellent example of versatile potential of GRC as facade material.
You can see more photographs of this stunning GRC facade at Derek Swallwell’s website.
The exact building location on Google Maps:
https://www.google.com/maps/@-37.9130321,145.1308342,15z
GRC roof of Geelong Library and Heritage Center
Situated at the core of the bayside city of Geelong, approximately 76 km from Melbourne, the site is encompassed by historically significant structures. These include the Geelong Peace Memorial from 1926, the Geelong Town Hall, designed by Joseph Reed and standing as Victoria’s earliest surviving municipal building, an Edwardian bandstand in the Beaux-Arts style, and a late-Victorian brass drinking fountain. Positioned to overlook the picturesque Johnstone Park and offering captivating views of Corio Bay, the building occupies the same footprint as the former two-story library.
The dome, technically a sphere, is partially submerged with its surface sculpted or worn away to fit seamlessly between the Geelong Peace Memorial and the Geelong Art Gallery. The sphere’s broadest point extends several stories above the ground, requiring substantial cantilevering. Certain sections of the structure are suspended from a sizable overhanging roof system. Comprising 332 large glass reinforced concrete – GRC panels, the distinctive cladding system incorporates 18 different standard hexagonal tiles and one standard pentagram. These elements are arranged in a repetitive mirrored array, forming a geodesic dome reminiscent of the pattern found on a soccer ball.
The building was designed by award winning practice ARM Architecture and built by Kane Constructions Pty Ltd.
Around 550 GRC facade panels were set up, encompassing convex hexagon and pentagonal panels, as well as facia and gutter panels.
The GRC panels, known for their light weight, were produced away from the site. They were then finalized with a secondary steel sub-frame and securely bolted to the primary steel structure. This process was employed to fashion the domed exterior and roof.
The exact building location on Google Maps:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/DpfvQLziuBmomXeSA
GRC facades in Austria:
Courthouse in Salzburg – Justizgebäude
The architectural vision for this structure was conceived by Vienna architect Franz&Sue, who undertook the task of revitalizing a 19th-century courthouse. Through the use of GFRC facade cladding, the architect was able to craft an “open space of encounter” and mitigate the perceived “authoritarian character” associated with the Salzburg courthouse—a design element rooted in the initial intent of communicating state power. Throughout the project, paramount considerations were sustainability and a keen awareness of the requirements of various stakeholders involved in the courthouse transformation.
The exact building location on Google Maps:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/VvppiDVa1V2m5vyF6
GRC facade panels in China:
Yinchuan Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA)
Architects from WAA used GRC for the complex shapes of the exterior walls.
“GRC was an integral to developing a double curved surface – a re-awakening of the spirit of craftsmanship [that is otherwise] redundant in the age of automation,” said the team.
GRC building location on Google Maps:
https://goo.gl/maps/wbAu6ug7okz7vPgV7
GRC facades at Changsha Meixihu International Culture and Art Centre / Zaha Hadid Architects
Culture & Arts Centre by Zaha Hadid Architects integrates a modern art museum known as MICA, a 1,800-seat theater with accompanying facilities, and a versatile multipurpose hall. Its architectural style is characterized by an organic language, marked by pedestrian pathways that intricately navigate the site, linking it to nearby streets. Offering vistas of Meixi Lake from the city and enabling entry to the parks and walking paths on the lake’s Festival Island, this trio of distinct cultural establishments forms external courtyards where pedestrian pathways intersect, providing space for outdoor events and sculpture exhibitions.
GRC facades are one the most popular materials in use by Zaha Hadid Architects. These are also utilised on other buildings like Heydar Aliyev Center in Baku or 1000 Musuem in Miami.
GRC building location on Google Maps:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/t7jwcMfzxe5MTTKp6
GRC Facade of Shanghai Baoye Center
The Shanghai Baoye Center is integral to the second phase of the urban development plan for the emerging Central Business District in Hongqiao, a swiftly evolving area in western Shanghai. Positioned strategically, the project finds itself at the convergence point of automobile, train, and air transportation. Notably, it stands as the final structure visible before reaching the bustling Hongqiao High-Speed Rail Terminal from the south via bullet train, establishing a substantial urban presence for the development.
Designed by LYCS Architects.
Shanghai Planetrium
Ennead Architects designed the exterior’s primarily features with two materials: glass-fiber reinforced concrete panels (with cast-in-place concrete in specific locations) and faceted anodized aluminum panels. The deliberate choice was to create a contrast between the two materials, with one being substantial, rugged, and connected to the earth, while the other is precisely machined, reflective, and gleaming towards the sky.
Location on Google Maps:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/mVoVvmPxdwrmP3cT9
GRC facade panels in France
Fondation Louis Vuitton / Gehry Partners
Built at the periphery of a specially designed water garden, the structure is made up of interconnected white blocks referred to as “the icebergs.” These blocks are covered with panels of fiber-reinforced concrete and are encircled by twelve expansive glass “sails” upheld by wooden beams. These sails contribute to the Fondation Louis Vuitton’s transparency and dynamic appearance, enabling the building to mirror the surrounding water, forests, and garden, undergoing constant transformations in response to changes in light.
The exact building location on Google Maps:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/knTuaBFn2Uxm26Bo8
RATP Bus Center
Located within the industrial setting of Thiais, amidst expansive boulevards and traffic interchanges, the RATP Bus Center oversees all bus routes in the southern and eastern regions of Paris. The RATP aimed to build a new facility to accommodate the bus drivers and administrative staff of the existing center. The design of this new structure was conceptualized by Emmanuel Combarel and Dominique Marrec from the Parisian firm ECDM. The surrounding vicinity of the building features numerous sizable brand warehouses, industrial structures, wide streets, and intersections, giving it a distinctive peri-urban style.
The building facade consists of UHPFRC – Ultra High Performance Fibre Reinforced Concrete – with dimpled surface.
Google Maps Location:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/MQ6vDL1LRUhBhhKT6
GRC facade projects in Germany
The new office complex on Landsberger Street impresses with its striking, folded facade, which gives the approximately 180 meter long building liveliness and structure. The architectural folding of the building can be experienced both from the main street and from the railway lines at the rear. In addition to individual and combined offices, modern Newwork concepts can be used in the office space through individual and flexible room solutions. A lively forecourt, three inner courtyards and the spacious roof terraces offer attractive and unique outdoor meeting spaces for users. The MARK is a striking office landmark in the west of Munich and was awarded the LEED Gold certificate and the WiredScore Platinum due to its broad, contemporary and expandable sustainability concept.
Building designed by KSP Engel Architects.
Facade by Lindner Fassaden and GRC panels by Lindner LinCrete team.
Location on Google Maps:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/jot9HxSnBWLFCm3L7
GRC facades in India
GFRC facade panels at Guwahati International Airport, Guwahati, Assam
In order to enhance the material quality, glass was chosen as the primary element for the facade. Glass Fiber Reinforced Concrete (GFRC) envelops the facade’s intricate and smooth large areas, promoting the penetration of daylight and ensuring visual consistency. The incorporation of terracotta tiles draws inspiration from the architecture of fortress-like citadels, adding a sense of stability. Inside, terrazzo flooring is utilized for its flexibility and playful aesthetic, while granite is employed for durability. Aluminum origami panels provide texture, and sintered stone is applied for cladding on walls and columns.
You can watch the webinar with architects here.
If you want to skip to the discussion about the facade and GRC you can start watching here.
Location on Google Maps:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/sFLCMAAHS3YnGoUm7
GRC facades in Italy
GRC facade panels at Ugollini Headquarters, Torrevecchia Pia, Italy
The renowned company Ugolini S.p.a., famous for manufacturing refrigeration machines for soft drinks and ice cream in Milan, marks its 75th anniversary by inaugurating a new central facility that consolidates its operations previously situated in the nearby town of Vigonzone (PV) and the administrative and commercial functions in Opera (MI). Three primary materials were selected by the architects Barreca & La Varra to characterize the building volumes: a ventilated façade in medium grey Glass Reinforced Concrete (GRC), prefabricated concrete panels with various finishes, and painted corrugated sheet metal adorning the roofs of all structures.
Location on Google Maps:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/oNrqbcc3NajpyDPq7
GRC facades in Japan
Office building in Yoyogi, Tokyo
Situated opposite Minami-Shinjuku Station, this office building is surrounded by a concentrated group of low-rise residences and medium-sized structures, forming a traditional neighborhood. Skyscrapers are present a short distance away from this district. The façade features a GRC panel with a white surface. Given the overshadowing effect created by the surrounding buildings, the area appears dark. Consequently, the architect from Takeshi Hosaka Architects sought to brighten the surroundings by incorporating a white surface onto the building’s façade.
Location on Google Maps:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/TktQvg1A4uVCuiXS8
GRC facade panels in Poland
Serenada Shopping Centre, Cracow
The structure’s exteriors are segmented vertically into strips featuring varying ceramic mass intensity, establishing a rhythmic pattern. This is achieved through a flexible method of filling gaps in the supporting structure, akin to a musical staff, with a variable number of cubic elements (cubes) in specific sections (notes). The exterior elements consist of red dyed GRC facade panels. This decorative approach aims to harmonize music and architecture under shared compositional principles. When observed by individuals in motion, the façade creates a captivating effect as external elements of the structure appear to move against the backdrop of the plastered facade with reflective aggregate on the rear wall.
Location on Google Maps:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/3FoXVSTaHkMdqCVr6
GRC facade – Library of the Archdiocese of Wrocław
GRC facade panels were used in order to maintain the orginal concrete look of the building.
Location on Google Maps:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/cvg718ACp4EQ6avP9
GRC buildings in Spain
Mecanoo’s Cordoba Courthouse – Palace of Justice
Constructed in 20167courthouse by Mecanoo in Cordoba, Spain, is a substantial sculpted structure characterized by its prefabricated Glass Reinforced Concrete (GRC) walls adorned with geometric patterns reminiscent of the Moorish designs found in the city’s historical architecture. This expansive building boasts 48,000 square meters of floor space, excluding two levels of underground parking, resulting in a total area surpassing 50,000 square meters.
Location on Google Maps:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/UUgUBZDmPViG51Ze8
GRC facade building in Malaga
The architectural firm Muños Miranda Architects commenced their design process by taking inspiration from the sole remaining industrial relic on the site, a 20th-century smokestack, which reflects its industrial heritage.
For the exterior, the architects utilized glass reinforced concrete (GRC) panels, skillfully crafted to create the illusion of being molded and shaped, resembling the malleability of sculpted clay.
Location on Google Maps:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/yEiCtfoQoqgWjuvi9
GRC facade projects in the UK (United Kingdom):
50/60 Station Road Cambridge – GRC panels and GRC fins
GRC shading fins – photo by cb1cambridge.co.uk
Grimshaw designed this commercial and retail development. The architects used GRC as facade material due to its durability and sustainability. At the same time GRC allows to make precise elements like cladding panels and shading fins.
This facade blends with Cambridge colour pallete.
The exact building location on Google Maps:
https://goo.gl/maps/v2WqNqcvPxyZTVzx8
Brighton College Sports and Sciences Building
OMA designed Brighton College Sports and Sciences Building after winning a competition organised in 2013. Construction of this project started in 2017 the build was completed in 2020 with a total budget of £36,700,000. GRC facade was designed in liquid black.
Location on Google Maps:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/DcXZxhw1sY2cNYmx6
GRC facade panels for Camden School for Girls Main Building Extension, London
AY Architects renovated and expanded two structures for the Camden School for Girls, an educational institution established in 1871 by Frances Mary Buss, a prominent advocate for women’s education.
The architects’ examination of the grid structure of the current concrete frame building is connected to their analysis of Sol LeWitt’s screenprint drawings, employing four directions of vertical, horizontal, diagonal right to left, and diagonal left to right lines from 1971. Additionally, their interest in James Stirling’s prefabricated concrete panels for Andrew Melville Halls in 1967 has influenced their investigation into the benefits of modular screen facades. This exploration has led to the development of a customized GRC envelope, incorporating diagonal pleats that contrast with the grid pattern of the existing building.
More details about this GRC facade here and also on the architects website.
You can read more about the design process for the GRC facade in the paper titles “DESIGN FOR LEARNING, Camden Schools: Architecture in the Age of Austerity” by ANTHONY BOULANGER.
The building was shortlisted for the Camden Design Awards.
Vine House, residential building with GRC in London by BEASLEY DICKSON ARCHITECTS
At the back of the structure, custom-cast GRC facade surrounds oak-framed doors and windows, with colors reminiscent of the original Italianate terrazzo paving and mosaic tiles at the front door step. The dining area and bench are highlighted by an expansive window featuring a recessed cast concrete seat. Positioned above the kitchen counter, a casement window extends to the exterior with a projecting sill. The facade frames the vine, which ascends over a cantilevered, lightweight, sculptural stainless steel trellis.
GRC facade projects in Portugal
Ajuda National Palace in Lisbon, Portugal
GRC fins of the Ajuda National Palace was completed in 2022 as part of the major project carried out by Ferrovial over 40 months of construction period.
Project location:
https://goo.gl/maps/swBr8kZTyckx9ou9A
GFRC facade projects in the USA
1000 Museum, Miami
One of the most recent skyscrapers in Miami – One Thousand Museum, crafted by Zaha Hadid Architects, showcases a remarkable exoskeleton made of glassfibre reinforced concrete (GRC / GFRC), produced and provided by a member of the International Glassfibre Reinforced Concrete Association (GRCA) specializing in GRC manufacturing. This project serves as an outstanding illustration of the impressive possibilities attainable through the utilization of glassfibre reinforced concrete (GRC / GFRC).
Location on Google Maps:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/DYSSFgHcYWvfUwEg6
GFRC building facade in San Francisco, CA – 730 Stanyan
OMA collaborated with executive architect Y.A. Studio to create the design. The exterior, adorned with GFRC facade panels, will align with the rectangular lot featuring rounded edges. Notable elements include vibrant yellow window frames, setbacks on the fourth floor, and a plaza carved out along Stanyan Street. The anticipated cost for the project is $153 million, with funding derived from diverse sources such as the Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development, the 2019 Affordable Housing General Obligation bond, Bank of America, and federal tax credits.
Location on Google Maps:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/GcLzM7gPehVA6EBN6
Map of GRC / GFRC Facade Projects Around the World
Below you can find the map with most of the projects marked.
interesting news