Architectural and Structural Aluminium Bending
The architectural industry is constantly evolving. Architects and designers are always looking for new, innovative and modern materials to use for their projects.
Architectural aluminium use has been on a steady rise over the years. Now it is seen as one of the best materials due to its performance, flexibility, low maintenance needs and material affordability.
While aluminium has long been used in windows. Especially in curved or arched windows. The industry has grown to using aluminium for more architectural uses. This has been limited to large, robust aluminium extrusions. This, coupled with the scale of what could be done in terms of shapes and designs.
Now a new option has started growing, structural curved aluminium. This is something that Alubend has invested a lot of research into.This allows us to create safe to use curved structural aluminium components for any scale project. From decorative trims to heavy duty structures.
But why use aluminium for architectural or structural parts?
Many materials can be used for building, but aluminium has a number of unique benefits that really shine when utilized correctly.
Strength-to-Weight
Weight can be an extremely important part of the equation when it comes to planning for architectural and specifically structural elements. The amazing weight to strength ratio of aluminium make it a prime contender for the much more commonly used steel elements.
Being lighter makes for easier installation as well as the ability to be used consistently across a build where heavier sections would have been limited.
Versatile and Sustainable
Aluminium is one of the most widely used and widely recycled materials on the planet. The metal has the ability to be repeatedly melted and reformed multiple times while losing very little material in the process.
It is used in all things for aluminium cans, window frames, vehicle parts and widely in aerospace. This is possible due to the clean and easy to handle nature of aluminium.
Workable
Aluminium is able to be bent into almost any shape imaginable. Long sweeping curves or tight angle bends are all possible. Different aluminium alloys or tempers can have an impact on what can feasibly be done, but due to the workable nature of aluminium it is often possible to tweak it little by little until you get precisely the result you wanted.
If you can imagine it, it can probably be done.
Customisable
There are a number of viable surface finishing options for aluminium, all with their own appeals and uses.
Powder Coating, Anodising, Texture Coating, Painting or even mill finished, all are possible with their own pros and cons.
Aluminium is naturally corrosion resistant but powder coating and especially anodising can enhance the corrosion protection allowing it to be used in almost any environment.
Special texture coating can give the metal a wide range of textures and looks including a very convincing wood finish.
As you can see Aluminium is truly living up to its reputation as the material of the future. Its wide range of usage and styling options puts it far and above other options. The ability to create beautifully curved shapes also leans into the up and coming Parametric Architecture design style. Specifically focusing on organic shapes over rigid corners.
We have worked to implement this design style previously in a number of bending architectural aluminium projects across the globe.
If you would like to know more about our bending capabilities please get in touch.
