All-Metal “Curtain Walls” Will Replace Masonry Skyscrapers

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 14, Issue 50, 12 October 1949, Page 6

All-Metal “Curtain Walls” Will Replace Masonry Skyscrapers

A new all-metal building surface may take the place of stone, brick and mortar in American skyscrapers of the future. Use of the new materials, known as “curtain walls,” can result in considerable saving' of floor space without weakening the structure, according to the manufacturers of aluminium and stainless steel who developed it. The curtain walls are only 3 to 6 inches thick, compared with traditional masonry walls of from 18 to 40 inches thickness. They consist of thin-gauge metal, backed by insulation and furrowed to prevent blinding light reflections. The thin curtain walls are sufficiently strong when used in steel framework construction, manufacturers point out, since the exterior surface is not necessary for holding up the building or strengthening it. An architectural consultant for the steel corporation says the curtain walls can permit saving of as much as two-thirds of a square foot per lineal foot for every floor above street level. Aluminium Company cf America officials claim that curtain walls, backed by four inches of cement insulation will cost less than traditional masonry.