Façade

The façade is the term for the front of a house that is visible from the outside. In the case of an unclad external wall, for example one made of concrete or the wall of a log cabin, the façade is essentially identical to the external view of the wall, whereby structural and design elements also count as part of the façade: windows, doors, shutters, columns, capitals or roller shutter boxes, anything that is visible from the outside. If a complete additional façade made of a different material is placed in front of the external wall, this is referred to as an add-on shell. There are many different types of façade, which relate to the construction (e.g. rear-ventilated façade, add-on shell), the material (e.g. timber or glass façade) or the architectural or economic function (e.g. blind or media façade).