Architectural and economic considerations in the design of prefabricated facade components (exterior walls)

One of the important factors in the design of buildings is the visual expression of the structure as manifested in the design of facade components. This article classifies the various facade components into three groups: 'complete' flat components; 'partial' flat components; and spatial (three-dimensional) components. A method is proposed for examining the geometry (sizes and shapes) of the various components that relies on both architectural and cost considerations.