Technical and aesthetic balance
As functional a role as joints perform within building enclosures, these historic and contemporary examples demonstrate that they can also serve as a primary component of building style and identity. It is for this reason, combined with their responsibilities of facilitating movement, structural integrity,
and weatherproofing, that joints demand careful consideration, whether designing new buildings or rehabilitating existing ones.
The aesthetic and technical design considerations of joints are not necessarily distinct; formal decisions can directly impact a joint’s technical capabilities, and the inverse is also true, making joint material selection and placement an integral part of both design process and building performance. Joints are the vehicle through which the rest of the building enclosure can be understood and often the first line of defense in its integrity, as they are, both literally and conceptually, what connects it all together.
Richard W. Off is a senior project manager and registered architect at Hoffmann Architects + Engineers in Manhattan, New York. With a focus in historic preservation, and expertise in traditional and modern facade, roofing, and window systems, he oversees A+E teams complete numerous multimillion-dollar investigation, rehabilitation, renovation, and adaptive reuse projects throughout the New York metropolitan area. He graduated with a master of architecture and urban design from Columbia University and a bachelor of architecture from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Off has lectured at APTi and Traditional Building conferences, the APT DC Symposium, and both his alma maters.
Robert Fraguada is a project coordinator at Hoffmann Architects + Engineers in Manhattan, New York. He uses his multi-tasking skills to manage and assist with a diversity of projects throughout New York City, including building enclosure investigation, facade rehabilitation and recladding, roof replacement, window replacement, and plaza replacement. Fraguada is also an avid photographer with a passion for urban environments and has been featured at the annual AIA Art by Architects show at the New York Center for Architecture. He graduated with a bachelor of architecture with a minor in construction management from Pratt Institute.
