Innovative Façade Materials and Their Tectonic Implications: A Meta-Analysis and Taxonomical Framework

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Hafizi N., TUNA G., Vural S. M.

Advances in Environmental and Engineering Research, cilt.7, sa.2, ss.1-17, 2026 (Scopus)

Özet

The incorporation of innovative contemporary façade materials has fundamentally transformed architectural practice, driven by increasing demands for sustainability, building performance, and aesthetic expression. Despite substantial technical advancements in materials science, a critical gap persists in linking material innovation to tectonic expression — the relationship between material properties, construction logic, and architectural form. This study presents a systematic meta-analysis and a taxonomic framework for innovative façade materials, with a particular focus on their tectonic-aesthetic implications in contemporary architecture. A two-phase methodology was employed: keyword co-occurrence network analysis using VOS Viewer, followed by a Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) protocol applied to Web of Science publications (2010-2025). From an initial pool of 175 records, 123 were screened, 31 met eligibility criteria, and 19 studies addressing tectonic implications underwent detailed full-text analysis. Findings confirm that the majority of existing research prioritizes performance-related topics such as energy efficiency and thermal comfort, leaving the tectonic consequences of material innovation largely underexplored. To address this gap, this study proposes a novel taxonomical framework comprising seven categories: Smart Materials, Bio-based Materials, Modified Traditional Materials, Composite Materials, Nano-engineered Materials, Biomimetic Materials, and Digital Fabrication Materials — each analyzed in terms of its structural logic, assembly potential, and aesthetic expression. This framework represents the first systematic attempt to classify innovative façade materials through a tectonic lens, offering architects and designers a structured tool for material selection that balances technical performance with creative design intent.