XIV century façade fixings (135)

Most of the façade solutions on this website are non-loadbearing. As they are independent systems, how to fix or support them on the main structure of the building must be defined.

However, the need to fix the façades is not a result of the emergence of these non-loadbearing enclosures. Whenever a façade has been identified as something singular, and so distinguished from the rest of the building, we can find attachment mechanisms.

Il Duomo di Milano is one example of this. The Candoglia marble used for the façade is linked to the rest of the structure by perpendicular interlocking stones.

Climbing through the staircase that leads to the impressive roof of the Duomo in Milan provides a great opportunity to appreciate all these interlocking mechanisms up close.