What is Performance-Based Façade Design?

This initiative serves as a pivotal platform for industry and academic experts, standing at the forefront of innovation within various companies and associations involved in façade design, manufacturing, testing, and standardization. The Performance-Based Façade Design Initiative brings together global experts to explore the future of façade design, fostering innovation, collaboration, and knowledge exchange. The third edition will take place in Venice, in September 2025.

The 2023 inaugural edition, held at the Università Iuav di Venezia, established a strong foundation with a Seminar focused on the Current Challenges of performance-based façade design and a Workshop that contributed to the drafting of ISO 16316:2024, a groundbreaking standard for windborne debris resistance in façade systems. Experts from leading organizations and institutions addressed topics such as hazard mitigation, energy efficiency, and advanced façade resilience. More than sixty façade experts convened in Venice, traveling from Japan, the UK, the US, Switzerland, Canada, Germany, Belgium, France, and Italy.

In 2024, the initiative returned to Venice, this time at the historic Scuola Grande dei Carmini, where the event expanded in scope and ambition. Under the theme Façade Reflections, a sold-out Seminar brought together 100 experts to discuss innovations in façade design, manufacturing, testing, and sustainability. Workshops delved into cutting-edge tools for AI-driven design optimization and strategies for sustainable façades rooted in circular economy principles. Off-site activities included exclusive visits to Carlo Scarpa's architectural masterpiece Tomba Brion and the state-of-the-art Blackwater Testing Lab, further enriching the participants' experience with real-world applications of façade performance testing and design. The international program attracted experts from all over the world, including, among other countries, participants from the Emirates, Mexico, the US, the UK, Denmark, Japan, Germany, Belgium, France, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Canada.

Each edition has underscored Venice’s role as a global hub for advancing façade innovation, offering a unique platform for forward-thinkers to reimagine the potential of building envelopes. The initiative continues to inspire and empower participants to shape the future of architecture and sustainable design.

Past Events

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Angela Mejorin

Curator

As a vanguard in the field of building envelope design, Angela Mejorin brings a dynamic blend of expertise in façade technology, wind engineering, and standards development to the forefront of sustainable and resilient architecture. With a mission to redefine building performance, Angela's career is marked by her innovative approaches to enhancing serviceability, sustainability, safety, and efficiency in façade systems across diverse environments.

Angela is a recognized authority in the global façade design community. She founded and curates the Performance-Based Façade Design Initiative, an international platform fostering collaboration and innovation among experts in façade design, manufacturing, testing, research, and standardization. Under her leadership, the Initiative has hosted influential events in Venice, including the acclaimed 2024 seminar "Façade Reflections," which united over 100 global pioneers to discuss cutting-edge advancements.

Angela's professional journey reflects her dedication to driving industry transformation. With experience spanning roles as a project leader and voting member in prominent organizations such as ISO, CEN, and ASTM International, Angela has contributed to the development of international standards for curtain walling and building hardware. Her academic pursuits, including dual doctorates from Western University and the Università Iuav di Venezia, have positioned her as a thought leader in wind-borne debris mitigation and performance-based façade testing.

A prolific author, Angela has penned groundbreaking publications such as "Cyclone-Glazing and Façade Resilience for the Asia Pacific Region", published by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat. Her work has earned her prestigious accolades, including the 2023 Vitruvian Honors for Outstanding Façade Research and recognition as an Emerging Professional in 2024. Angela's multifaceted career also includes hands-on engineering experience in complex projects like the Alfa Romeo Museum and Intesa Sanpaolo Bank Headquarters.