ABSTRACT
Architects probe the essence of a material to identify design imperatives for its best use in building. The range and adaptability of terra cotta defy simple characterizations. Terra cotta arrived in building cultures as an imitator of carved stone. In the prolific period from the 1870s to the 1930s, it moved from replicas of classical elements to streamlined ceramic veneers covering the surface of non-bearing façades. In the 1980s, terra cotta was rediscovered as a rationalized rainscreen that brought color, texture and scale to a world dominated by broad expanses of metal and glass. Since then, the volumetric properties of the material have rebounded with intricate shapes, shadows and brilliant color. As the perfect, plastic medium, terra cotta has given form to the architectural ideas of each epoch. It brings delight to the solid walls and controlled glazing of high performance buildings. Going forward, it will lower the embodied carbon of façades if it can be applied with less aluminum. The carbon calculation will improve if longevity and potential re-use can be fully realized. The ideas that drive terra cotta circle back on themselves over time, while the material remains a uniquely capable agent of the imagination.
