One characteristic of most common building materials is that they move, both in response to directly applied loads and in sympathy with changes in ambient moisture and temperature levels. Designing for this means allowing buildings to be essentially flexible, and accommodating less flexible or brittle materials – such as glass – by suitable provision for differential movements and detailing to prevent this becoming a problem. Whilst seemingly a small issue, taking full account of this when designing fundamentally changes the way one thinks about building, especially in combination with the issue of ‘breathability’. In this, much can be learnt from traditional detailing.
