Architectural Screens

Architectural screens found on commercial buildings and residences are aesthetically pleasing, but more often than not, they are versatile and functional and fun.

In hot climates, a variety of architectural sun protection screens appeared during the midcentury in an assortment of materials and styles; masonry walls, wood louvers and metal grilles were the most common.

Here, screens were often made of 16-inch square semi-open concrete block, referred to as "screen or solar block" — standardized off-the-shelf decorative units sold locally. But exclusive patterns were sometimes produced for a distinctive look.

On occasion, bricks were used. Laid at various angles, airspace made brick walls semi-transparent as well.

Metal screens and wood louvers crafted during this era were used as infill panels, vertically and horizontally. Whether modestly linear or designed with complex organic forms, they were elegant and transparent functional works of art with that space age, futuristic feel of the era.

Whatever the material or pattern, these screens are multifunctional. Not only do they provide sun protection, but they offer diffused light and security without windows or shutters while providing permanent ventilation.

Initially they can appear static, but the patterns ensure endless variation. Depending on the time of day and season, shadows alter the surface and the appearance of the cutouts, while behind the screens, intricate shadows and reflections evolve and transform.

In many South Florida mid-century CBS (concrete block stucco) homes built in the late '50s, courtyard entries are common. Screen blocks, in a variety of patterns, create semi-private outdoor rooms. These permeable walls guarantee breezes flow through open windows beyond and light gently transfers from one space into the next, blurring the line between inside and out.

Excerpt from, Architect About Town – Ft Myers NewsPress - October 9, 2010. Columnist Joyce Owens, AIA.