Media Facade

A media facade is a general term for building facades used to display moving images, graphics, or light shows. They transform buildings into oversized screens or light installations. Mediamesh (see above) is a specific form of this.

There are several types of media facades:

• LED modules: Densely arranged LED panels that display high-resolution content (e.g., large advertising screens on buildings). These are often non-transparent and appear as giant screens.
• Pixel light points on the facade: Individual LED points are distributed on or in the facade (e.g., at the nodes of a grid). From a distance, they form an image, while up close, the underlying facade remains visible.
• Projection facades: A projector casts images onto a (usually light-colored) facade. The building acts as a screen but remains passive.
• Hybrid forms: Such as mesh fabrics with LEDs (Mediamesh) or glass panels with integrated LEDs.

A media facade always requires a control system – usually, content can be changed via computer. Applications include not only advertising but also artistic installations (e.g., light art on museums), information displays (e.g., weather, stock tickers in animated form), or pure decoration (flowing colors, etc.).

In the context of GKD and metal mesh, the focus is especially on transparent LED facades. These offer dual functionality: during the day, the architectural appearance is preserved; at night, the facade becomes a media surface. Traditional LED walls, by contrast, often conceal the architecture.

One challenge of media facades is resolution vs. size. Buildings are large, but they are typically viewed from a distance. Therefore, a relatively low resolution (e.g., 40 mm pixel pitch) is sufficient to create a legible image from 100 meters away. From 10 meters, however, individual light points become visible. This variable perception plays a role in the design: media facades are planned to appear optimal from the typical viewing position.

Integration into facade construction is another consideration: media facades require power supply, data cables, and maintenance access – all of which must be accounted for during building planning.

Examples:

• Galeries Lafayette in Berlin temporarily featured a media facade with colored LEDs behind glass louvers.
• The Uniqa Tower in Vienna has an LED glass facade.
• Airports and shopping centers are increasingly incorporating media-enabled elements.

For GKD as a company, the term is important because it defines the field in which products like Mediamesh are used. If an architect is planning a media facade, GKD may be able to offer a solution using metal mesh.

In summary: A media facade turns a building into a carrier of digital content. Metal mesh offers a variant that combines transparency and architectural quality with digital playability. In the glossary, the term serves to explain this context.