we decided to use henry's airbloc 33mr as the surface material on the main facade for several reasons. first and
foremost, conceptually, the surface needed to be black or near black to read uniformly as a single layer with the
glazing during the day to contrast with the white of the gradient slat screen. we wanted a smooth texture that
would be appear seamless (in opposition to the seamed roof) and wouldn't require upkeep or change much over
time (once we decided not to make the slat screen demount-able, this became our top priority as the material
would more or less have to remain 'as is' for the life of the building). finally, we liked the idea of a micro-thin,
liquid applied membrane that adhered directly to the plywood sheathing to provide both our air/water barrier and
our siding, eliminating both construction time and material expense. although airbloc 33mr is uv-resistant and
therefore intended for exterior use, henry's didn't have any local examples where a heavy rainscreen or cladding
hadn't been additionally applied so we crossed our fingers. the final result has a beautiful texture, more like
superfine sandpaper or grip tape than the expected rubber. the surface is seamless and easily concealed
cracks, joints, and even framing ties. an added bonus is the blueskin flashing which allowed us to eliminate the
metal flashing around the sliders we would have needed for a plaster finish, metal, or wood cladding.
