Expanding Application of Perforated Metal Materials in Construction and Architecture

Perforated metal materials (PMM) combine a range of properties, including rigidity, strength, lightweight, small thickness, a dosed transparency and decorative attractiveness. All these bring new application effects in construction industry and architecture. Nowadays, PMM are widely used in design of facades and interiors all over the world, becoming more popular in Latvia as well. The paper touches several aspects of PMM applications, including its decoration function, shadowing of sunlight, sound and noise barrier function and the problem of corrosion when exploited outdoors. Possible perfection may include using different coatings, multi-layer design variants and integration with other constructional materials in order to provide better sound absorption, corrosion resistance and functionality. (paper)