façade

architecture

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July 23, 2026

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In architecture, a facade refers to the front or any face of a building that is given special architectural treatment. The term originates from the Italian word "faccia," meaning "face". Facades are crucial elements that define a building's appearance and character, often incorporating windows, doors, and decorative features. They can range from simple and functional to highly ornate, reflecting the architectural style and historical period of the structure. Beyond their literal architectural meaning, facades can also be used figuratively to describe a false or superficial appearance designed to conceal true feelings or situations.1234

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Western architecture
Origins and development in Rome
…1597, he designed the revolutionary facade of the church of Santa Susanna. Roman church facades in the late 16th century tended to be either precise, elegant, and papery thin or disjointed, equivocal, and awkwardly massive. Maderno’s Santa Susanna facade is an integrated design in which each element contributes to the…
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…1597, he designed the revolutionary facade of the church of Santa Susanna. Roman church facades in the late 16th century tended to be either precise, elegant, and papery thin or disjointed, equivocal, and awkwardly massive. Maderno’s Santa Susanna facade is an integrated design in which each element contributes to the…
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Western architecture
Late Gothic
…it, the development of elaborate facades. Most of the important examples are in northern France—for example, Saint-Maclou in Rouen (c. 1500–14) and Notre-Dame in Alençon (c. 1500). France also produced a number of striking 16th-century towers (Rouen and Chartres cathedrals).
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…it, the development of elaborate facades. Most of the important examples are in northern France—for example, Saint-Maclou in Rouen (c. 1500–14) and Notre-Dame in Alençon (c. 1500). France also produced a number of striking 16th-century towers (Rouen and Chartres cathedrals).
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Western architecture
The Orientalizing period
…the pattern of the columnar facades and upperworks that formed the basic decorative shell of the Greek temple building.
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…the pattern of the columnar facades and upperworks that formed the basic decorative shell of the Greek temple building.
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Western architecture
Early Renaissance in Italy (1401–95)
…Renaissance treatment of a palace facade was carried further in the Palazzo Rucellai (1452?–1470?) at Florence, following the design of the great architect Alberti. Classical orders were applied to the palace elevation by Alberti, using pilasters of the different orders superimposed on the three stories, so that there was another…
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…Renaissance treatment of a palace facade was carried further in the Palazzo Rucellai (1452?–1470?) at Florence, following the design of the great architect Alberti. Classical orders were applied to the palace elevation by Alberti, using pilasters of the different orders superimposed on the three stories, so that there was another…
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