No, we are not going to do a retrospective on 2024. We are going to look ahead: what will 2025 bring us? We are not choosing the easy path in the coming months, that is already clear. Every Metadecor project is unique and has a deeper meaning – in the design, functionality or method of production and installation – and we will tell you more about this in the coming year.

With many challenging projects in progress, in design and engineering and its own Shadow Pavilion in the making, Metadecor's third decade is about progress, innovation, high performance with low-tech and the Art of Creating Shadow.

We learned a lot in 2024, the year that Metadecor existed for twenty years. We not only learned from the projects we were allowed to do, but also about ourselves, the values ​​we stand for and the challenges we can and want to take on. Metadecor has grown again and not only in turnover figures.

Multifunctional elements

2025 is the year of delivery and publication of a number of projects that have involved a lot of practical thinking and smart ingenuity. A façade renovation in the south of France, a beautiful stadium in Helmond, a brutal building with a corten façade in Belgium, a pergola in California, a ceiling with a world map, a subtle screen for a villa... we are eager to publish them, to show what beautiful things we can make.

We would like to tell you what these projects are, do and can do, other than being attractive: keeping out sun, wind and rain, contributing to the energy efficiency of the buildings, sustainable and logistical solutions for difficult locations, embedding a building in a (historical) context, smart production and assembly techniques… There are so many layers of meaning and function!

Design a shadow, then the façade

We are therefore challenging our network (and ourselves) for the year 2025: we are turning it around. First think about what a façade should do, be able to do and be - before a design is made.

First design those beautiful shadow patterns - then think about what kind of façade you need. Reverse logic. Completely close that south façade to limit the sun load? This may not be necessary at all with an MD Formatura element for a glass façade, where the twisted elements block the greatest solar load but daylight is admitted - sparingly.

“Shadow” is of course a metaphor when we talk about the Art of Creating Shadow. It is not only about keeping out or directing sun(light), but also about all those other themes that have been mentioned and are "included" in a design process, but could just as well be the starting point. Start with functionalities and the (side) effects and design the best solution from there.

Shadow Pavilion - ode to the sun

To show what we mean by 'thinking differently' and 'challenging yourself', Metadecor has taken the initiative for the Shadow Pavilion. This pavilion is an ode to the sun and an example of carefully handling everything that the sun brings us, dynamic sun protection without the use of electricity and responsible use of building materials.

The Shadow Pavilion is a collaboration with startup Airshade Technologies (see the page about the prototype we built together for Abu Dhabi), Alumet (our partner in anodizing), architectural firm MVRDV, Van Rossem Raadgevend Ingenieurs (for the construction), ARUP (for the solar studies and geometric and mechanical elaboration) and AMOLF Institute (for the development of the 3D printed actuators of the Airshade installation). We expect to present the pavilion to an international audience in early May.

Do you want to stay informed? Follow us on social media and via our newsletter!