GRC Façade Systems

Why GRC Façades Make Sense in the Gulf

Across Saudi Arabia and the wider Gulf, developers want façades that look bespoke—curved, perforated, deeply profiled—without loading the structure with heavy precast or stone. At the same time, consultants need systems that can be engineered, tested, and installed repeatedly on tight programmes.

Glass Fiber Reinforced Concrete (GRC, also called GFRC) answers this by combining a thin, 8–15 mm skin with glass fibre reinforcement and perimeter ribs, creating panels that are up to 70–75% lighter than traditional precast concrete while still having high flexural strength.   The lower weight cuts structural demand and simplifies lifting, especially on high-rise or overhanging geometry.

GRC also brings shape freedom. Spray or premix processes allow sharp lines, curves, and textures that are hard or uneconomical in stone or standard precast.   In hot climates, GRC panels can be designed as rainscreen or stud-framed systems that incorporate insulation behind the thin concrete skin, improving thermal performance without making the façade massive.  

For owners, the result is simple: you get the visual impact of carved stone or precast, but at a fraction of the weight, with better control over joints, fixings, and long-term behaviour.

When GRC is the right choice:

• When the structure cannot support the weight of stone or precast

• When the design includes curves, deep profiles, or detailed patterns

• When large facades require fast and efficient installation

• When long term performance is required in hot and dusty areas

• When value engineering is required without reducing architectural quality

What It Covers & Key Applications

What It Covers

Sana Al Jazira’s GRC façade offering covers the full system, not just loose panels:

• GRC panels and elements for podiums, towers, and public buildings.
• Domes, cornices, columns, balustrades, and decorative soffits.
• Parametric and non-repetitive panels, including double-curved surfaces.
• Stud-framed and bracket-supported systems with defined fixings and secondary steel interface.
• Integration with insulation, air–water barriers, and backing walls according to project requirements.

Key Applications

• Large cladding systems on hospitality, cultural, and civic projects.

• Complex podium façades combining solid GRC, perforated panels, and recessed glazing.

• Underpasses, tunnels, parking structures and infrastructure where impact and durability matter.  

• Domes and minarets where weight reduction is critical for the supporting structure.

Panelization Strategy: Getting GRC Joints Right

Joint layout is where GRC façades either look controlled and intentional, or chaotic and patched. The temptation is to chase the fewest possible joints, but that usually fights logistics, movement, and tolerances.

Good panelization starts from:

• Structural spans and support grid – panels should land on realistic fixing points, not imaginary lines.
• Access and handling limits – crane capacity, site hoists, and turning space often cap panel size well before strength does. 
• Architectural rhythm – joints should reinforce the façade language, not cut randomly across key features.

For GRC especially, longer, thinner panels can deflect under their own weight or during lifting. Panels need sufficient ribs or intermediate fixings, and deflection limits should be agreed early. We align horizontal joints with slab edges where possible and keep vertical joints within a repeatable module, even on curved or inclined walls.

Movement joints are non-negotiable. GRC panels must be allowed to move relative to the structure: fixings provide vertical support and restraint, but slotted holes, sliding anchors, or flexible sealants absorb differential movement due to temperature and shrinkage.

Fixings, Frames, and Durability of GRC Systems

UHPC’s high strength tempts designers to create large monolithic panels, but logistics and risk management still matter. Panel sizes are governed not only by structural capacity but also by transport limits, crane reach, installation access, and damage risk. Large panels reduce joints but increase complexity if anything goes wrong; smaller panels increase joint count but make replacement and handling simpler.

At Sana Al Jazira we usually start from:

• Target panel sizes suited to available cranes and site conditions.
• Logical breaks aligned with architectural rhythms, windows, and movement joints.
• Back-side ribbing or thickened zones where fixings transfer loads.

Fixings for UHPC panels typically use stainless steel anchors, embedded plates, or cast-in channels coordinated with secondary steel. Anchor layout considers eccentricity, panel stiffness, and local stress concentrations. Using mock-ups and trial installations early in the project allows us to validate tolerances and fine-tune connection details before mass production.

For highly sculptural elements—curved fins, perforated screens, or deep reveals—we combine 3D modelling with digital mould fabrication so each element is tracked from model to mould to casting. That reduces re-work and ensures that what arrives on site actually matches the coordinated BIM geometry.