The facade of CitySquash is a direct outcome of the building’s internal logic. With the squash courts located on the second floor, transparency at that level was neither possible nor desirable. If the game could not be seen from the street, the building itself would have to express it—a billboard for squash, not through signage, but through motion.

The building has two facades, each calibrated to its context and program. The front expresses squash—its speed, physicality, and play. The rear facade imagery shifts toward academics, reflecting learning as a parallel path to growth and success.

The aim was to translate the sport’s speed, energy, and dynamism into architecture. The effect is achieved through a folded metal facade perforated with images on alternating faces. Each surface carries a different pattern. As pedestrians move along the sidewalk, one image comes into focus while the other fades away. The architecture reveals itself only in motion, unfolding over time as part of the street.

The design process relied heavily on physical testing. A full-scale mock-up was built from chipboard to evaluate legibility, depth, and movement.

Fabrication itself introduced inevitable imprecision. While the perforated sheets were cut efficiently, folding the panels proved less exact. Minor variations accumulated as the metal was bent, subtly changing panel dimensions. Architect-Led Design Build allowed these tolerances to be absorbed during installation without compromising the overall effect. Precision mattered where it counted; flexibility did the rest.

At CitySquash, the sport becomes architecture—not a static image, but a moving experience.