For decades, architects designing ambitious façades have been hearing the same message: “Your design is too complex to build.”

Too many unique panel sizes.
Too much curvature.
Too many angles.
Too many custom details.
Too expensive to manufacture.
Too risky to install.

Once photovoltaics become part of the façade, the complexity only increases. As a result, ambitious façade concepts often become simpler during engineering. Curves become straight lines. Complex geometries become repetitive modules. Colours become compromises. Eventually, the building that is constructed no longer reflects the architect’s original intent.

Building-Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV) adds another layer of complexity. Unlike conventional façade materials, every panel must perform two functions simultaneously: it must generate electricity while also functioning as a certified building product. That means every design decision influences appearance, manufacturability, structural performance and energy generation at the same time. (Nature)

The challenge is therefore not simply whether BIPV can follow the architecture, but whether the complete supply chain (from engineering to manufacturing and installation) is capable of delivering it.

Why geometry matters

Most façades are no longer flat. Today’s architecture increasingly includes curved or folded façades, twisted volumes, parametric geometries, triangular and trapezoidal modules and non-repetitive panel layouts. From an architectural perspective, these geometries create identity and expression. From a manufacturing perspective, every deviation introduces additional complexity.

A façade that contains hundreds of unique modules is fundamentally different from one built with repeating rectangular panels. Each unique panel may require its own glass dimensions, laminate, electrical layout, production drawing, logistics label and installation sequence. That is why geometry is often the first element to disappear during value engineering.

Flat geometry is easy. Complex geometry is coordination.

Many people assume curved BIPV is primarily a manufacturing challenge. In reality, production is only one part of the equation. And … the real challenge is coordinating multiple disciplines simultaneously, like architecture, façade engineering, structural engineering, electrical engineering, manufacturing, logistics and the final installation. Every specific design change affects all of them.

Successful BIPV projects therefore rely less on finding a manufacturer that can produce custom panels, and more on finding a partner capable of coordinating the entire process from concept to completion. Market analyses consistently identify integration complexity, fragmented supply chains and limited multidisciplinary expertise as major barriers to wider BIPV adoption. (pv magazine Global)

Curved: Is any design possible?

Curved façades present a good example. Architects generally distinguish between several situations:

Faceted Geometry
The building appears curved, but is actually composed of many flat panels. This is often the most practical solution for BIPV.

Cold-Bent Glass
The glass is bent during installation. Possible under specific conditions, but structural behaviour, tolerances and long-term stresses must be carefully engineered.

Truly Curved Glass
The glass itself is manufactured with curvature. This represents the highest level of complexity and affects manufacturing, lamination, coatings and electrical integration.

Not every project requires this level of complexity. Knowing which solution best matches the architectural intent is often more valuable than pursuing the technically most advanced option.

Questions every architect should ask

Before selecting a BIPV supplier, architects and façade consultants best move beyond product specifications. Instead, ask questions about project capability. Like:

Design Freedom

• Can every panel have unique dimensions?
• Are triangular or trapezoidal modules possible?
• Can the electrical design follow the architectural grid?
• Which geometries have already been realised?

Manufacturing

• How many unique module types can be produced efficiently?
• How is colour consistency maintained?
• What quality controls are performed?
• Which certifications apply?

Because BIPV modules replace conventional façade materials, they must satisfy both building-envelope requirements and photovoltaic performance requirements, including structural, weather, fire and electrical standards. (BUILD UP)

The difference between customisation and complexity

Many suppliers promote customisation. Few explain what happens after the drawing leaves the architect’s desk. Real project complexity is not measured by colour options or panel formats. It is measured by the ability to deliver hundreds or thousands of unique modules while maintaining the architectural quality, manufacturing precision, installation efficiency and a predictable energy performance. Those capabilities determine whether an ambitious façade remains a rendering, or becomes a building.

How Pixasolar approaches complex geometry

At Pixasolar, geometry is not treated as a manufacturing limitation but as an engineering challenge. Rather than adapting architecture to fit standard solar modules, we start with the architectural intent and work backwards to determine the most feasible technical solution. Our objective is quite straightforward: Preserve the architect’s vision while ensuring the project remains manufacturable, certifiable and economically viable.

The future of BIPV is unlikely to be defined by higher module efficiencies alone. It will be defined by how successfully photovoltaic technology disappears into architecture. As buildings become more expressive and geometrically ambitious, the critical question is: Can the original architectural vision still be realised once photovoltaics become part of the building envelope?

We think it can.