Can stick curtain walls be customized more easily than pre-assembled unitized systems?

Customization is a nuanced trade-off. Stick curtain wall systems often provide greater on-site adaptability for bespoke geometries, curved façades, or irregular openings common in signature architectural projects across the Middle East and Central Asia (including bespoke resorts in Kazakhstan or cultural centers in Uzbekistan). Because stick systems assemble components piece-by-piece, installers can adjust mullion lengths and transom positions on-site to accommodate last-minute changes or tolerances.

Unitized systems can also be highly customized — but customization occurs primarily during the design and factory engineering stage. Complex shapes, integrated blinds, or unique corner conditions require advanced engineering and potentially custom tooling for module assembly. The advantage of unitized customization is that once engineered, each custom module benefits from factory QA and uniform finishing. However, lead times and tooling costs can increase for heavily customized unitized designs.

As an aluminum façade manufacturer, we advise clients to evaluate design maturity and project timeline: early design freezes and repetitive façades often favor unitized custom modules for consistent results; exploratory or highly irregular façades may benefit from stick systems’ field flexibility. In practice, many projects use a hybrid approach — unitized modules for repetitive zones and stick-built assemblies where customization and onsite adjustment are necessary.