Terracotta cladding is lauded for its design, flexibility, distinctive colours, natural textures, and for being durable and providing sustainability. Terracotta is a material that has stood tall for thousands of years dating back to the Babylonians architecture.
SO WHAT IS TERRACOTTA CLADDING?
Terracotta cladding is an architectural cladding material that provides a certain degree of thermal insulation and weather resistance while providing aesthetic feature to the façade. 
Terracotta has a long life cycle when compared with other cladding materials available in the market. It is possible to have a terracotta cladding product last for years without the need of extreme maintenance , though every 10 years there might be the requirement of power washing the façade to get rid of the dust accumulated. 

One of the most common ways to install terracotta is based on the rain screen principle, which comprises of terracotta panels, supporting track systems, ventilated cavity and vapour barriers. Terracotta panels are hung onto an aluminium sub-support system, offering the durability of a masonry installation without the added weight. The ship- lapped open joints, makes it possible for the air to circulate between the cladding and insulation, thus, minimizing pressure differential inside and outside the wall cavities. 

By creating a continuous insulation outboard with overlapping joints, the system helps to drain water away from the cavity and thus protects the wall constructions of the  building from rain, wind and snow. 
The other two types of terracotta cladding are precast concrete panels and sun shading. 

In precast solution, the terracotta siding is embedded into large precast concrete panels. This system is ideal when looking for strength, durability and also flexibility in design. Upon glance it looks like a terracotta building from the exterior and a solid concrete wall from inside. When it comes to the installation, solid terracotta panels with a thickness of 10-30 mm is often adopted. This type of solid tiles normally features a dovetail profile on the backside

Terracotta sunshade also can be called as sunscreen, it is a special terracotta wall cladding product where the cladding textures provide shading to the building. Architectural terracotta sunscreen profiles can be used for feature parapets, as ventilating security screens or decorative architectural elements. Terracotta sunscreens play an equal role as horizontal reflectors.  Light “bounces” off horizontal sunscreen surfaces and supplements direct lighting through solar radiation using indirect light, which then penetrates deeper into the room.

EXAMPLES OF TERRACOTTA CLADDING IN ARCHITECTURE :
Mercy Corps Global Headquarters by Hacker, Portland, OR, United States
Source - https://architizer.com/blog/inspiration/collections/the-art-of-terracotta/
LONGOTON Terracotta Rainscreen Panels by Shildan

 

Located in Portland’s Skidmore Fountain Historic District, the Mercy Corps World Headquarters project combined a full seismic upgrade and complete restoration of the 41,000 square foot historic Reed Building with construction of a new 41,000 square foot adjacent office building that fronts Waterfront Park.  The Mercy Corps building was built to exemplify a sustainable, community-focused approach. The landmark project combined a green roof, with resource-friendly landscaping and a glass and terracotta envelope.

Certified LEED Platinum, the project uses Shildan/Moeding LONGOTON® terracotta with extruded, double leaf, 40mm panels. The panel has increased strength from a chain of internal I-beam supports. The panels were chosen because of their flexibility in being able to be incorporated in both horizontal and vertical support systems, as well as a flexible orientation in layout.

School of Art & Design at New York State College of Ceramics by Ikon.5 Architects, Alfred, NY, United States
Terracotta panels by Boston Valley Terra Cotta

New York State’s Art Pavilion was created as a “ceramic vessel” holding both light and art. The terracotta tube façade screens both rain and solar heat, while its staggered pattern was inspired by pottery racks. The design was inspired by the region’s history of manufacturing ceramics, and incorporates the unglazed, hollow tubes with an off-white pigment.