Soaring barrel-vaulted glass roof

Soaring barrel-vaulted glass roof graces Philadelphia's new Kimmer Center for the Performing Arts.

A soaring, 50 meter-high, barrel vault-shaped atrium roof of laminated glass with DuPont T Butacite ® PVB houses the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, Philadelphia's newest landmark (completion: December 2001), protecting what architect Rafael Vinoly calls "two jewels floating in a transparent box": the 2,500-seat Verizon Hall and the 650-seat Perelman Theater. The barrel vault ends on both sides in two colossal glass arches; both 'end walls' are also made of laminated glass with Butacite ® .

Vinoly's use of glass at the Kimmel Center creates dramatic interior and exterior views

A pure, gravity-loaded arch of laminated glass

The self-supporting barrel vault of laminated glass is unique for its huge size (radius: 26.5 m; span: 53 m; total area: 12,000 m2 ) and for its striking and varied aesthetic since it appears to float above the two transparent end walls. Project Architect at Rafael Vinoly Architects, Charles Blomberg, told LGN: "We were inspired by the great winter garden or greenhouse architectural structures of the nineteenth century, like Crystal Palace in London. The lobby is important at the Kimmel Centre; it is a place where people can gather all day and into the night in all weathers, year-round."

The Kimmel Center's roof is based on a column-free, self-supporting, 53 meter Vierendeel truss to arch across the span, and on folded glass plate action to create longitudinal stiffness. Blomberg explained: "There are no square or triangular panels of glass. Instead, the glass panels are leaning against each other at an angle of 45 degrees. The membrane of the arch therefore resembles a folded plate structure when seen close up and achieves the structural rigidity we needed; it's like window mullions holding up the building! The result is a pure, gravity-loaded arch of laminated glass that can bear snow- and wind-loads."

The Kimmel Center's roof is now a Philadelphia landmark

Outstanding climate control

Don McCann of glass fabricator Viracon said: "Aside from safety and strength, three main reasons for using laminated glass for the barrel roof were solar control, aesthetic appearance and cost efficiency. The custom-designed construction is made of a 10 mm layer of gray, heat treated glass followed by a 1.52 mm Butacite ® PVB interlayer, followed by a layer of 6 mm glass with a Low E pyrolitic coating on the inside. Testing confirmed that we got a better U value by incorporating the coating on the inner surface: a 51 percent shading coefficient is achieved. The architects wanted a good degree of natural light coming in through the roof but they also wanted to control heat build up and glare. The gray glass gives 43 percent light transmission and also reduces reflectivity by 8-10 percent compared to standard laminated glass."

Blomberg commented: "Laminated glass was essential for building the shading factor we needed into the glass construction. Without the Low-E coating, the solar gain would have been prohibitive. The roof has a massive surface area and its length extends for the equivalent of a whole city block! The use of laminated glass enabled us to exercise outstanding climate control.

"For the end walls, we specified that fabricator Dlubak of Blairsville, Pennsylvania should use two layers of 5 mm Starphire low iron tempered glass laminated with 1.52 mm clear DuPont T Butacite® PVB. The panes of glass we used are pretty big (135 cm x 170 cm) and laminated glass gives the best protection against glass fallout." The end walls invite visitors to visually take in the city of Philadelphia when they attend arts performances; likewise, since the facades are largely transparent at street level, passers by can see freely into the Center's impressive public plaza."

An economical structural solution

The structural engineers for the project were Dewhurst Macfarlane and Partners Inc. in association with Goldreich Engineering. DMP's Damian Murphy said: "People were incredulous at first about this project and I'm glad that we were able to negotiate it into reality. By using the strength of laminated glass, we found an economical structural solution for the end walls that cost just US$ 85 per square foot - US$ 135 per square foot including the cables. Usually a structural project of this type would cost up to US$ 250 per square foot so thanks to the structural strength of laminated glass and our engineering solution this cost about half the price."

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Spectacular Atria for Singapore Esplanade

The Esplanade/Theatres on the Bay in Singapore (completion October 2002) will be a focal cultural center for the country. Michael Wilford and Partners of London and DP Architects of Singapore drew up the initial design proposals for the project including early versions of the shell roofs, and together with London-based engineers Atelier One developed the current spectacular, complex geometry shell roofs of laminated glass incorporating DuPont T Butacite® PVB that give a 1,800 seat theatre and an equally large concert hall two distinct identities.

The design of the atrium evokes southeast Asian textile and basket weaves.

DP Architects Project Director for the Esplanade, Vikas Gore, told LGN: "The laminated glass roofs were designed to give people inside the building wonderful views in all directions including the river, waterfront and nearby civic district including Parliament House, while keeping Singapore's hot and sultry climate out." (Singapore is located just one degree north of the equator.)

Gore noted that the original design, when exhibited in its preliminary form, was found 'too Western' by critics in Singapore. In a revised design, these concerns were met by using a combination of folded aluminum sunshades and an organic geometry for the structural mesh, which together are evocative of the textile and basket weaves of South East Asia. He explained: "The geometric shapes we selected for the roofs were calculated using computer aided design (CAD) to reduce solar build up. The combination of fixed, aluminum sunshades and double glazed, laminated glass with a Low E coating enabled us to meet Singapore's Overall Thermal Transfer Values (OTTV) code, a strict environmental law designed to optimize the thermal coefficient and save energy consumption in Singapore's new buildings."

Glass roofs keep the interior cool and give great views to people inside.

Neil Thomas of the UK-based structural and environmental engineering firm Atelier One/Atelier Ten commented: "These huge laminated glass domes are 125 m long and span 95 m wide. No less than 25,000 m 2 of laminated glass was mandatory for the extensive, overhead glazing the architects wanted. What is amazing is that, while reducing solar gain sufficiently to meet the OTTV regulations, the glass is at the same time very transparent, so the views are fabulously clear."

Mero of Würtsberg, Germany is the cladding contractor while AGP Pte. Ltd. of Singapore is supplying the laminated glass for the project. The glass construction is 28.76 mm Enviro-Cool Double Glazed Units made up of 6 mm Saint-Gobain Parsol Green tinted tempered glass, separated by a 12 mm air space, 5 mm Pilkington LOF Low-E clear float glass, 0.76 mm DuPont T clear Butacite® PVB interlayer and 5 mm Guardian clear float glass. AGP's Managing Director, Lim Chuin Yong, commented: "The complexity of the project is that there are over 9,000 panes of glass of different shapes in this project!"

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Laminated glass: the solution to retail owners' security concerns

Guest Editorial

Charles Vachon President, National Gate and Glass Lincoln (RI) USA

DuPont has done a great job of working with architects and the architectural glass industry to understand, develop and promote the use of laminated glass worldwide. Within the retail environment in particular, as the examples on page four of this issue of LGN show, architects in all continents are using laminated glass for a diverse range of applications - not only for economic and functional reasons but also for the pure aesthetic delight of using the material.

Yet sadly, the general public in North America is still too often ignorant of the benefits laminated glass can bring - not only in shops but also in offices and homes. The material is still all too often perceived as vaguely 'more expensive' and its wide range of benefits remains largely unknown. Sharing the benefits with building owners - from the business community to homeowners - has to be our next major challenge.

National Gate and Glass Corp. supplies storefront glass to retailers throughout North America, from nationwide chains to single outlet owners. However large or small, our customers have similar concerns when it comes to the storefront glass they use with regard to cost, appearance/aesthetics, security and service.

The good news is that in 99.9 percent of cases, we find that the installation of 6 mm + 6 mm laminated glass with an interlayer of 0.76 mm Butacite® PVB interlayer solves all of these concerns with ease! Laminated glass is an ideal solution for modern retailers in terms of same day installation, security prevention, protection from the UV rays that cause the degradation of store displays and furnishings and the elimination of boarding following damage to the storefront.

Time is money

Everyone in the retail construction value chain, from owners to foremen, are concerned with costs. We are able to address this first concern pretty quickly. In the USA, laminated glass costs almost exactly the same as tempered glass to purchase and install per square meter. In Australia and Europe, it can be significantly cheaper than tempered glass! In the case of breakage, the cost benefits of laminated glass can be seen very clearly; as store owners, managers and loss prevention departments know, time is money! Unlike tempered glass, laminated glass allows stores to stay open in the case of breakage since cracked or broken glass stays in the frame, adhered by the PVB interlayer. Smaller locations that are boarded up with plywood can leave customers with the impression that they are closed - and nobody can afford that. It's critically important that everyone knows that you are still open for business.

Better looking storefronts

The second major concern is aesthetics. Many of our retail customers located in downtown areas automatically assume that shutters will have to be installed to ensure adequate security after store opening hours. It is always a pleasure for me to see the relief on customers' faces when I tell them about the security benefits of laminated glass and how the material eliminates the need for shutters, allowing much better looking storefronts.

A real boost to the bottom line

A third concern is security. The loss prevention officers of major retailers understand perhaps better than anyone else the extent to which break-ins and vandalism negatively affect the bottom line. My retail customers tell me that the average cost of a break-in is US$ 30,000. This not only includes stolen goods but also takes account of the costs related to store downtime while repairs are effected, clean-up costs, inventory evaluation, and insurance assessment. Increasingly, retailers' loss prevention departments are prevailing in getting any broken glass in the store replaced with laminated glass. One retailer told me that over a three-year period, this policy has resulted in a 50 percent drop in damage from vandalism due to the added strength of laminated glass.

For the past five years, loss prevention officers have also been strongly in favor of getting laminated glass installed right from when the original storefront is specified. Because loss prevention is now recognized as such a major driver of profits and the bottom line, they are seeing their views prevail with owners. The task now is to help spread the word to commercial and residential owners everywhere regarding the optimal solutions that laminated glass solutions bring to them.

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Laminated glass: "An excellent material for use in ships"

Passengers embarking on the Carnival Victory will discover a 10-story laminated glass atrium amidship.

Joe Farcus of Joseph Farcus Architects PA (Miami Beach) works with the Fincantieri shipyard of Trieste, Italy to fit luxury cruise ships from US company Carnival Cruise Lines with an abundance of laminated glass applications for reasons of dramatic aesthetics, safety and strength.

Farcus told LGN: "Laminated glass is an excellent material for use in ships. Besides its inherent beauty, structural strength and sound insulation qualities, it is also easy to maintain and clean - and it is incombustible."

Adriano Biloslavo of the Fincantieri shipyard explained: "12 mm laminated glass is used in almost all of the Victory's public rooms, both for safety reasons and because Farcus likes to use exciting decorative designs and colors which are only possible with a laminated glass construction."

Exciting decorative designs and colors are made possible with laminated glass construction.

Atrium

Farcus and Biloslavo worked together on The Carnival Destiny (1996), Triumph (1999) and Victory (2000), as well as new projects for the Carnival and Costa Cruise Lines. One of the first impressions guests have as they arrive on The Victory is of an impressive laminated glass atrium, 10 floors deep, that gives a dramatic effect over the main lobby, photo gallery, shops and a four deck-high, decorative mural.

Farcus said: "On a cruise ship, claustrophobia can be a problem. The atrium opens up the interior of the ship to the sky and lets in lots of natural light." Biloslavo commented: "An important reason for the use of laminated glass in ship atria is that the constant movement of the ship, combined with substantial solar gain from tropical weather, could lead to the deformation or even the explosion of tempered glass. The PVB interlayer in laminated glass solves this problem by maintaining the structural strength, adding a certain flexibility, and reducing the build up of heat."

A 10-m diameter dance floor uses diachronic laminated glass for dramatic lighting effects.

Dance floor

The Victory also features a diachronic laminated glass dance floor, 10 m in diameter, which architect Farcus says he wanted for a "jewel-like, iridescent effect and a reflective surface. Cruise ships are always somehow restricted in space and one of the effects of the glass dance floor is to make the space seem bigger than it really is. Laminated glass provided the necessary strength for the floor and was needed to implement the diachronic film that gives the effect of disco lighting."

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Laminated side windows for Mercedes E Class

Mercedes E Class

Mercedes wanted nothing less than the latest technology for its 2002 E Class model with ultimate occupant comfort and safety as the primary goals. As part of the overall automotive glass solution for the car, PPG Industries Inc. supplied laminated side windows incorporating PPG Sungate® infrared reflective coating to reduce road noise, cut down on heat load and maximize safety and security.

PPG Market Manager, Glenn Davis, told LGN: "Tests at automotive OEMs, PPG and DuPont have shown that, depending on the frequency range, the installation of laminated side windows effects an average three decibel reduction in overall road noise. Tests on the E Class also confirmed that heat load is also reduced by 20 percent through the installation of laminated side windows with the Sungate® coating. This makes a strong contribution to occupant comfort, saves on air conditioning costs and helps the car meet environmental regulations.

"In the event of a serious road accident involving the car turning over, laminated side windows stay in frame, preventing occupant ejection. Combined with the installation of airbags, this prevents serious injury by keeping people inside the vehicle - often saving lives."

Davis continued: "Another benefit of laminated side windows is enhanced property protection. Whereas tempered side windows typically break immediately upon impact from a break-in instrument, laminated sidelites could take between 15 and 20 seconds to break through - long enough to deter most thieves." He noted that at 4.1 mm overall thickness with a 0.6 mm PVB interlayer, the laminated side windows are thinner than some tempered side windows (which can vary in thickness from 3.6 to 5 mm) and that the PVB interlayer makes the overall weight of laminated side windows lighter than an all-glass, tempered solution.

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Thai expert speaks on out energy conservation

Professor Dr. Soontom Boonyatikam

In 1997, Thailand legislated the use of laminated glass for facades in buildings over 23 m in height, when the total internal area is over 10,000 m2 , or if the building is over 15 m in height and the total internal area is greater than 1,000 m 2 . Managing Director of leading regional glass supplier Thai German Specialty Glass of Bangkok, Winai Taweeskulchai, commented: "This legislation is good for the safety of Thais since it obliges contractors to implement a solution that will prevent falling glass in the event of breakage."

Since the regulation was introduced, Thai German Specialty Glass has worked on two Bangkok projects using laminated glass. The first is the city's Shinawatra University (completion: mid-2002) with leading Thai firms DCM 2000 Co. Ltd. and Nipat Associates. The university's striking facade incorporates 1,610 m2 of double glazed glass with both sides laminated and 2,255 m2 of single laminated glass for safety, energy saving and noise control. The second Bangkok project, also by DCM 2000, is called 'The Energy Conservation Building'. The facade uses 1,550 m2 of double-glazed laminated glass, again for safety, energy saving and noise control.

Bangkok's Shinawatra University uses laminated glass for safety, energy savings and noise control.

Prof. Dr. Soontorn Boonyatikam, principal architect at DCM 2000, told LGN: "We selected laminated glass in these two projects for reasons of safety, insulation/energy efficiency and the elimination of UV rays. In addition, we particularly value the noise reduction properties of laminated glass in the context of downtown Bangkok, which is very noisy. Laminated glass therefore represents a terrific combination of properties!

"On behalf of the Thai government, DCM 2000 has conducted studies that show conclusively that laminated glass combining high light transmittance with a low shading coefficient is the major factor in a building when it comes to energy conservation. Laminated glass can therefore make a big difference to the comfort level of people within the building. The more we learn and care more about energy conservation and occupant comfort, the more we understand that laminated glass is by far the best solution." Dr. Soontorn's book, "The Use of Glass in Architecture" was published in 2000 by the Thai government's Department of Energy.

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Renzo Piano creates cloud-like, shimmering towers in Sydney

Pritzker Architectural Prize (1998) winner Renzo Piano also holds a string of other honors including the Kyoto Prize and the French Légion d'Honneur. The Renzo Piano Building Workshop has offices in Genoa (Italy) and Paris.

Sydney's Aurora Place and 88 Philip Street - a downtown residential building and commercial development respectively - were commissioned by Land Lease Development Corporation to celebrate the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games. As the occasion befitted, architect Renzo Piano wanted them to be spectacular. In his words, he aimed to create for Sydney "two cloud-like, ghostly towers shimmering in the city's skyline." The whole project uses white laminated glass with DuPont T Butacite® PVB and a ceramic frit throughout to achieve its remarkable aesthetic effect and a number of functional purposes.

Piano explained: "At first sight, the buildings seem to be an exercise in pure form, as if they were sails that rise until they suddenly adopt the shape of an unfolding fan. In fact, however, the building's striking form also incorporates functionality, sociability and technological innovation."

A fritted laminated glass skin regulates building climate control while delivering a pleasing ethereal quality.

The design has a built-in, ethereal quality, making it less imposing on its surroundings. Piano said: "It was important to give the project a delicate, free shape, as captured in the shell-like slope of the main facades. The fritted, laminated glass skin of the buildings regulates the sun's rays and wall temperatures, while taking on a homogenous cream-white, ghostly pallor. The glass skin extends beyond the building volume, dissolving its edges and accentuating the building's overall lightness."

Creamy white fritted laminated glass with Butacite®

Piano said that pure low-iron laminated glass is used in a number of ways throughout the project as the interface between the interior and the exterior, the ground and the sky: "The shell-like East and West facades, the fins and the sail are smooth panels of creamy white fritted laminated glass. The white color is achieved by the use of a single laminated and fritted pane of low-iron glass throughout the fins, sail, spandrel and column panels. On the large vision panels, the frit fades away to reveal a bright, clear, mildly reflective window to the view.

"There are high levels of natural, untinted daylight in the office areas. Clear, ultra white glass is used as it provides the most sensitive relationship with the outside in terms of the best lighting penetration. This glass, used in combination with a mild level of reflectivity and colorless low emissivity coatings, creates an ideal balance between daylight, glare control and thermal performance." The selection was optimized by Arup Facade Engineers using advanced radiosity software developed by the University of California at Berkeley.

Laminated glass for 'fins' and 'sails'

Laminated glass "sail" atop Aurora Place

Piano continued: "The laminated glass fins and sail are the extension of the facade beyond the enclosure of the building. Expertly trimmed like sails on a yacht, the fins and sail serve to mitigate the effects of wind on the facade and on the ground plane."

Dramatic canopy

Ken McBryde (Innovarchi, Sydney) and Christopher Kelly (Architectural Workshop, Wellington, New Zealand), the two representative architects for the Renzo Piano Building Workshop in Sydney, were involved from the early design stage of Aurora Place until its completion. According to them: "Unique in Australia, the dramatic laminated glass canopy to the piazza is designed to deflect the down drafts common to the area. A lightweight spider web of tension cables and suspended laminated glass, the canopy laces the two buildings together. This hovering horizontal plane of white fritted laminated glass shelters the piazza, cafes, retail areas and Lobby entry from both wind and rain."

Ken McBryde told LGN: "The canopy was constructed by Austress Freyssinet of Sydney and uses laminated glass from Thai German Specialty Glass and DMS Glass (both of Sydney)." DMS Glass also supplied laminated toughened glass for the podium ground floor entrance glass screens, the balustrades and other glass canopies.

McBryde continued: "Throughout the project, the laminated construction we selected protects the ceramic frit, which is so essential to the unified aesthetics of the facade, sail and fins. Lend Lease Corporation was very concerned about safety and backed us up in the decision to use laminated glass throughout the project to prevent glass fallout. Lastly, laminated glass brought us acoustics benefits, particularly in terms of traffic and wind noise."

A "sophisticated glass product"

Bob Randall of global glass fabricator Viracon told LGN: "The architect wanted to create a building that was as transparent as possible while simultaneously harmonizing with the Sydney Opera House. The heavy silk screening on the facades was specifically intended to maintain color unity with the Opera House. Laminated glass is used to set a new industry standard in terms of the versatility of glass as a multifunctional building material.

"The facade was the most sophisticated glass product we've ever had to design. The spandrel glass is comprised of two plies of PPG Starphire glass bonded together with Butacite ® as well as a 60% silkscreen dot pattern on the #2 surface. In the vision area, the insulating unit's outside lite is comprised of two 6 mm PPG Starphire low-iron glass plies bonded together with DuPont T Butacite ® . We incorporated a light pewter-colored, solar control coating in the laminate and a Low-E coating on the inside pane of clear glass. A silkscreen dot pattern was applied to the #2 surface around the border (60 percent at the edge gradually fading out until the center of each pane is clear), allowing the spandrel and vision glass to blend into each other.

"Solar control, obtained using a neutral, earth-toned glass product was a cornerstone of the project. This laminated construction also gives high light transmission, providing a high degree of natural day lighting and a naturally comfortable interior space. The third surface pewter coating gives the solar performance, while the Low-E coating on the fifth surface gives a low U value. The Low E coating also reduces the temperature of the glass surface on the inner lite, for the increased comfort of occupants sitting near the windows. The acoustic properties of this glass construction are considerable, providing an STC rating of 43. Finally, laminated glass was selected for its safety properties; the laminated glass on the outboard of the entire facade prevents glass fallout in case of breakage."

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Peace of mind for golfers with SentryGlas ® Plus

The Diplomat Hotel in Florida is protected with windows of SentryGlas ® Plus

According to architect Richard Graham of Sandy & Babcock International, the New Diplomat Hotel (completed 2000), situated just two kilometers inland from the Florida coast on a golf course, is demure in style, resembling an Italian villa - a deliberate 'antidote' to the flashier beachfront hotels that dominate Miami's seafront.

To give golfers ultimate in peace of mind, the windows of the hotel are laminated with DuPont T SentryGlas® Plus ionoplast interlayer. Ray Crawford of glazing contractor Crawford Tracey told LGN: "The hotel's windows are 13 mm thick including a 2.28 mm layer of ionoplast interlayer. This fulfils Dade County hurricane codes regarding impact from wind borne debris while giving the windows a scratch-free surface. The ionoplast interlayer also gives an excellent sound-dampening characteristic (SDC) compared to monolithic glass. Lastly, the strength of SentryGlas® Plus provides unparalleled protection against break-ins."

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Retailers choose laminated glass!
All over the world, retailers are capitalizing on laminated glass for outstanding aesthetics with other benefits like socially acceptable security measures built in.

Modern glass storefronts "make cities safer", says ex-NYC Police Chief Bill Bratton

Bill Bratton

Former New York City Police Commissioner William J. Bratton says that retailers can play an important role in making today's cities safer by choosing modern glass solutions for storefronts that eliminate the need for old-fashioned steel security grates and bars.

Bratton told LGN: "Many stores in U.S. cities resorted to the installation of dark, foreboding, steel grates (which tend to get immediately covered in unsightly graffiti) as a response to the riots of the 1960s and rising crime in the '70s and '80s. When these are installed, it means that the only light on the street is from street lamps, which is clearly not conducive to public safety. Also from the point of view of store owners, it's bad for business because as a consumer, when you see a shop front with grates or bars you ask yourself whether it's a good idea to be shopping in that area, whether it's safe! That is a big difference compared to cities in Europe, where you have pleasant-looking, illuminated storefronts to help light up the streets.

"With today's modern glazing, store owners can install effective security glass solutions. This means that old-style grates and bars are no longer necessary. In turn, feelings of confidence, safety and security are transmitted which I believe also contribute to a drop in the social tensions that can contribute to vandalism. Feelings of transparency - which glass storefronts encourage - are generally good, whereas feelings of secrecy - typified by grates and bars - are generally bad, socially and psychologically. In addition, businesses benefit from security glass storefronts because they can display their goods attractively for 24 hours a day.

"The SoHo area of New York City is a case in point. Just 10 years ago, retailers throughout the district boarded up at night. These days there are fabulous, night window displays and the whole area has transformed; the nightlife there goes on until after three in the morning!"

William J. Bratton is recognized for his leadership of public safety initiatives focused on the prevention of crime, disorder and fear. He served as Police Commissioner for the New York City and Boston Police Departments in the 1990s; during his tenure, a 39 percent reduction in major crime and a 50 percent reduction in homicides were achieved.

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Retailers choose laminated glass!
All over the world, retailers are capitalizing on laminated glass for outstanding aesthetics with other benefits like socially acceptable security measures built in.

Security showcases with SentryGlas ® Plus display fine jewelry with ultimate clarity - at a cost advantage

U.S. nationwide store fixture specialist Twin City Creative Mirror Inc. of Burnsville, Minnesota (USA) has started selling a new, high-clarity solution incorporating DuPont T SentryGlas® Plus ionoplast interlayer for the security glass showcases that retail stores need to display fine jewelry to its best advantage.

And because SentryGlas® Plus provides ultimate strength and security at a slimmer glass construction thickness than previous security showcase alternatives, standard display cabinet fixtures can be used rather than specialty constructions - bringing a cost advantage to retailers.

Twin City Creative Mirror company president Wayne Gaikowski says his company fulfilled its first order for the fine jewellery display cabinets containing the DuPont ionoplast interlayer via specialty retail case manufacturer Hanson Woodwork, to the Queens (New York City) branch of one of America's biggest and best-known department store chains in 2001. The laminated security glass was supplied by Cardinal Laminated Glass of Amery, Wisconsin.

Gaikowski explained: "Until now, jewelry displays have used a 1 am construction incorporating glass clad polycarbonate for the vision area to provide adequate protection from thieves or vandals. SentryGlas® Plus is clearer and more attractive, and equivalent security is achieved with a 6 mm glass solution (2 x 3 mm layers of clear glass with a 2.28 mm interlayer of SentryGlas® Plus). Since this is the glass thickness used in standard U.S. store fixtures, it opens the way for increased use of the DuPont ionoplast interlayer elsewhere in the billion-dollar U.S. store fixture industry in terms of cost-effective security display installations."

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Retailers choose laminated glass!
All over the world, retailers are capitalizing on laminated glass for outstanding aesthetics with other benefits like socially acceptable security measures built in.

New Prada Universe will "reshape shopping pleasure" using laminated glass

Upmarket fashion chain Prada went to two top European architectural firms - Pritzker Prize winners Rem Koolhaas's Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA) of Rotterdam (Netherlands) and Herzog & de Meuron of Basel (Switzerland) - to create a new "Prada Universe", to be unveiled at four major new Prada stores in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Tokyo, between 2001 and 2003. These flagship stores make highly innovative use of laminated glass "to reshape the concept and function of shopping pleasure and communications outlets so as to fuse consumption and culture", according to Prada.

San Francisco's glass portholes

San Francisco: earthquake-proof facade

The 4,000 m 2 glass and steel facade of Prada's 10 story-high, San Francisco headquarters and retail outlet (completion: 2003) will inverse the usual expectations of a storefront. Scheeren said: "The facade was designed with Ove Arup to resist a 1000-year earthquake; over 8,000 circular, perforated windows of laminated low-iron glass (5 cm to 19 cm) provide depth and relief to the exterior facade. They also bring varying light reflectivity and transparency to the interior of the store.

Beverley Hills: view cones

Sidewalk passers-by can view down into the Prada store displays.

"In the Beverley Hills store (completion: mid 2002), conical 'view cones' of laminated glass (1 m wide and 3-4 m long) are cut into the sidewalk, enticing passers-by to peer down onto an attractive display of merchandise. Laminated glass gives us the structural strength we need for these large view cones, and thanks to a slip-resistant fret pattern, the safety you need for glass surfaces on a busy sidewalk."

Chic Milan store

Extra clear laminated glass with Butacite® PVB (8 mm + 8 mm with a 0.76 mm PVB interlayer) is used for its combination of clarity, safety and security in the striking entrance of Prada's original store, located in the heart of Milan's fashion district: the ultra chic 'via Montenapoleone'.

Clarity, safety and security (Milan)

Architects Studio Baciocchi of Arezzo (Italy), working with Modena-based fabricator, Grazi Cristalli, used sandblasted laminated glass with Butacite® , supplied by Saint-Gobain, extensively within the store (e.g. partitions, balustrades) for "a satiny effect that transmits lots of light while introducing privacy where needed", according to Roberto Baciocchi.

SoHo New York: transparent storefront elevator

OMA's Lead Designer of the U.S. stores, Ole Scheeren, told LGN "It was important to achieve maximum transparency in the front zone of the SoHo (New York) store (completion: December 2001); a cylindrical elevator (4 in diameter) with walls of curved laminated glass gives the visual transparency we wanted and also provides the required safety and security."

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Retailers choose laminated glass!
All over the world, retailers are capitalizing on laminated glass for outstanding aesthetics with other benefits like socially acceptable security measures built in.

Award-winning Vasco da Gama Center in Portugal

Glass atrium, escalators and bridges create and open, bright feeling.

Award-winning Expo 98 centerpiece, the Vasco da Gama shopping center in Lisbon (Portugal) was designed by the Manchester (UK) office of leading European retail architects, Building Design Partnership, working with local architect Promotorio of Lisbon. The center was commissioned by developer Sonae Imobiliaria of Portugal.

The main design feature of Vasco da Gama is a dramatic (35 m x 140 m) laminated glass roof, cooled by continuous running water from its ridge, and bordered by landscaped terraces. BDP described laminated glass as "fundamental" to the aesthetic and functional success of this retail project. Inside the center, laminated glass is extensively used for glass escalators, bridges and security storefronts. Promotorio worked with several local glass suppliers including Rivalvi of Povoa di Varzim and Guardian of Lisbon.

The Vasco da Gama center has won a number of prestigious international design awards including the International Council of Shopping Centers Award (Large Center Category) and the International Property Market Award.

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Retailers choose laminated glass!
All over the world, retailers are capitalizing on laminated glass for outstanding aesthetics with other benefits like socially acceptable security measures built in.

Sydney's Galleries Victoria: Old-world charm meets new-world glass technology

Traditional winding alleyways are protected from the elements.

The Galleries Victoria shopping mall in Sydney (completed: August 2000) designed by Crone & Associates of Sydney, reintroduces the winding laneways and alleyways known to the city 150 years ago - but in a modern contextual form, with the inclusion of a floating, laminated glass roof, 22 meters above ground, creating a weather-protected, naturally ventilated series of spaces. In another traditional architectural feature, laminated heat strengthened glass is used for the traditional street awnings that project into the mall and out onto the sidewalk; there is also a large, flat skylight of laminated heat strengthened glass over the mall's main piazza.

Clear glazed walls of 10.38 mm laminated glass are incorporated to form enticing entrances to the laneways.

Greg Crone said: "We set about developing highly transparent entries to allow the building street facade to continue in the laneways. The benefits of architectural laminated glass are becoming more widely accepted, with architects now challenging and extending the boundaries for which it can materially improve the amenity of the built environment and contribute to architectural form. Laminated glass also provides acoustic protection and fulfills safety requirements. The aesthetic variations are endless - from laminating in leaf forms to using tints or spandrel panels. We have used the material many of our projects over the past 15 years, in shopping malls, high rise office buildings, hotels and apartment buildings, throughout Asia, the Middle East and China."

All the laminated glass for the Galleries Victoria incorporates DuPont T Butacite® PVB and was supplied by G. James Safety Glass of Australia.