Far From Being Curtains in New York

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06 March 2015 | Updated 01 January 1970

Claiming to deliver ‘remarkable’ aesthetics for architects, developers and building owners. It is said to be the only curtain wall system where the floating glass facade is held away from an attractive aerofoil shaped mullion without the use of obtrusive bolt fixings or transoms.

Its relative simplicity reduces risk of component failure, improves constructability and reduces costs of programme delays in both construction and post-construction phases.

Case study

The Simons Center for Geometry and Physics is a centre for theoretical physics and mathematics at Stony Brook University in New York.

It comprises two buildings – the brick ‘bar’ on the north side relates architecturally to the existing buildings adjacent to the site, while a modern curved glass structure on the south side creates a more open mass and main facade of the Center. These are linked by a glazed bridge that promotes collaboration and interaction.

The VS-1 mullion-only curtain walling system was used in the construction of the glass structures. The design and strength of the VS-1 system allowed for the simple integration of a cantilevered aluminium canopy as well as a louvre solar shading system without the need for extra bulky reinforcement.

For maximum impact VS-1 can provide unbroken vertical sightlines of up to 8m with a single pane of glass. The triple height meeting space of the Simons Center is flush glazed with VS-1 mullions notched around the cantilevered building structure. Details such as these enable the exterior glass pane at the front of the structure to appear to ‘float’.

Picture: The Simons Center for Geometry and Physics Stony Brook University in New York has Glassolutions’ VS-1 curtain wall system.

Article written by Cathryn Ellis | Published 06 March 2015

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