Moscow International University glass atrium, Moscow, Russia

Founded in 1992, Moscow International University is the first Russian non-state
educational institution. It has six faculties, four higher education and two post-graduate schools, catering for approximately 1700 students. Two years ago, a decision was made to reconstruct the old building and build a new one adjacent to it. This increased the university complex area to 14,800 m2. To connect the two buildings and benefit from the open space, an atrium with a glass roof was built.

Electrically-heated roof glazing was selected for two main reasons. First, the roof is at an angle of 1.5 to 5 degrees horizontally. Secondly, the snow load was calculated as 720 kg/m2. Therefore, the heated roof was designed to melt  the snow, enabling natural daylight to still flood into the atrium during winter.Specially designed insulating glass units (IGUs) incorporating Pilkington K Glass™, low emissivity glass with hard conductive coating, were produced to meet the design and functional challenge.

Approximately 400 IGUs totalling 700 m2 of different sizes and forms (trapeziums and triangles) were produced. Each IGU was unique, to accommodate the curved form of the roof. The IGUs with electric heating incorporated consisted of an outer pane of laminated 6 mm Pilkington K Glass™ (toughened) with 10 mm Pilkington Optifloat™ Clear (toughened) and inner pane laminated from two panes of 3 mm Pilkington Optifloat™ Clear.

With the new atrium, the University now has a modern look and a bright sunny area for students to either study or rest.

Alexander Loktev, “ARS”

(ZAO “MosPromStroy”)