Blinding Design
29 January 2004
The aptly named Clearwater Court in Reading is the newly constructed headquarters of Thames Water plc. The landmark building makes extensive use of Pilkington Insulight™ Insulating Glass Units incorporating LUXACLAIR® Blinds on the exterior.
The aptly named Clearwater Court in Reading is the newly constructed headquarters of Thames Water plc, and has been designed as the business centre of the company's operations. The landmark building makes extensive use of Pilkington Insulight™ Insulating Glass Units incorporating LUXACLAIR® Blinds on the exterior. The Pilkington Insulight™ Units were supplied and processed by Pilkington Plyglass, one of Pilkington Processing and Merchanting UK's dedicated branches.
Designed and project managed by architects, Barton Willmore in association with Ridge and Partners, the building is curved in shape, with an impressive and visually stunning facade of concrete and glass. Two tubular glass staircases form a focal point, located at either end of the structure. Electric LUXACLAIR® blinds were placed at fixed angles at the top of the windows, with manually operated blinds underneath. In total, 1400 units were required to accommodate the great expanse of windows.
The blinds control light intensity, helping to protect the occupants from direct sunlight. The blinds themselves comprise a special micro-venetian design, integrated within a completely sealed double glazed window unit. The glazing is a combination of 8mm and 6mm toughened heatsoaked and 8mm and 6mm clear annealed glass, cut and processed to the correct dimensional specification by Pilkington Plyglass. The blinds are operated without breaking the insulation seal.
Maintenance, accessibility and cleanliness posed a problem for the architects as it overlooks the Thames, but using the LUXACLAIR® blind system with Pilkington glass, offered the most suitable and cost effective solution.
According to a company spokesman, the system "provides a functional purpose and compliments the general visual appearance of this project, with the River Thames constantly reflected in the glass."
The energy efficient design of the building has led to it being awarded a BREEAM (BRE Environmental Assessment Method) Excellent Rating, with nominations for the RIBA Awards 2002 and the Concrete Society Awards 2002.
Pilkington Processing and Merchanting UK is the specialist business of Pilkington, merchanting bulk glass and processed bespoke products for the industry, and is renowned for the assurance it offers in terms of the quality of the end product and throughout all stages of the manufacturing process.
The aptly named Clearwater Court in Reading is the newly constructed headquarters of Thames Water plc. The landmark building makes extensive use of Pilkington Insulight™ Insulating Glass Units incorporating LUXACLAIR® Blinds on the exterior.
The aptly named Clearwater Court in Reading is the newly constructed headquarters of Thames Water plc, and has been designed as the business centre of the company's operations. The landmark building makes extensive use of Pilkington Insulight™ Insulating Glass Units incorporating LUXACLAIR® Blinds on the exterior. The Pilkington Insulight™ Units were supplied and processed by Pilkington Plyglass, one of Pilkington Processing and Merchanting UK's dedicated branches. Designed and project managed by architects, Barton Willmore in association with Ridge and Partners, the building is curved in shape, with an impressive and visually stunning facade of concrete and glass. Two tubular glass staircases form a focal point, located at either end of the structure. Electric LUXACLAIR® blinds were placed at fixed angles at the top of the windows, with manually operated blinds underneath. In total, 1400 units were required to accommodate the great expanse of windows.
The blinds control light intensity, helping to protect the occupants from direct sunlight. The blinds themselves comprise a special micro-venetian design, integrated within a completely sealed double glazed window unit. The glazing is a combination of 8mm and 6mm toughened heatsoaked and 8mm and 6mm clear annealed glass, cut and processed to the correct dimensional specification by Pilkington Plyglass. The blinds are operated without breaking the insulation seal.
Maintenance, accessibility and cleanliness posed a problem for the architects as it overlooks the Thames, but using the LUXACLAIR® blind system with Pilkington glass, offered the most suitable and cost effective solution.
According to a company spokesman, the system "provides a functional purpose and compliments the general visual appearance of this project, with the River Thames constantly reflected in the glass."
The energy efficient design of the building has led to it being awarded a BREEAM (BRE Environmental Assessment Method) Excellent Rating, with nominations for the RIBA Awards 2002 and the Concrete Society Awards 2002.
Pilkington Processing and Merchanting UK is the specialist business of Pilkington, merchanting bulk glass and processed bespoke products for the industry, and is renowned for the assurance it offers in terms of the quality of the end product and throughout all stages of the manufacturing process.
Pilkington Insulight™ with Luxaclair® Blinds