Depending on the specific criteria of an installation, there are a range of structural glazing systems available to ensure the desired finish and performance is achieved. Glass-fin (mullion) units, for example, are among the most popular where a seamless finish is required.

Glass Structure. There are numerous structural glass systems offered by various suppliers that open up vast possibilities for architects, allowing them to create a complete glass envelope for buildings with frameless façades on any plane.

Designing glass for use in barriers can appear complex at first, with a number of safety and technical measures to take into consideration. In this article we explain the design principles behind some of the most common glass barriers.

Chemistry of Glass. The main constituent of Flat Glass is SiO 2 (silica sand). This has a high melting temperature in the region of 1700 degrees C and its state at this temperature is like syrup on a very cold day. The basic building block of silica has a tetrahedral pyramid shape with silicon at its centre linked symmetrically to four oxygen ...

Glass can be curved, clear, body-tinted or coated, low-e or reflecting. More recent achievements of Pilkington Architectural's ingenuity include Pilkington Planarclad ™, which permits windows to be opened in a building whose walls and roof may be totally clad in glass.

Glass panes can be installed in a system based on aluminium or steel profiles or as a point fixed structural glazing system where conventional metal framing is eliminated and the glass is mechanically fixed. Contemporary minimalist architecture is simple shapes and uniform colours.

Glass in Architecture showcases a selection of buildings from around the world, inspired by the most creative architectural ideas using glass.

Pilkington fire-resistant glass is represented in several hundred fully tested and approved glazing systems. This includes doors and partitions of various framing materials and designs, facades and roof glazing and more recently even the first fire-resistant sliding doors and windows.

Pilkington Planar™ provides a bolted glass surface for façades and internal walls, utilising stainless steel fittings housed in countersunk holes to fix the glass directly back to the structure. The result is a fully engineered system offering all of the properties of conventional framed façades, with the minimum of visual obstructions.

Creating a light well by using glass in the roof is a popular way of introducing light to central areas of a building. In addition to the normal considerations of thermal and solar control, sloping glazing is overhead glazing and we need to choose glass that is safe.