When architectural
practice Scott Brownrigg designed a new building at the headquarters of FTSE
100-listed wealth management business St James’s Place, it wanted to give the
building a suitably impressive centrepiece to welcome employees, clients and
partners.
This was achieved in
the form of a three-storey atrium, created using the Pilkington Planar
structural glazing system.
The space sits between
the two major elements of the building and is enclosed by a 12.8 metre tall
vertical entrance screen and glazed roof.
The designers wanted,
as much as possible, for the atrium wall and roof to be an uninterrupted
surface of glass and Pilkington Planar was the ideal solution.
The roof is supported
by stainless steel rod tension structure, while the entrance screen features
full-height glazed fins, which provide structural strength without compromising
on transparency.
The fixings used in
the installation are unique to the Pilkington Planar Intrafix system and
utilise the Planar 905J stainless steel fittings in the vertical screen and
Planar 902 fittings on the roof, in conjunction with the Planar Nexus castings.
All of the glass is
toughened and heat soak tested to provide strength and security to the design,
and the double-glazed units that make up the surface consist of an outer 6mm
pane of glass – incorporating a high-performance 6mm Pilkington Suncool 50/25 Pro
T solar-control coating to help reduce heat build-up in warmer months. This
reduces transmission of energy from the sun to just 27 per cent, while allowing
46 per cent light transmission.
On the roof, the inner
pane is 19.5mm Sentry Glas laminated utilising Pilkington Optifloat toughened
and heat soak tested glass, while on the entrance screen it is a single 15mm
Pilkington Optifloat toughened and heat soak tested glass.
Between the panes of
glass is a 16mm-thick argon-filled cavity, contributing to the high level of
thermal insulation delivered by the system.
The high-energy
performance of the glazing has helped towards the project’s BREEAM Very Good
rating.
Jason Eggerton,
Pilkington Planar Business Development Manager, said: “This project really
shows off the impressive capabilities of the Pilkington Planar™ system.
“The minimalist rod
rigging structure and the ultra-low-profile stainless steel fittings mean there
is a spectacular sense of a free-standing wall of glass.
“This is another
example demonstrating the position of the Pilkington Planar system as the
premier choice for larger structural glazing installations.”
Paul Williams,
managing director at Vitrine Systems said: Standing inside the brightly lit
atrium and looking up, you get an almost uninterrupted view of the sky,
creating a truly impressive sense of space.
“Once again it has
been a pleasure to work with Pilkington. We have a longstanding relationship
with them in delivering projects like this as a seamlessly integrated team.”
The new 50,000 sq ft
headquarters is home to 425 employees.
