When a project with oversized architectural glazing is completed properly, it can completely transform a building. However, working with these large pieces of glass comes with its fair share of challenges. Over the years, we’ve learnt the ins and outs of working with architectural glazing, and today we’re going to share our company’s top lessons from working with oversized architectural glazing.
Oversized Glazing Can Create Incredible Installations
Around the world, companies are continually looking for ways to push the limits of what is possible with architectural glazing. There are now pieces of glass on offer as large as 3.6m by 20m, but these are only continuing to grow when we work with overseas suppliers. Of course, the larger the piece of glass, the more concerns there are about performance for the project. The design process takes a lot of time and effort to ensure there are no safety concerns when it comes to using oversized glass. We’ll work to ensure all of the site conditions are met and figure out site-specific wind loads before starting work. The frame needs to be able to handle the weight of oversized glass, as some of it can crush the chambers when not fitted properly.
Glass Isn’t Perfect
We often see glass structures and think they are absolutely flawless. Especially if you’ve visited glass homes or luxury hotels, you might think the process of fitting glass is easy. Making oversized architectural glass is not an easy undertaking. This is why so few companies around the country are willing to tackle this challenge, as they understand that glass is not a perfect material to work with. When it comes to making custom glass installations, you’ll find that these are incredibly costly. While the standard of architectural glass continues to improve, the right standards must be applied to any project when working with oversized glass to avoid defects.
Even with high standards followed, there are likely to be defects in each piece of glass somewhere along the line. While the visual impact is usually enough to cover up these small issues, you’ll want to understand that no piece of glass is perfect. When individuals and companies make peace with this fact, they’ll enjoy working with this material much more than they expected.
Architectural Glass Warranties
As with any type of building project, it’s critical to consider the warranties on oversized architectural glass. Until very recent times, this glass was actually sold without a warranty at all. However, you’ll find that now this varies between suppliers, so it’s critical to ask the right questions before starting a project. As you can imagine, it would be a huge mistake to not check about a warranty when you are putting so much into the project. This could soon end in disaster when using this material, especially if defects are found soon after the installation.
The Cost of Architectural Glazing
When you are working towards creating a unique structure or architectural glazing installation, it’s naturally going to cost quite a bit. As far as oversized glass, you’ll find that this is even more of an issue, and we always work with our clients to ensure they fully understand the expense that’s associated with oversized glass. Even just adjusting the design by the smallest of measurements can make a huge difference in the overall expense of the project. We recommend being very realistic about your budgeting before starting work with our architectural glazing project, or you’ll find that the work will only lead to disappointment for your team.
The Logistics of Working with Oversized Architectural Glass
A project of this size and complexity requires a fair bit of planning beforehand. Don’t expect the work to be completed overnight, especially when lifts and cranes are involved. When we work on a project within a city or busy area, this requires plenty of pre-planning to receive the required permission for the work to take place. Our team will work with you to manage expectations about the time and resources needed for the project. We’ll ensure you understand the implications of the work that you are requesting and are realistic about what’s needed for the project to be successful. Oversized architectural glazing creates absolutely stunning structures, but it won’t come without a lot of time and effort from everyone involved in the project.
Oversized architectural glass makes for an incredible update to any building or structure. However, as you can see, it requires quite a lot of pre-planning and realistic expectations from everyone involved. It’s certainly not a cheap undertaking, and when you start to realise that, you’ll be able to decide if this is the right option for your next project. Contact us today for more information about working with our architectural glazing company and how we can help you with your next architectural oversized glazing project.
