Tempered, laminated, insulated, frosted, channel, bird-safe, ballistic, decorative, stained—all manner of fabrication techniques and visual treatments make glass a go-to material for architects. On the following pages, review trends from professional and scholastic arenas; witness expert glazing usage at a consulate, school, and residential tower; and peruse new products. At the end of the section, don’t miss our in-depth resources listing, with recommended companies assembled from our coverage, events, and awards.
Viscous Catenary is a 2019 project by Gosia Pawlowska that explored kiln-formed glass draped over water-jet-cut steel molds. See more experimental glass research on page 44.
Glass Trends
The glass industry continues to evolve with new systems, techniques, and scientific advances.
As architects embark on a transition toward more sustainable methods of construction, the industry is slowly phasing out the all-glass enclosures that have for many years defined commercial projects. This change certainly doesn’t spell the end for glass, a material that has been used to create windows since Roman times. Rather, it entails a more thoughtful and restrained approach to its application. Here, we examine how manufacturers and government research laboratories, often guided by the evolving needs of architects and engineers, have developed new highperformance systems with improved structural capacity, longevity, and the ability to express complex geometries that will propel glass through its next century of use.
↑ Vacuum-Insulated Glazing
Today, double-paned glazing is the industry standard for windows in new construction, with some larger-budget projects even featuring triple-paned units. However, a new alternative to the insulated glass unit (IGU) is poised to disrupt the market. Known as vacuum-insulated glazing, the technology is assembled using two panes of glass, like an IGU, yet with a much smaller intermediary space, usually about 1 millimeter. The air between the panes is removed, hence the vacuum reference, and the addition of a molten ceramic seal provides superior insulation and an enhanced lifespan, collectively exceeding the performance metrics of a conventional IGU.
↑ Advances in Structural Glass and Custom Forms
While glass manufacturers work to adopt new sustainability targets, they are simultaneously expanding the material’s viability for applications beyond simple windows. Through scientific advances that allow for the production of larger sheets of tempered and laminated glass, the material is finding use as a self-supporting structural element, often used to transparently enclose massive corporate lobbies or frame the entrance to world-class art institutions. Meanwhile, curved glazing, once reserved for only the highest-budget projects, is becoming increasingly accessible as more manufacturers adopt costeffective cold-bending techniques, allowing architects to expand the formal language of their designs.
↑ Building-Integrated Photovoltaics
One of the most exciting new applications for glass is building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) technology, a classification of cladding products that produce renewable solar energy. While rooftop photovoltaics have existed since the 1970s, vertically oriented facade panels are gradually taking root in the industry, overcoming the high upfront costs that once hindered wide adoption. The photovoltaic cells are typically housed between two panes of glass in BIPV units, which can be either opaque or transparent, turning what are otherwise inert windows or cladding elements into energy producers that—in the long run—save money for building owners.
Every year, hundreds of millions of birds are killed by building collisions in the United States—and the number may exceed 1 billion. The transparent and reflective properties of glass prevent birds from seeing many tall buildings, resulting in mass avian casualties during the migratory season. To prevent this, many architects now specify bird-safe glazing for their projects. The most popular means of bird-proofing glass is the application of a frit to the panel, a visible pattern, often made from a ceramic material, which is baked onto the glass pane during the firing process. Less common is the use of ultraviolet reflective coatings, which are visible to birds but not humans.
← Glass Recycling
In the race to sequester embodied carbon, no topic is more important than circularity, a new approach to manufacturing, supply chains, and the wider economy that promotes the reuse of building materials. While it is comparatively easy to recycle bottles and consumer products made from glass, windows and glass building systems often vary widely from one another in chemical composition and method of construction, which prevents large-scale recycling. Furthermore, preparing glass building products requires a labor-intensive disassembly process. Despite these challenges, industry specialists are conceiving new methods of collecting and sorting cullet—broken pieces of postconsumer glass—while also redesigning and standardizing the production process in a way that eases
↑ Bird Safety
HILDEBRAND
JASON O’REAR
CHUCK CHOI
TODD MASON
TOM ARBAN
Metamorphosis
Revery Architecture alters Vancouver’s skyline with The Butterfly, a residential tower with organic curvature and custom glazing.
In the City of Glass, tall towers have tended to look alike. The homogenized skyline of Vancouver, British Columbia emerged during a construction boom in the 1990s, with the confluence of condensed construction timelines and restrictive zoning bylaws producing a seemingly endless repetition of sea-green tinted window wall condominiums across the city’s peninsular downtown. As Canada’s most expensive city rezones to increase density in the face of a worsening housing crisis, the skyline’s once implacable uniformity has begun to change, largely at the hands of Westbank, a local developer responsible for a series of striking new additions.
The firm’s portfolio includes the similarly massed Alberni and Vancouver House, designed by Kengo Kuma and Bjarke Ingels Group, respectively, two towers that appear to have a bit taken out of their bases, resulting in top-heavy forms that narrow as they approach the ground.
Westbank’s most recently completed residential project is no less experimental, particularly through its circular form and use of custom glass. It is the product of a collaboration with Revery Architecture, the rebranded continuation of Bing Thom Architects. Thom, known for his design of civic buildings and theaters, passed away in 2016. Since then, the firm’s scope of
work has expanded, with the office now pursuing large-scale commercial work.
The Butterfly is a 586-foot tower adjacent to First Baptist Church, an early-20th-century stone structure that together with St. Andrew’s Wesley forms the gateway to Vancouver’s West End. This site lies at the crest of a hill and is the highest elevation point on the downtown peninsula, creating the perception that The Butterfly is the city’s tallest tower, though it is technically surpassed by Living Shangri-La (659 feet) and the Paradox Hotel (616 feet), a former Trump Tower. Westbank was able to achieve this height thanks to zoning amendments in the 2013 West End Community Plan that upzoned sites along the periphery of the historic neighborhood, adding density without altering the district’s leafy midrise core
First Baptist Church, which owns the site, used proceeds from the development to finance a $30 million Canadian ($22 million U.S.) renovation project that included much-needed seismic and accessibility upgrades to the historic stone church, as well as the construction of a new addition that doubles the church’s community spaces to 80,000 square feet and features a small affordable-housing complex of 61 units.
Above this, the tower rises 57 stories across four cylindrical volumes that are fused at the center by an elevator core. In plan, the building resembles two parallel Venn diagrams or, conveniently, the four wings of a butterfly, although Revery insists this wasn’t intentional. The circular floor plates are subdivided so that each unit is oriented diagonal to Vancouver’s street grid, creating sightlines that penetrate the surrounding forest of condominium towers and open sweeping vistas of the city and mountains beyond.
However, The Butterfly’s most radical departure from the conventions of luxury high-rise design is the implementation of open-air corridors on each floor. Exploiting Vancouver’s temperate climate, these passageways are oriented to capture gentle breezes and are decorated with plant life, encouraging tenants to linger in what would otherwise be a transitory space.
“It’s a project that is trying to solve an urban problem: social isolation—something that is attributed to the city’s quick growth in density,” Amirali Javidan, director at Revery, told AN . “We were trying to see if we could improve high-density living by reintroducing semiprivate spaces, so that people are not just going directly to their private units without seeing each other or talking.”
On the exterior, the tower is cloaked in one of Canada’s all-too-ubiquitous window wall systems, though you’re hardly able to tell, as hollow GFRC panels are hung from the slab edge, swelling outward in bulbous, cloudlike forms. The white cladding alternates with ribbons of curved glazing, rotating in orientation on each floor to create a sense of variety.
Despite its assembly from standardized building systems and off-the-shelf products, The Butterfly is replete with customization and bespoke detailing. For instance, two enormous parabolic arches are carved into the base of the building. Derived from the fluted geometry of church organ pipes, the arches are faced with a tessellated veil of glass curtain wall and each rise multiple stories. One opens to the street, announcing the entrance to the lobby, while a taller iteration hovers above First Baptist Church. Conceived as a silhouette of the historic church, it matches the height of its 1911 bell tower.
The building’s lap pool is an equally impressive design feat. Situated atop the streetlevel podium, the natatorium is enclosed in a case of glass with a series of riblike precast concrete arches upholding the roof. This condensed space presented a technical conundrum: to eliminate massive amounts of condensation that would have rendered the glass nearly opaque (particularly in the winter), the pool needed a powerful ventilation system to
aggressively recirculate air. Not wanting visible vents to disrupt its design, Revery worked with RDH Building Science to conceal the system within the concrete supports, which also hide lighting and feature a special sound-dampening treatment along their inner surface.
As The Butterfly nears full occupancy and the official end of construction, Revery and Westbank’s next project is already underway across False Creek. Sen’ákw, a massive mixeduse development designed in collaboration with the Squamish Nation, is located on a repatriated parcel of land, allowing the Indigenous owners to skirt a local zoning ordinance and add 11 formally expressive towers to the historically lowrise Kitsilano neighborhood.
The character of the new building boom, which is affecting Downtown Vancouver as well as the exurbs of the Lower Mainland, contrasts with that of earlier periods, as described in local author Douglas Coupland’s seminal essay collection City of Glass , which examines the city’s quirks.
“If Paris is a city of monuments, and if Tokyo is a city of small beautiful moments, Vancouver is a city of scenery,” Coupland wrote. “It coasts on its scenery quite shamelessly, and many builders take advantage of our love of the mountains to build charmless concrete dumps.”
Today’s towers—particularly those developed by Westbank—aim to become scenery themselves, for better or worse competing for prominence with the city’s mountains, ocean, and forests. TS
tower in Vancouver.
Opposite page, clockwise from top left: The tower’s circulation spaces are open-air, exploiting the city’s temperate climate; a scalloped, parabolic arch was designed to negotiate the transition between the church and the new building; for each of their projects, Westbank invites the architect to custom design a Fazioli piano in the building’s lobby; a progression of precast concrete ribs frame a lap pool set atop the tower’s podium.
SIGNAGE/WAYFINDING: Cygnus, Multigraphics CODE, FIRE & LIFE SAFETY CONSULTANT: LMDG Building Code Consultants
GENERAL CONTRACTOR (NEW CONSTRUCTION): Icon West Construction
GENERAL CONTRACTOR (HERITAGE): Haebler Group
GLAZING CONTRACTOR: Lotte
FACADE INSTALLATION: Lotte
MECHANICAL/PLUMBING: Introba
SUSTAINABILITY & ENERGY MODELING: Introba
BUILDING ENVELOPE: RDH Building Science
MASONRY RESTORATION/STUCCO/PLASTER: Van den Kerkhof & Son
HERITAGE CONSERVATION: Donald Luxton & Associates
WIND: Gradient Wind Engineering
TOWER GLAZING/GFRC: Lotte
METAL CLADDING: Keith Panel Systems
POOL PRECAST STRUCTURES: Architectural Precast Structures
POOL GLAZING: Blackcomb Facade Technology
GALLERIA GLAZING: Echo Glazing
Left: At 586 feet, The Butterfly is the third-tallest
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COURTESY MACKAY-LYONS
Diplomatic Mission
The Miller Hull Partnership clads the main floors of the Consulate General Guadalajara in glass to inspire an inviting visitor experience.
They say you always remember your first time. For Brian Court, partner at the Miller Hull Partnership and project lead for the new $191 million U.S. consulate general in Guadalajara, Mexico, his work on the complex remains particularly memorable, even as he went on to work on subsequent U.S. Department of State Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations (OBO) assignments, building embassies and consulates for the U.S. government in Morocco, Malawi, and South Sudan. Court started on the complex, sited in Guadalajara’s tony Monraz neighborhood, nearly
a decade ago, and it served as a fitting introduction for his debut OBO project. The brief for the consulate general called for the creation of a ground-up structure to serve American diplomacy while being responsive and welcoming to Mexican and U.S. citizens in the country’s western state of Jalisco, a major economic and cultural center. The architects also carefully considered energy efficiency, workplace and leisure spaces for staff, and spaces for public art installations.
“That’s one of the most interesting parts of these projects,” Court told AN over a video
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call from the Miller Hull Partnership’s office in Seattle. “You’re working in a foreign culture, learning and adapting the buildings. On one hand, they have to represent America and democracy, and on the other hand, you’re trying to foster diplomacy. It’s got to be respectful of the host country; it has to be inviting and welcoming, but also secure and resilient.”
To achieve these disparate goals, Miller Hull designed a compound that emphasizes security while blending into the lush natural environment—Court proudly mentions the preservation of native jacaranda trees around the property, with “beautiful purple flowers that are in bloom most of the year in Guadalajara.” The facade is particularly striking: Clad in a curtain wall of proprietary ballistic glass, it invites employees and visitors to gaze out at those picturesque trees, with shading provided by a freestanding steel superstructure that references the vernacular precedent of the palapa . Court and his colleague Jim Hanford, a principal and leader of Miller Hull’s building performance and sustainability efforts, said that they performed extensive daylight analysis that informed the decision-making for the envelope and glazing.
The focal point of the complex is the main building, with consular services concentrated in a glass-clad second-floor cantilevered space, and a design aimed at streamlining the visitor experience. Miller Hull created 62 bank-teller-like “windows,” as Court called them, glassed-in interview spaces in an L-shaped configuration for Mexican citizens in need of visas and other documents.
Court explained that such service areas are typically placed on the ground floor, but Miller Hull reimagined the visitor experience for this unique project. “If we did this as a program diagram, it would have been a pyramid with a huge ground floor, and then every floor above that would get smaller and smaller. That didn’t make any sense,” he said. “The conceptual design breakthrough on this project was to take the entire consular program area and put it on the second floor.”
The first floor instead was dedicated to security and maintenance, and is an area where U.S. citizens can make transactions with consulate personnel separate from the Mexican clientele on the second floor. The third and fourth floors feature the consular workspaces, with windows providing views of Guadalajara and natural light for office staff. The layout allowed Miller Hull to place a large rooftop garden on the third floor so consulate employees can take advantage of the city’s temperate climate in a secure space.
Part of the delay in getting the project built was the relocation of the existing consulate from a rougher neighborhood to its new, more upscale home. Monraz residents were wary of an influx of visitors. The OBO also wanted to account for increased demand; Miller Hull planned for an increase to 2,500 daily visitors over the next decade, up from the current 1,200. Court said that Miller Hull considered community needs, adding underground parking lots on either side of the complex—one for consulate employees and one for guests. “It’s not typical that the U.S. government is going to provide parking for consular visitors,” he noted. “But it turned out that was the kind of critical linchpin to getting the neighborhood groups on board.”
It no doubt helped that Miller Hull delivered a design that goes beyond what most people would consider a government building aesthetic. The Guadalajara consulate resembles a luxury resort, with the 12,000-square-foot office building anchoring the property, separate residences for U.S. Marine guards, and entry pavilions that keep visitors in secure areas and away from the neighborhood streets. (It even earned Miller Hull an AIA Honor Award for Architecture in June .) There are water features throughout that double as passive cooling devices and areas for art displays such as a butterfly
sculpture by Norman Mooney, which alludes to Guadalajara’s famous monarch butterfly population. Court credits landscape architect Marilee Hanks of Knot Studio for the thoughtful interventions, including garden spaces that respect the local culture There’s even a rooftop pool and lounge reserved for U.S. staff and their families, though Court noted it is a standard amenity for OBO projects such as consulates and embassies.
East outdoor access makes all the difference. “You don’t have to check in and out with a marine,” Court said. “You can just open a door and walk outside. You can take your laptop outside, and you’re working in this great tree canopy in the habitat of Guadalajara.” RM
Previous page: The Miller Hull Partnership created a glass-clad, cantilevered section and centered much of the consular business on the second floor.
Top: The multi-building compound was designed to fit seamlessly into Guadalajara’s historic Monraz neighborhood.
Middle: A steel structure provides shading for the building’s exterior and interior, part of a design strategy to prioritize comfort for workers and visitors.
Bottom: The architects used thin floor plates and concentrated glazing in work areas to take advantage of Guadalajara’s natural light and scenic views.
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SLIMPACT
PROJECT SHOWCASE
Daytona Beach, FL
Pulp Studio contributed to the design and fabrication of the façade at the Cici and Hyatt Brown Center for Aerospace Technology at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida. The 65,000 sq. ft. facility supports aviation, aerospace, and STEM education.
This project stands out for its vibrant, color-shifting glass panels, which deliver a dynamic visual experience across the building’s exterior. Pulp Studio achieved these e ects through custom-fabricated dichroic interlayers that interact with light to create rainbow and metallic finishes. The result is a bold architectural statement that reflects the innovative spirit of the university.”
Architect: ikon.5
Photographer: West Tampa Glass
2100 W. 139th St. Gardena, California 90249 Tel: 310-815-4999 Fax: 310-815-4990
Catch up on the latest academic research on architectural glass.
Schools of architecture can foster an environment of experimentation that eventually leads to breakthroughs for the profession. The university setting challenges academics to take conceptual risks, an opportunity that becomes increasingly rare once entered into the field. As new tools and technologies have emerged over the last decade, there has been a particular rise in projects that push the limits of what materials can do—including glass.
The following research, including my own work, highlights how academics in the field are exploring this unique and capricious material. Although it presents more challenges than other materials, glass also contains so much potential. I find these projects inspiring because they represent a passion for hands-on prototyping with glass in the education of future architects—an important goal toward imagining better applications of glazing in the built environment.
Gosia Pawlowska is a glass artist and architectural designer based in New York. She is currently an instructor at NJIT’s Hillier College of Architecture and Design and specializes in mold-making for glass and digital fabrication.
Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning, University of Michigan
Glass Cast , developed by Catie Newell and her team in 2012, proposed a novel glass-forming technique whereby a repositionable pin mold was built into the floor of a kiln. They were able to form sheets of glass in real time by adjusting the height of each pin, remotely controlled by a servo motor and digital software. Through careful analysis of geometric properties and maximum allowable surface curvature, the final installation of undulating glass panels created kaleidoscopic effects of reflected light.
A subsequent project headed by Newell along with Wes McGee and Zackery Belanger, Long Range (2022), investigated the effects of curvature on the acoustic properties of slumped glass. Working with a team of students, they were able to test the impact of curvature and waterjet-cut perforations in sandwiched hexagonal glass panels on the reflective, diffusive, transmissive, and absorptive acoustic behaviors of the system. Extensive prototyping and simulations allowed the designers to calibrate the material’s geometry for desired ambient effects.
Masoud Akbarzadeh and the Polyhedral Structures Lab
Stuart Weitzman School of Design, University of Pennsylvania
Bridging the challenge of using glass as a primary structural system with the geometry-based solutions of polyhedral graphic statics, Masoud Akbarzadeh and his lab at UPenn have built two prototypes for a self-supporting glass bridge. Tortuca (2022) was assembled out of 13 hollow glass units (HGUs), together spanning over 10 feet. The top and bottom faces of each cell were cut from annealed glass using a 5-axis abrasive water jet, with acrylic spacers as side walls, which accommodated the connection mechanism to neighboring HGUs.
The research team expanded to include an array of collaborators from other institutions; last year, it developed and installed Vitrum Leve, or the Lightweight Glass Bridge, at the Corning Museum of Glass. It consists of ultrathin multilayered glass sheets (16 millimeters) that form a high-performance sandwich system. The internal flow of forces is contained within a slender cross section, resulting in an ultratransparent, high-strength structure. The main objective of this research is to demonstrate that a challenging material like glass can be used as a primary structural system while also appearing as an elegant design solution.
Michael Stern and Evenline
Glass 3D-printing from MIT to RIT
MIT’s Mediated Matter Group developed the first-of-its-kind additive manufacturing technology for 3D-printing optically transparent glass in 2014. The team of engineers, architects, and scientists was at the time led by Neri Oxman. The glass 3D printer consists of an integrated three-zone thermal control system with 4-axis motion control. A crucible of molten glass (1,000 degrees Celsius, or 1,832 degrees Fahrenheit ) is gravity-fed through a ceramic nozzle and deposited into a build chamber at 500 degrees Celsius, or 932 degrees Fahrenheit— the annealing temperature of glass—to control its cooling rate and prevent stress fractures. As an early proof-of-concept, a set of three 10-foot-tall glass columns were 3D-printed and installed at Milan Design Week in 2017. The pieces highlighted the geometric complexity, strength, and transparency of 3D-printed glass at an architectural scale.
Since then, this patented 3D-printer has endured several transformations and now exists as a third-generation model, G3DP3, owned and operated by Evenline in Rochester, New York, under the leadership of Michael Stern, one of the original team members from MIT. Stern teaches a digital-glass elective course at the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), while also continuing to collaborate with MIT’s FabricationIntegrated Design Lab. Together, they recently prototyped recycled glass structural facade systems. Previously, Stern worked with Daniel Lizardo of MIT to start Lios Design, a company that developed 3D-printed architectural lighting. The many iterations of this technology offer an interesting case study of work emerging from an academic setting to existing within the industry, where it is applied toward both decorative design objects and scientific innovation.
Telesilla Bristogianni and Faidra Oikonomopoulou Glass & Transparency Research at TU Delft
The Glass & Transparency Research Group at Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands (TU Delft) has established itself as a world-renowned institution focused on novel glass research for built structures. Currently chaired by James O’Callaghan, the team investigates diverse aspects of glass such as its structural performance and recycling possibilities. Assistant Professors Telesilla Bristogianni and Faidra Oikonomopoulou, also members of ReStruct Group, have been researching the mechanical properties of cast glass in load-bearing applications and how various types of glass waste can be recycled into cast volumetric components for architectural use. The university has led R&D efforts behind landmark commercial projects, such as Crystal Houses, an acclaimed glass block facade built by MVRDV in Amsterdam. Ongoing work also explores topological optimization, the use of glass in restoration, 3D-printed sand molds, glass forensics, and adhesives for float glass assemblies.
The previous projects represent the most inspiring efforts of architectural glass researchers I have encountered in academia. This work often involves teams of collaborators—both professors and students—and is made possible by funding. I personally became acquainted with glass through independent study, when I immersed myself in craft workshops at studios like Urbanglass and Brooklyn Glass. This inspired me to pursue an M.Arch thesis focused on the forming and assembly of architectural glass at the Bartlett School of Architecture within its Design for Manufacture course. There, I developed Viscous Catenary (2019), an assembly system of kiln-formed glass panels designed in Grasshopper and draped over waterjet-cut steel molds. Given the opportunity to present this work the following year at the ACADIA conference, I was grateful to connect with other academics engaging in similar topics.
I have pursued further research on steel formwork for glass made by robotic incremental sheet forming thanks to a residency with the Consortium for Research and Robotics ( Intentional Folds , 2022) and was awarded an Urbanglass Fellowship in 2022 to explore experimental molds for glass in collaboration with fellow architect Michael Haddy. Currently, I continue to share my knowledge on digital fabrication and mold making for glass as an instructor at the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT).
Through navigating the challenges of hands-on research with glass, I have direct appreciation for the investment required to produce meaningful results. Aside from developing custom machinery that can withstand high temperatures, I believe it’s possible to experiment with glass in more accessible ways, through inventive formwork design and mold-making techniques. My hope is that these examples of academic glass research will inform and inspire new investigations of the material, both at the high and low end of lab budgets.
Catie Newell
Gosia Pawlowska
The Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL/NJIT
COURTESY CATIE NEWELL, TAUBMAN COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE AND URBAN PLANNING
COURTESY POLYHEDRAL STRUCTURES LAB, STUART WEITZMAN SCHOOL OF DESIGN
COURTESY MIT FABRICATION-INTEGRATED DESIGN LAB
COURTESY RESTRUCT GROUP, TU DELFT
GOSIA PAWLOWSKA
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High Hopes
Lamar Johnson Collaborative transforms a long-shuttered Chicago school into the Aspire Center for Workforce Innovation, centered around a new crystalline triangle atrium.
Veteran Chicago Public Schools (CPS) teacher Barbara Johnson was teaching at Oscar DePriest Elementary School in 2013 when nearby Robert Emmet Elementary School was closed, one of four schools shuttered in the Austin neighborhood of Chicago, part of the largest mass closure of schools due to declining enrollment and poor academic performance—50 in all—in American history. Her school absorbed students from Emmet and much of the trauma from this loss. The building sat empty for years, but she never forgot about it. Every time she walked by, she would think, “If I ever got into some money, I would want to transform it into a homeless shelter,” she told AN. “But I didn’t have the resources.” However, the will, vision, and money were there to bring Emmet back, as her neighbors banded together to transform it into a workforce development and community services hub led by neighborhood-based nonprofits, Austin Coming Together and Westside Health Authority, with roots in the area. “Together they were able to do it,” said Johnson, who recently retired from teaching.
Darnell Shields, the executive director of Austin Coming Together, hands the credit back to the community itself: “I feel like the community reclaimed it,” he said.
Schools closed in 2013 have been converted into luxury housing, private schools, senior housing, and a union hall, but the $47 million Aspire Center for Workforce Innovation, designed by Lamar Johnson Collaborative (LJC), is the first comprehensive, community-led adaptive reuse of an affected CPS school. This effort is embodied in the Aspire Center’s dramatic 50-foot, triple-height atrium lobby and the glass curtain wall that erupts out of the legacy redbrick facade with the confidence and refinement of a cultural institution. It’s a signpost for the West Side of Chicago that there’s a future for self-determination and rebuilding after public sector abandonment.
LJC turned the building around to face the major intersection at Madison Street and Central Avenue, inserting the crystalline triangle atrium so that it “points up as [a] beacon,” said Shields. An orange sunburst vinyl decal at the atrium’s upturned corner, ascending to the horizon, adds another layer of branding and identification.
Thin, delicate aluminum mullions divide 12-foot-by-4-foot panes of glass, emphasizing the verticality of the space. It’s a typical commercial-grade finish that’s rare on the West Side, which has struggled with disinvestment and depopulation for decades. The mullions divide the curtain wall into three levels corresponding to the floors of the existing building. Tensile cables for lateral bracing cross and connect in a slip-rod and buckle system, avoiding bulky gusset plates and aiding transparency through the glass. At night, the atrium glows like a lantern, illuminated by 6-foot-tall light fixtures by Visa Lighting hanging from the ceiling.
The atrium curtain wall is structurally isolated from the legacy brick, connected via a caulk joint and rainscreen panel system. Westside Health Authority purchased the school in 2018 for $75,000. The school was built with two wings, the latter of which was designed by longtime Chicago Board of Education architect John Christensen and built in 1935. Its stolid massing, graceful proportions, and understated formal decoration make it a fine example of progressive early-20th-century Chicago school architecture. Inside, a variety of textures and materials (red brick, matte-gray steel, smooth wood) create an
exuberant hub of activity. It verges toward frenetic, though a consistent grid theme organizes the building’s geometry, with strong vertical articulation of steel columns, I-beams, and ceiling lights, transposed with wood ceiling panels above and rectangular stacked wood terrace seating below. There are two levels in the atrium, with a mezzanine lounge reached by a floating stair faced with blue vertical slats hovering over a small stage and event space.
The grid theme reflects the “regularity of the grid of education,” said Max Komnenich, associate principal at LJC, which the triangular glass atrium ruptures, portending a new path for the school and community. The ordering effects of the grid are seen most literally in an installation by Borderless Studio that traces the history of Emmet Elementary, the Austin neighborhood, and the West Side of Chicago. Expository panels embedded in a gridded frame sit in front of sections of the school’s gymnasium floor, ascending level by level toward the ceiling with stops at hand-drawn blueprints, stories of civil rights struggles, and more.
The atrium lobby functions as an open, accessible community forum that invites people in. Conference rooms on the second and first floor pull activity from the rest of the building, where classrooms are given over to offices, counseling spaces, and lounges, into the atrium. “The whole goal was to bring everybody’s front door closer,” according to Komnenich.
Finishes in the former school building are durable, flexible, and modest, with many hints pointing back to the building’s first life. LJC’s plan maintained the same dark bronze window frame color and generous size. Original wood crown molding was preserved. Shields’s executive suite previously hosted the school principal’s office, with wood benches that were once used by unruly students sitting in queasy, punitive anticipation of a meeting with the principal. “Even though the building has a new purpose, you know it was a school,” he said.
Zach Mortice is a Chicago-based design journalist and critic focused on architecture and landscape architecture’s relationship to public policy.
Top: The Aspire Center features a 50-foot, triple-height atrium lobby with a glass curtain wall emerging from the brick facade.
Above: An orange sunburst vinyl decal stretches along the atrium’s corner, alluding to the Aspire Center’s community programming.
TOM HARRIS
TOM HARRIS
Specialty
The following products help resolve specific project issues, from to bird safety and privacy. KP
Bird Guard Glass utilizes first-surface, laser-enamel printing to create durable, high-contrast patterns for bird visibility while preserving glass clarity.
Engineered with a first-surface, laser-etched design, this glass significantly reduces bird collisions by disrupting reflective and transparent illusions.
By embedding an electrostatic microshade between two layers of insulating glass, Lyto enables light control, blackouts, and privacy at the touch of a button.
AviProtek 226 and 227 Walker Glass walkerglass.com
These multidirectional, bird-friendly patterns eliminate the need for alignment while reducing waste, increasing efficiency, and, above all, safeguarding birds.
This high-security glass withstands attacks with armorpiercing ammunition, including from heavy machine guns, while remaining at 124 millimeters in thickness.
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A smart glass that preserves views, this electrochromic glazing eliminates the blue tint that often comes with glass of this kind to preserve true-to-life colors.
new nondirectional pattern design is offered for split jumbo, jumbo, and super jumbo sizes to better protect birds without sacrificing building performance and design.
SageGlass RealTone
SageGlass sageglass.com
FHC is proud to unveil our newly engineered Security Latch/Bolt, designed specifically for FHC Steincraft® Panic Handle Exit Devices. Built with innovation and durability in mind, this next-gen upgrade offers unparalleled safety and performance for architectural glass entrance systems.
WHERE FORCED ENTRY RESISTANCE IS CRITICAL! Discover More Scan the QR Code to View the Video!
FHC STEINCRAFT® ROLLER LATCH The Innovative Back Plate Keeps the Latch From Being Pulled Out of the Strike From the Outside, Making the Door More Secure.
KEY FEATURES & ADVANTAGES:
- Precision Machined Stainless Steel Bolt – New Robust Design Offers Superior Strength and Long-Term Durability.
- UL305 Approved – Meets The Highest Industry Safety Standards, Now FHC Certified For Forced Entry Requirements.
- Supports Oversized Doors – Engineered To Accommodate Doors Up To 148" Tall Without Compromising On Performance.
- Backwards Compatible – Fully Compatible With Existing Steincraft® Panic Handle Installations For Seamless Upgrades.
- Versatile Strike Compatibility – Functions With Both FHC Manual And Electric Strike Assemblies For Maximum Flexibility.
- Improved Overhead Strike Engagement – Enhanced Lock Resists Exterior Pull Force More Effectively Than Ever.
Barriers, Films & Coatings
The following offers range from performance-enhancing films and coatings for solar and energy efficiency to art-forward applications to rejuvenate old glass. KP
SECURITY GLASS FROM VIRACON
Helping Protect Lives and Property.
Enhance building occupant protection from forced-entry threats by choosing a laminated glass solution from Viracon. Our security glass, tested in accordance with ASTM F3561*, features a full portfolio of options suitable for a range of environments including retail, educational facilities and hospitals to government and high-level security buildings.
As security concerns grow, trust Viracon’s proven expertise to deliver high-performance laminated glass that meets today’s evolving safety and design requirements without sacrificing natural daylighting or aesthetic appeal.
* Laminated glass performance are tested in accordance with ASTM F3561 Appendix X1, glass-only performance capability.
Glass Resources
Ballistic/ Safety
ALCAM Glass
alcam.com.tr
ALCAM Glass is an architectural glass solutions company fabricating storm, attack, fire, and bullet resistant glass with strict quality control processes and guidelines.
Aluflam aluflam-usa.com
Aluflam fabricates fire-rated window, door, and curtain wall systems available in 25, 45, and 60 minute ratings.
Blast Structures blaststructures.com
Blast Structures manufactures glass products of quality ballistic and stormproof grade in custom forms.
Dependable Glass Works is a Los Angeles–based fabrication company providing non–UL Rated bullet resistant glass and hurricane-resistant glass products for local and national clientele.
Insulgard insulgard.com
Insulgard’s window, glass, and door products come in bulletproof, storm defense, and forced entry–resistant forms.
Kontek kontekindustries.com
Kontek provides custom security and defense fabrication in a wide variety of materials, including ballistic glass.
Oldcastle BuildingEnvelope obe.com
A supplier offering a comprehensive list of glazing-focused interior and exterior products and services in the industry, with expertise in designing, testing, engineering, and manufacturing high-performing architectural glass.
Protogetic protogetic.com
Protogetic is a protective design marketplace offering a range of glass products with protection against ballistics, fire, blast, and other security risks.
SAFTI FIRST safti.com
SAFTI FIRST provides customers with fire-rated glass products that can be customized to shield against bullets, blasts, and hurricanes. Its products are tested and certified to meet rigorous fire and safety standards.
School Guard Glass schoolguardglass.com
School Guard Glass specializes in affordable, forced-entry resistant glass and glazing products for security needs in architectural projects.
Technical Glass Products Fireglass fireglass.com
TGP is a fabricator and distributor of fire-rated glass and framing systems.
By
Arlo Freedman
Total Security Solutions tssbulletproof.com
TSS offers bulletproof glass, fiberglass, windows, and frames as well as consulting, designing, and engineering services.
Tubelite tubeliteusa.com
Tubelite is relied on by glazing contractors for commercial and institutional buildings nationwide and offers blast-proof, weatherproof. and bulletproof architectural glass solutions.
U.S. Bullet Proofing go.usbulletproofing.com
U.S. Bullet Proofing offers advanced lines of ballistic, blast, storm impact, and forced-entryproof storefront windows and architectural glass.
Barriers,
Films & Coatings
ACRYLITE acrylite.co
ACRYLITE creates UV-absorbing films for architectural, decorative, and protective-end and weatherproofing use.
Artscape artscape-inc.com
Artscape creates privacy and decorative window films inspired by vintage glass with simple adhesive-free application.
Avery Dennison averydennison.com
Avery Dennison offers an extensive range of quality architectural adhesive films to enhance aesthetics and safeguard surfaces for building and construction, with 90 years of industry experience in self-adhesive labelling.
DuPont dupont.com
DuPont provides an array of products to enhance glass durability and performance for architectural uses.
Eastman eastman.com
Eastman is a large materials provider with a range of architectural glass products for construction and building.
EnduroShield enduroshield.com
EnduroShield creates protective glass coatings for easy clean glass treatment for curtain walls, insulated glass units, and commercial and residential windows.
Kuraray trosifol.com
Kuraray’s Advanced Interlayer Solutions Division offers a broad array of laminated glass products for glazing systems on the global market.
Owens Corning owenscorning.com
Owens Corning’s composite products include a wide selection of high-performance glass coatings and films.
Polyguard polyguard.com
Polyguard offers air barrier, drainage, and waterproofing systems that effectively protect surfaces of architectural projects.
Saflex saflex.com
Saflex manufactures interlayer films for laminated glass with specifications ranging from structural glazing strengthening to dynamic coloring and weatherproofing.
Saint-Gobain saint-gobain.com
“Contraflam One fire rated glazing offers 90 percent light transmission with 35 percent less embodied carbon than conventional multichamber products. Contraflam One is distinguished by Hybridcore Technology, an innovative single-chamber foaming interlayer for all fire-resistance ratings.”—Rita Catinella Orrell, AN, July/August 2025
Tremco tremcosealants.com
Tremco provides sealants for glazing applications in single- and multi component silicones, latex, and butyl.
Unicel Architectural unicelarchitectural.com
Unicel Architectural offers specialty glazing and integrated shading films and coatings for interior and exterior architectural glass.
Bird-Safe
AGNORA agnora.com
AGNORA is a North American architectural glass fabricator specializing in oversized glass and bird-safe glass.
Andluca andluca.com
Andluca makes smart windows for residential projects with proprietary coatings and interlayers to ensure bird and UV safety.
Arcon arcon-glas.de/en
Arcon offers sun-protected, thermally insulated, and bird-safe coatings for facades, windows, and other architectural glass components.
Bendheim bendheim.com
“Bendheim’s Lamberts glass is the first channel glass to earn the Bird-Smart Certification from the American Bird Conservancy. With their entire channel glass line now certified as Bird-Smart, Bendheim offers an alternative to traditional opaque building walls and flat architectural glass.” —Rita Catinella Orrell, AN, Feb. 2025
GlasPro glas-pro.com
GlasPro is a recognized fabricator and leader in bird-safe glass design, affording clients quality control as well as competitive pricing and lead time.
HEGLA boraident
hegla-boraident.com
HEGLA boraident’s Laserbird glass processing and finishing technology provides active bird protection for glass panes and other architectural glass products.
Pilkington pilkington.com
Pilkington is a globally recognized supplier of glass and glazing systems providing cost-efficient, bird-safe glass solutions with high design flexibility for a wide range of building types.
Thompson Innovative Glass thompsonig.com
Thompson Innovative Glass is a glass fabricator with bird-friendly and high-performance products.
Vitro Architectural Glass vitroglazings.com
Vitro Architectural Glass is a glass fabricator with an array of proprietary glass products designed to reduce bird collisions.
Deerns deerns.com
Deerns provides technical and engineering consultant services for high-performance buildings specializing in facade consulting.
Front
Front.global
Front is a global facade consulting firm applying technical depth and practical knowledge to multidisciplinary issues ranging from sustainability and security to usability and aesthetic development.
Heintges (Winner of AN’s Lifetime Achievement, Faces of Our City Award 2025)
heintges.com
“This prestigious award honors an individual who has made a profound and lasting impact throughout their career. Their grounding contributions have not only transformed the realm of facades but have also served as a guiding inspiration, encouraging others to embark on similar paths of excellence and innovation.” (Lifetime Achievement Award, AN)
Intertek intertek.com
Intertek offers consulting services for building and construction projects, with services in glass facade consulting.
RDH
rdh.com
Founded in Vancouver and now with offices across North America, this building science and engineering consulting firm offers diverse glazing and facade services for the architecture and construction industries.
The Roschmann Group roschmann.group
The Roschmann Group provides bespoke and innovative design solutions for facades, working with clients from consultancy stages through installation.
RWDI Consulting Engineers & Scientists rwdi.com
RWDI is a consulting firm with a focus on climate and environmental engineering across a spectrum of industries and sectors, offering consulting in glass and facades.
Simpson Gumpertz & Heger sgh.com
Founded by MIT professors and renowned engineers, this engineering firm designs, investigates, and rehabilitates structures and building enclosures, leveraging their experience to deliver thoughtful glazing and facade solutions.
Studio NYL studionyl.com
Studio NYL is a structural engineering and facade design firm providing consulting services, backed by a vast library of materials and technologies.
SURFACE DESIGN GROUP surfacedg.com
SURFACE DESIGN GROUP is an exterior envelope design and construction consultant team with services ranging from historic facade renovations to complex specialty structures.
Techne techne-us.com
An award-winning professional team working with investors and clients to ensure smooth architectural and development processes from start to finish, Techne boasts a 100 percent client retention rate.
Thornton Tomasetti
thorntontomasetti.com
Consultant team with a wide array of services and expertise including experience in glazing and structural glass facades.
Wiss, Janney, Elstner
Associates wje.com
Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates is a firm of architects, engineers, and material scientists who work globally to provide clientele with empirical, technical expertise and solutions to unique challenges.
WSP wsp.com
The global professional services firm works with architects to create durable, dynamic structural glass designs for buildings, balancing performance, constructability, and attention to future maintenance requirements.
Decorative
3form 3-form.com
3form glass is a high-performance, architectural-grade glass that can be customized to meet specific design and decorative needs.
CARVART carvart.com
CARVART is a team of experienced artists and engineers creating design-forward glass products and architectural systems made of curated and refined materials.
Cristacurva cristacurva.com
“Pitched at the high-end interior market, Cristacurva’s Creanza family of decorative glass products offers endless opportunity for customization.” ( AN , July/ August 2021)
Dreamwalls dreamwalls.com
Dreamwalls fabricates decorative glass and mirrors in modern, colorful, standard and custom styles.
Fireclay Tile fireclaytile.com
Fireclay Tile is a U.S.-made tiling manufacturer with an expansive glass tile collection.
TOGETHER FOR BETTER Windows, doors & façades
Reynaers is a leading specialist in the development of innovative aluminum solutions for windows, doors and façades
Together with our partners, we focus on creating energy-efficient, responsibly-made products that make a difference for buildings and the people they serve.
Partner intimacy is at the core of what Reynaers does. This unique cooperation reflects in our motto:
Together for better
Galaxy Glass & Stone galaxycustom.com
Galaxy Glass & Stone is a New Jersey–based custom decorative architectural glass fabricator working with commercial and residential applications, with a specialty in laminated glass products.
Glen-Gery glengery.com
Glen-Gery is a premier brick and cladding system manufacturer offering glass brick products for architectural projects.
Glas Italia glasitalia.com
Glas Italia is an Italian-based design firm creating speciality and decorative glass products for interiors and exteriors.
Goldray Glass goldrayglass.com
Goldray Glass offers a wide variety of innovative decorative glass products and systems for interiors in various colors, textures, and tints.
Lasvit lasvit.com
A design and artisan house producing light and glass installations with a bohemian touch and emphasis on traditional glasswork.
Lunada Bay Tile lunadabaytile.com
Lunada Bay Tile manufactures handcrafted unique glass and ceramic tiling, drawing inspiration from nature, painting, sculpture, and textiles.
Nathan Allan nathanallan.com
Nathan Allan Glass Studios specializes in the production of largescale architectural decorative and textured kiln-formed glass products for interior projects.
OmniDecor Glass Design omnidecor.it
A leading Italian creative glass and design enterprise with a finger on the pulse of current design, fashion, and art zeitgeists, providing intricate and original work designed for international clientele.
Pulp Studio pulpstudio.com
Specializing in decorative and specialty glass manufacturing, Pulp Studio’s cutting-edge graphic and design capabilities empower a wide range of custom glass products fit for projects of all shapes and sizes.
Glass Resources continued
SCHOTT
schott.com
The SCHOTT group is a manufacturer of specialty glass and glass-ceramics with a broad portfolio of decorative and structural glass products.
Skyline Design skyline.glass
“For forty years, Skyline has brought unique perspectives to the design industry, and I’m excited to usher in the next forty years of growth and innovation.”—
Vipul Bhagat, president of Skyline Design, AN, April 2023
TCG Glass
tcgglass.com
TCG Glass creates molten cast and slumped glass for architectural and design applications with bold texture and refined detail.
Tonelli
umodern.com/tonelli
Tonelli is a fine Italian glass furniture brand using UV bonding processes to create innovative contemporary designs in furniture.
Fabricators
Architectural Glass architecturalglass.com
Architectural Glass is a specialty and custom fabrication company offering cut-to-size glass fabrication and the largest selection of interior decorative glass in the industry.
Benson Industries bensonglobal.com
Benson Industries is a curtain wall manufacturer and external cladding subcontractor, that also provides glazing installation services.
Blue Star Architectural Glass bluestarglass.net
Blue Star provides a wide range of fabrication services with a fully automated insulating glass facility based in Dallas.
Consolidated Glass Corporation cgcglass.com
CGC offers custom fabrication services including glass tempering, logo etching and edgework, and polishing.
Digifabshop digifabshop.com
“I am impressed with Digifabshop’s expertise and range of workable materials. The shop has delivered components for architects like KieranTimberlake. It takes skilled craftspeople to translate from design intent to completed installation.” — AN executive editor Jack Murphy, 2024 Best of Practice Awards
Dynamic Glass dynamicglass.com
Dynamic Glass is a Houston-based glass and glazing consultant and installer with expertise in largescale projects.
ESWindows eswindows.com
ESWindows manufactures high-specification architectural glass for the commercial and residential construction market with manufacturing branches in the U.S., Italy, and Colombia.
Garibaldi Glass garibaldiglass.com
Garibaldi Glass is an architectural glass fabricator providing a range of custom and complex glass solutions with an extensive global partner network.
Glasswerks glasswerks.com
Glasswerks delivers full-service custom and architectural glass products and custom fabrication for clients in the Southern California, Nevada, and Hawaii areas.
Harmon harmoninc.com
Harmon fabricates and installs custom curtain wall and exterior envelope systems for largescale projects requiring modern, sophisticated facades.
Hartung hartung-glass.com
Hartung is a North American independent glass fabricator with 100 years of operating experience in the production of custom insulated, laminated, and security glass.
Innovation Glass innovationglass.com
Innovation Glass is a highperformance curtain wall supply company specializing in in-stick glass facade technology.
Massey’s masseysglass.com
Massey’s Plate Glass & Aluminum manufactures glazing and facade materials and boasts over 50 years of experience working with Northeast clientele.
Momentum Glass momentum-glass.com
Momentum Glass provides solutions for glazing, building enclosures, and interior glass and offers both manufacturing and installation services across Texas and the Southeast.
Permasteelisa
permasteelisagroup.com
Permasteelisa is a global contractor in the manufacturing and installation services of the architectural envelope and facade construction market.
Prelco prelco.ca/architectural
Prelco is a glass fabrication company offering a complete range of specialist glazing and technical support services.
Press Glass pressglass.us
Press Glass manufactures and fabricates an array of architectural glass systems for the facade and interior glass construction markets throughout North America.
U.S. Glass and Aluminum us-glass.com
U.S. Glass and Aluminum offers preconstruction planning, project management, and in-house fabrication and installation services for projects nationally.
HighPerformance
Cardinal Glass Industries cardinalcorp.com
Cardinal provides high-performing architectural glass fabrication services including custom tempered glass, insulated glass, and advanced coating products.
Erie Architectural Products erieap.com
Erie Architectural Products engineers, manufactures, and distributes curtain wall systems nationally, addressing market demands for highly engineered, high-performance, and prefabricated facade solutions.
Faour Glass Technologies faourglass.com
Faour Glass makes high-performing glass systems for commercial and residential projects with a specialization in frameless impact products for interiors.
FENEX
fenex.com
FENEX provides custom-made specialty and oversized windows and skylights designed to fit nonstandard projects yet ensuring safety and security, as well as impact rating.
General Glass International (GGI) generalglass.com
“GGI became the largest global importer of specialty glass in the United States while also creating a portfolio of custom-fabricated glass products that require a high level of expertise and technological skill.” (GGI sponsored content, AN, July/August 2022)
Guardian Glass guardianglass.com
Guardian Glass is one of the largest glass producers globally, applying glass innovation across a diverse range of projects and synthesizing design with environmentally conscious practices.
Innovative Glass
innovativeglasscorp.com
Innovative Glass manufactures a diverse portfolio of technologically advanced specialty and smart glass products for commercial and residential projects.
sedak sedak.com
The glass refinement company sedak offers laminated glass and insulated glass in flat and curved formats for architecture and other projects.
Tecnoglass tecnoglass.com
Since 1983, Tecnoglass has provided record-breaking technology advancements to the architectural and residential glass manufacturing industry, creating high-performance glass with optical quality, durability, and strength.
Thermalsun Glass Products
thermalsun.com
Thermalsun delivers highcaliber glass products to customers throughout the Bay Area, offering glazing solutions in tempered, annulated, insulated, and laminated forms.
Viracon viracon.com
Viracon is an architectural glass fabrication company with bird-safe, hurricane-resistant, insulating, and other high performing glass products.
Installers
Architectural Glass & Aluminium aga-ca.com
AGA is a California-based installer in facade, glazing, and architectural glass systems with sourcing, manufacturing, and construction capabilities.
Enclos enclos.com
Enclos is a facade contractor providing design, engineering, fabrication, and assembly services for complex and large-scale facade projects across the United States.
Giroux Glass girouxglass.com
Giroux Glass is a glass and glazing contractor catering to luxury, retail, and residential sectors in the Southern California, Arizona, and Nevada areas.
New Hudson Facades newhudsonfacades.com
“Ennead worked closely with local glazing contractor New Hudson Facades. Together the team of designers reviewed countless mockups of the glass panels and tested the performance of various fits.” —AN web editor Kristine Klein, AN, July/August 2024)
PICHLER pichler.pro
PICHLER is a premier manufacturer and installer with a concentration in innovative glass facades, distinguished by its quality standards and cutting-edge manufacturing machinery and software.
Sunrise Erectors sunriseerectors.com
Sunrise Erectors is an installer and custom fabrication company specializing in exterior envelopes throughout New England.
W&W Glass wwglass.com
W&W Glass is an installer with expertise in projects requiring complex applications of structural glass facades, all-glass enclosures, and curtain wall systems.
Insulated
Duratherm durathermwindow.com
Duratherm is a window and door fabricator and installer, producing luxury insulated architectural window systems and custom designs since 1967.
Frameless Hardware Company fhc-usa.com
Frameless Hardware Company is a glazing supplier providing architectural hardware in addition to a broad array of glazing supplies.
ODL odl.com
“ODL’s largest insulated-glass size is now available with integrated blinds, perfect for applications like patio door and bathroom windows, where more light and privacy control are needed.” —AN design editor Kelly Pau, AN, January/February 2025)
REHAU
rehau.com
REHAU specializes in tailor-made polymer products with experience in customized manufacturing processes informed by a practice in environmental stewardship.
Rochester Insulated Glass is a glass manufacturer offering tailored solutions with specialization in a variety of insulated and laminated glass products.
Sto Corp. stocorp.com
Sto Corp’s StoVentec line manufactures high performing, thermally insulated glass rainscreen systems.
Tristar Glass tristarglass.com
Tristar is an integrated architectural glass fabricator working in the south-central regions of the U.S., creating specialized and customizable insulated glass products.
AGC Interpane oversees glass manufacturing, finishing, and insulating glass construction for windows, facades, and major global architectural projects.
ClearVue clearvuepv.com
ClearVue is a manufacturer of renewable solar glass energy products for building envelopes with products ranging from solar cladding to solar skylights.
Formglas formglas.com
Formglas is a manufacturer of specialty molded architectural glass solutions, creating decorative glass products for interiors and exteriors, as well as facades.
GLASSBEL glassbel.com
GLASSBEL is a specialty glass processing company for architectural and interior glass markets.
Multiver multiver.ca
Multiver is a glass fabricator with a diverse product catalog containing specialty and decorative architectural glass.
NorthGlass northglass.global
NorthGlass is a global manufacturer of flat and curved tempered architectural glass, as well as printed, insulated, and other specialty glass products.
Privacy Glass Solutions privacyglassolutions.com
A glass manufacturer offering privacy glass products and smart-operated privacy glass.
PurOptima puroptima.com
PurOptima is a glass wall partitioning system fabricator and manufacturer offering various single-glazed and double-glazed glass wall products.
SageGlass sageglass.com
“SageGlass pioneered electrochromic glass technology and continues to set the standard for innovation in the industry.” —SaintGobain, AN Buzz, February 2025
Seele seele.com
Seele is a facade specialist and engineering company designing high-profile facades and manufacturing technologically advanced facade units.
Standard Bent Glass standardbent.com
Standard Bent Glass is a fabricator and supplier of quality custom flat and bent glass products for decorative architectural needs.
Sunglass Industry sunglass-industry.com
Sunglass Industry specializes in curved glass, providing architectural glass products for interiors or facades that can also be customized to meet safety and insulation needs.
Walker Glass walkerglass.com
Walker Glass manufactures acidetched, mirror, bird-friendly, and specialty glass for the North American architectural market.
Structural
C.R. Laurence crlaurence.com
C.R. Laurence is a market leader in architectural hardware, glass fittings, and glazing solutions, with a wide breadth of services and a commitment to premium standards of manufacturing.
Custom Metalcrafters custommetalcrafters.com
Custom Metalcrafters is a New York City–based building envelope contracting company that offers designing, engineering, fabrication, and installation services.
Fabbrica fabbricausa.com
Fabbrica designs, produces, and installs facades for commercial architectural projects in the United States and Canada.
Goldbrecht goldbrecht.com
Goldbrecht is an exclusive manufacturer and distributor of slimline and fenestration solutions, including the innovative Vitrocsa Invisible Wall system used by architects such as Tadao Ando, David Chipperfield, and Foster + Partners.
Kalwall kalwall.com
Kalwall offers high-performing translucent daylight solutions through glass skylight, facade, and skyroof products.
P.W.S. International pwsintl.com
P.W.S. is a supplier and installer of Division 8 architectural specification products and manufactures several structural glass systems and curtain walls for commercial projects.
Sentech Architectural Systems sentechas.com
Sentech designs and produces specialty structural glass systems for glazing and architectural needs, servicing customers through design assist, engineering, and manufacturing and construction supervision.
Shüco schueco.com
Shüco develops and sells holistic solutions for building envelopes and is dedicated to contributing to the realization of climate neutrality as a leading presence in the construction industry.
Stekar stekar.com
Stekar manufactures architectural systems for building facades, with a product catalog that includes curtain wall and multifacade systems.
Window Systems
Alumicor alumicor.com
Alumicor provides curtain wall and window systems for sustainable and innovative projects in the architectural and construction community.
Andersen andersenwindows.com
Andersen manufactures an extensive line of window systems for residential projects and provides installation and planning services.
Capoferri capoferriwindows.com
Capoferri’s glass window and door products unify creative, technological, and functional needs with a background of artisan tradition.
Crystal Window & Door Systems crystalwindows.com
Crystal Window & Door is a fenestration supplier with a large product portfolio and customization services suitable for any architectural project.
Duo-Gard duo-gard.com
Duo-Gard offers complete fabrication and design services with a product line featuring translucent walls, interiors and skylights.
Duxton Windows & Doors duxtonwindows.com
Duxton Windows & Doors is a Canadian-based fenestration supplier with a broad range of durable fiberglass windows and frames.
FAKRO fakrousa.com
FAKRO manufactures skylights, roof windows, balcony windows and other roof systems and accessories.
Gutmann North America gutmann-na.com
Gutmann North America is a supplier and manufacturer of aluminum building systems with a diverse line of window system products.
Inpro inprocorp.com
Inpro Architectural Products offers window cladding products and commercial window treatments as part of an extensive product catalog.
Jansen jansen.com
Jansen’s steel systems for windows are durable and stylish, designed to provide increased natural light, attractive aesthetics, and security.
Jersey Tempered Glass jerseytemperedglass.com
Jersey Tempered Glass provides quality fabricated tempered and insulated glass products for commercial, residential, and industrial use across the U.S.
Kawneer kawneer.com
Kawneer specializes in window manufacturing, adapting high-performing architectural aluminum systems paired with contemporary technologies for architects, contractors, and glaziers.
sedak tempered+
› worlds first uniform tempered glass
› improved visual quality
› optimized tempering process
› no patterns
› no rainbow effect
An advanced tempering technology sets new standards in architectural glass by eliminating anisotropies, ensuring flawless transparency.
sedak tempered+ combines exceptional durability with unparalleled optical quality – available up to 12 ft × 65 ft.
Kingspan Light + Air kingspan.com
Kingspan is a supplier of insulation and building envelope solutions designed to enhance natural light and energy.
Kolbe Windows & Doors
kolbewindows.com
Kolbe Windows & Doors provides handcrafted window systems and floor-to-ceiling configurations for modern architectural projects.
Maison Janneau
maison-janneau.com
Maison Janneau is a luxury, handcrafted French window manufacturer creating custom windows and glass doors for an international clientele.
Marvin Windows marvin.com
Marvin is a leading window and door manufacturer recognized for its quality craftsmanship, energy efficacy, and purposeful designs, which are tailored to suit a wide range of architectural requirements.
Mr. Glazier mrglazier.com
Mr. Glazier is a design-forward glazing manufacturer with a vast range of products suitable for commercial and residential use.
National Glass and Metal Company ngmco.com
Glass and Metal Company provides customized and project specific curtain and window wall systems in the Philadelphia region.
Panoramah! panoramah.com
Panoramah! is a Swiss-based manufacturer creating bespoke minimalist windows and window system components.
Quaker Windows quakerwindows.com
Quaker Windows provides architectural window solutions for commercial, residential, and luxury projects with thermal, structural, and sound transmission performance
RAICO raico.de
RAICO specializes in envelopes, developing and distributing custom-made glass curtain walls and window systems for unique architecture.
Reflection Window + Wall reflectionwindow.com
Reflection Window + Wall is a national architectural building envelope company whose product line features window wall and curtain wall systems.
Wausau Window and Wall Systems wausauwindow.com
Wausau offers high-performance architectural windows and curtain wall systems with sustainable designs and weather impact protection.
Western Window Systems westernwindowsystems.com
Western Window Systems is a window system and moving glass walls manufacturer with expertise in large dimensions for commercial and residential architecture.
YKK AP
ykkap.com
An architectural fenestration solutions manufacturer with a U.S. headquarters in Atlanta and commercial manufacturing facilities in the Atlanta area, YKK AP manufactures and distributes quality window and facade systems.
Zola zolawindows.com
Zola Windows is a North American high-performing window supplier drawing from European design and the leading passive house window supplier in the U.S.
Honor Your Design. Rely on the Right Fire Safety.
Take the worry out of compromising your inspired building design to fire-safety requirements with reliable Aluflam vision doors, windows and glazed walls, fired-rated for up to 120 minutes. This pioneering system is fabricated from true extruded aluminum.
Aluflam products are indistinguishable from non-fire-rated doors and windows and are available in a wide portfolio of most architectural finishes.
Reward your creativity with Aluflam, the high-performance fire-safety system that works to achieve the design you want.
Now, you can do it in one fell swoop.
Introducing BirdSmart™ Bird Safe Glass by Vitro Architectural Glass, a first-surface laser-etched glass with a Solarban® low-e coating produced at one central location.
Now you can order all your glass — including bird safe glass — from the name you know and trust. vitroglazings.com/birdsmart
BirdSmart™
Speck 6 Inline 2x2
Pilkington OptiShower™ is an excellent solution for high humidity applications. Our online pyrolytic coating mitigates water stains by preventing sodium leaching and is durable enough to withstand tough environments. Maintain cleaner glass with minimal upkeep by using Pilkington OptiShower™
chitecture — 10% Fun, 90% Know-How. We’ll Put the Odds in Your Favor. With challenges around every corner, it’s best to have experience on your side. Like over 100 years of technical know-how and the largest number of steel solutions from facades to fenestration, plus unique sizes and shapes. So go ahead, dare to dream. We’ll provide the tools and help you get there. Simply put, we are the resource to make possible happen. Jansen — The human touch to steel and a catalyst for creativity.
