Glass has long been a favoured material for contemporary designers but now there is a bigger choice for specifiers to blend design and fire resistance in one solution. Here we look at some imaginative applications in the UK and on the Continent.
This summer, the talk on the belgian coast was all about the renovation of the Ostend Casino. This leisure complex has now returned to it’s previous position as one of Belgium’s most prestigious cultural and culinary attractions.
Pyrobel fire resistant glass from Glaverbel was used throughout the building’s interior. The 2000-seat auditorium is protected with 25mm thick EI60 glass walls, consisting of laminated double glazing with Stratophone 66.2 and provides protection against flames for 60 minutes. The Stratophone 66.2 glass provides soundproofing and is composed of two sheets of 6mm-thick glass, separated by two clear interlayers made of acoustic PVB. In the ultra-modern lounge bar, the same combination of is used to create a wall of glass, extending from the floor to the ceiling, providing effective protection while flooding the area with light.
Other internal partitions, where sound control was not an influencing factor, were single glazed with 60 minutes glass and hardwood framing, and with sandblasted glazing for some internal doors for added privacy. Although fire-resistant glazing was not required for the sea-front facade, double-glazing with a high level of thermal insulation was used.
On the other side of the Channel, apartments in a prestige complex overlooking Poole Harbour have been fitted with timber framed glazed screens with fully glazed fire resisting doors. The Pyrovista 30 system from Mann McGowan was used and all the screens and doors were fitted with 6mm clear glass. The glass and bead interface filled with the company’s Pyroglaze 30 intumescent seals. In the event of a fire, these seals swell and provide gap filling and insulation properties to the timber beads.
The GB pound 1 million refurbishment of the Biagio Cafe Ristorante in London’s Piccadilly has been fitted with a custom made system to create the effect of windows, rather than standard partially glazed partitions. This was achieved using steel tubes in timber and plasterboard, with the fire glass framed within the decorated plasterboard screens.
Using CGI’s Paraflam glass units and 23mm Fireswiss Foam fire glass – offering 60 minute fire and heat protection – allows the optimum amount of light to flood in, while fire glazed stairwells and and escape routes provide protection for those escaping a fire. The Fireswiss glass is sold exclusively in the UK by CGI, is manufactured from layers of float glass with silicate laminates, and is available in two basic versions: 15mm thick for 30 minutes integrity and insulation, and 23mm for 60 minutes.
A new luxury hotel in County Sligo in Ireland – the Radisson SAS – has Pilkington Pyrostop and Pilkington Pyrodur fitted extensively throughout the entire hotel.
“For such a prestigious project, it was imperative we used a fire-resistant glass we could trust,” said Ivan Greaney, managing director of contractors, Greaney Glass, which installed the fire-resistant glass. “There could be hundreds of people within the hotel at any one time, so we needed to use materials that would provide maximum protection under the most extreme circumstances. As Pilkington Pyrostop and Pilkington Pyrodur are backed by a full suite of impact and fire performance tests, we had no doubts that this was the ideal glass for this project.”
Back in the UK, Shooters Hill Campus in Greenwich has been refurbished, with Pilkington Pyrodur being used for the internal doors throughout the building.
As applied, the 10mm fire resistant glass provides 60 minutes fire integrity. As a clear, fire-resistant laminated glass, it features an intumescent layer that provides both fire and impact performance, and also provides a barrier against smoke and hot gasses.
“In the unfortunate event of fire breaking out, the number one priority is the successful containment of the blaze,” said Stephen Greenman, head of corporate resources for Shooters Hill Campus. “Pilkington Pyrodur was specified because it offered the most effective performance in this situation, whilst adding to the overall aesthetic feel for the building.”
Pilkington Pyrostop also features in a seven storey office and retail development in Bloomsbury Square, London. A major feature of the Alsop Architects project for Victoria House, a Grade II listed building, is two full height atria with dramatically suspended meeting room pods. These needed high performance, laminated, full height structural glazing glass. The architects also specified Pilkington Pyrostop for the fire doors and fire fighting cores throughout the building, and fire engineered glazing for the atria, to meet the safety specifications of the project as well as providing maximum visual clarity.
“Our aim for this project was to refurbish this fantastic building to a high standard, providing a contemporary mixed-use space, whilst paying respect to the original art deco and neo-classical finishes,” explains Duncan Macaulay of Alsop Architects. “Pilkington Pyrostop helped us to achieve this aim, as it boasts the strength, transparency and durability needed for maximum safety, together with a pleasing aesthetic quality.”
Victoria House has been a major London landmark since 1922, when it was built for the Liverpool Victoria Friendly society. Today, the building has been refurbished to house a modern, seven-storey office space with ground floor retail unit and fine dining restaurant together with a 41,390 sq ft state-of the-art basement gym.
SPOILT FOR CHOICE
Fire-resistant glass has played an important part in building design for many years, writes Andrea Marston of glass manufacturer Galverbel. The earliest form of wired glass was first introduced over 100 years ago and while this functional product is still available, there have been many technological advances in this field. Nowadays, glazing is available that not only meet the rigorous standards required for fire protection, but also offers aesthetic solutions in line with contemporary architectural design. Architects and specifiers appreciate the flexibility of glass, with its high levels of light transmission, transparency and neutrality, and this trend is reflected by the growing amount of glass used in our buildings.
While clear, neutral glazing is highly popular in 21st century design, there are occasions when the architect or specifier will look for a different type of finish, be it an opaque glass for reasons of privacy or even a textured glass to add an extra dimension to the glazing. It is now possible to source fire-resistant glass with a satin-like frosted, translucent finish, or even a decorative pattern figured onto the glass surface.
Making the right choice and selecting the most suitable product for the job is of paramount importance, especially in the field of fire-resistant glazing where the cost of getting it wrong has potentially devastating consequences. For this reason, it is advisable to seek the advice of the manufacturer or a specialist glazing contractor at the specification stage of a project.
