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Fifteen years on and still looking good: Australasia votes laminated glass as the best solution

An interview with Anthony Rossi, Director, Peddle Thorp & Walker, Sydney, Australia

Rossi

Peddle Thorp & Walker, based in Sydney, Australia, was founded in 1889. Today it has offices throughout Australasia and Asia. Last year it was ranked by World Architecture magazine as the world's eighth-largest architectural firm. PTW Director, Anthony Rossi, has been working with architectural laminated glass for over 20 years.

Laminated Glass News: Australia was one of the first regions to embrace architectural laminated glass. Today, more than one third of all flat architectural glass installed in the country is laminated – the highest penetration rate in the world. What do you believe are the reasons for this?

The State Bank, Sydney was completed 15 years ago.

Anthony Rossi: I believe that there are three main reasons for architects' enthusiasm for laminated glass in Australasia. The most obvious one, given our climate, is because it withstands swift changes in ambient temperatures so well. Second, one of the strongest attributes of laminated glass is its safety; it does not shatter when it breaks but remains in place within the frame. Third, the material has unique properties that result in distortion-free reflection. By contrast, curtain walls of heat strengthened, toughened glass gives a distorted, ripply reflection. Given these three factors, I think that architects have come to view laminated glass as an attractive choice when considering the architectural expression of a building.

LGN: Could you give us some examples of projects where you were pleased with the aesthetics obtained by using laminated glass?

AR: One of our many projects with laminated glass is the State Bank of Sydney, completed 15 years ago. The highly-articulated, sculptural design of the building is perfectly defined with laminated glass; use of the material gave us a lot of flexibility. Various structural elements are incorporated into the façade to add form and create visual interest. It has many facets like a crystal, yet clear, distortion-free reflection makes it very attractive. We could not have achieved the aesthetics if we had worked with other types of glass.

The Shenzhen Development Bank, China

The Exchange Plaza in Perth, a 40-story building overlooking the Swan River, also uses a curtain wall of laminated glass 'vision panels' and glass spandrels. The blue glass we chose gives a beautiful 'crisp' reflection of the river against the sunset. Although laminated glass cost more than heat strengthened glass, the superior aesthetics made it worth it.

These two buildings have stood the test of time and I am sure that in 30 or 40 years from now they will still look as good as they do today.

LGN: What can you tell us about more recent projects?

AR: In China the Shenzhen Development Bank is a very exciting project and has subsequently won several design awards. A triangular-shaped elevation reaching 180 meters is presented to the main street consisting of aluminum panels and laminated glass, with atria at several levels containing enclosed gardens.

The Royal Sun Alliance building is the tallest office tower in New Zealand. The laminated glass and PVF2 aluminum composite panel curtain wall stands out very dramatically against the Auckland skyline.

Angel Place, Sydney

Angel Place in Sydney is due for completion in July 2000. The vision panels in the façade are hermetically sealed, double-glazed units consisting of 10.76 mm laminated glass: a 6-mm heat strengthened (light grey tinted) outer lite and a 4 mm heat strengthened clear inner lite with a low-E coating. There is then a 12 mm air space, followed by a clear, 6 mm inner lite. Laminated glass was used for public safety; even if cracked, laminated glass will not fall out of the frame. It also provides a much flatter surface than tempered glass.

LGN: What role do your believe laminated glass will play in the architecture of the future?

AR: Laminated glass is one of the most versatile architectural materials. You can treat it with lasers to make it opaque, colored or etched. You can sandblast it for a similar effect meeting aesthetic and functional requirements. Perhaps the biggest role laminated glass has to play in the future is in energy efficiency. A combination of Low-E coatings and laminated glass with a tinted PVB interlayer reduces glare and heat to a significant extent. It's particularly relevant when you want to use large areas of glass.