Pilkington delivers ambitious glass wall to new Kuwait courthouse

Using its Planar stainless steel fittings and high-strength double glazing, Pilkington has delivered an enormous glass wall to the new Farwaniya Court Complex.

Designed to accommodate 80 courtrooms and a number of governmental and administrative offices, the new court complex is located in Al Farwaniya, a suburb of Kuwait.

The high-rise building features a sloping glass wall, measuring 20 metres wide and 70 metres high.

Towering above the building’s main entrance, the architectural glazing feature has been incorporated within the design to reflect the strength and transparency of Kuwait’s dedicated justice system. It also introduces natural light into the public lobby area of the complex.

However, the architect’s vision of an enormous, unsupported glass wall presented several challenges: as part of the building’s structure, the glazing is required to withstand high mechanical loads to ensure the complex is safeguarded.

High-strength architectural glazing

To construct the system, a steel tension structure was put in place. Double glazed units, with Pilkington’s Planar 902 Double Glazed laminate stainless steel fittings ensuring high-load capacity, were then attached.

Each unit comprises three layers of toughened glass: an external pane of 12mm is separated from an inner laminated pane, which is made up of two 6mm-thick sheets of glass and a strong interlayer. An air-filled gap of 16mm sits between the two panes.

Throughout the development process, Pilkington tried the system with over 40 blast and loading tests. The finished product delivers the required level of resilience and resistance to mechanical loads.

Artistic and environmental considerations

When installing the system, the architect’s aesthetic and environmental requirements had to be taken into consideration. For instance, as the glass leans outwards from the base, the stainless steel fixings had to be carefully designed to confirm each unit would be held firmly in place.

The initial design included a pattern, which was to be screen-printed onto the glass wall. Pilkington worked to ensure the units were printed correctly and installed in the right order.

A coating of Pilkington Suncool was applied to surface two of the system to reduce the transmission of solar energy through the glass, whilst having little impact on light transmittance. Suncool will allow the occupants of the building to enjoy the view, without overheating.

Contact:

Pilkington United Kingdom Limited,
Greengate Works,
Sherdley Road,
St. Helens,
Merseyside,
United Kingdom,
WA9 5 DZ

Phone: 01744 692000
Fax: 01744 692569

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