When it comes to
glazing in public places with the heaviest footfall, toughness is the
number-one priority – but that doesn’t mean compromising on aesthetics, as the
glazing at the newly refurbished, manta-ray-shaped Abbey Wood station
demonstrates.
Abbey Wood station
is currently served by Southeastern rail services and has been re-developed by
Network Rail as part of the Crossrail project. The station will serve the
anticipated increase in demand for the Elizabeth line, creating a new
pedestrian concourse covered by a striking zinc-surfaced wing structure. The
eye-catching new building is already attracting new business and investment to
the area.
Travellers enter the
new station though a welcoming entrance lobby with a double-height glazed
entrance façade which includes both flat and elegantly curved glass.
To maximise
sight-lines and minimise framing – which would break up the view of the
impressive roof-line – the designers specified the Pilkington Planar structural
glazing system.
The high volume of
public footfall passing through this busy glazed entrance meant that the façade
had to be durable and robust to impacts.
This was achieved by
specifying 21.5mm laminated units. The glass features a unique SentryGlas
interlayer by Kuraray to deliver stronger and lighter laminated glazing
compared with traditional polyvinyl butyral (PVB)-based systems, giving greater
strength to the system and enhancing safety. The glazing was connected back to
the steel structure using Pilkington Planar stainless steel castings.
In some areas, to
enhance the visual impact of the curved areas – as well as to hide some of the
internal structure – a ceramic frit has been applied to the glass. This also
helps to make the ground-level glazing visible to pedestrians where
appropriate.
The units have been
curved to complement the flowing lines of the station roof and an acid-etched
frit was applied to some units to further enhance the design and make
ground-level glass visible to pedestrians where appropriate.
To
further enhance the clarity of the façade, Pilkington Optiwhite true low-iron glass was used, giving a
natural clarity colour balance to the light passing thorough.
Elsewhere in the
station, laminated glass fitted using the Pilkington Planar system was used to
create balustrades and bannisters for stairways and exposed edges, to help
create a sense of openness across the station, as well as lending a
contemporary aesthetic.
Again, Pilkington
SentryGlas laminated glazing was used to create these elements, providing the
high level of durability required for the application.
Paul Williams,
managing director at Vitrine Systems, said: “The Pilkington Planar system has a
number of big advantages when creating projects like this, where outstanding
standards of robustness and aesthetics are required to achieve the dramatic
feature glazing.
“As you would
expect, it’s tested to be robust enough for use in extremely busy spaces, but
it also has a very pleasing aesthetic design, with low-profile stainless-steel
fixings that allow the glass itself to be the star of the show.
“When it comes to
installation, the simplicity of the system and the speed with which it can be
fitted mean it’s possible to meet demanding build schedules.”
Jason Eggerton, UK
specification manager at Pilkington United Kingdom Limited, said: “Testing and
development of the Pilkington Planar system using SentryGlas interlayers has
helped to provide a structural glazing system that delivers unrivalled strength.
It uses thinner substrates than previously possible meaning lighter structures,
larger glass panels and potentially fewer stainless steel fittings.
“Abbey Wood station
is an excellent showcase for Pilkington Planar, demonstrating how it can help
achieve a designer’s vision by creating glazed surfaces that don’t call
attention to themselves, therefore enhancing rather than detracting from the
other elements of the building.”
