A definite feel of autumn on site today, but great to see glass going into window apertures and another step forward in making our new building watertight – less like a building site and more like a fully formed building. Most of the concrete window apertures do now have window frames in them, including the immense window at the top of the Landscape Gallery, and the mass of glazing along the promenade and cafe is almost complete.
A huge amount of research, experimentation and testing of options went on at development stage to ensure these large glass panels produced the desired visual effects combining both transparency and reflective qualities, as well as having light filtering and solar glare protective characteristics.
Each glass panel is laminated for strength and security and constructed of several layers of glass with coated surfaces including an opaque sreen-printed layer, a semi mirrored fritted surface, and a solar control coating. As our architects MUMA stated in one of the design sketchbooks, “The intention has been to create a semi-mirror surface which conceals the building floor and roof structure, and also the roller blind zone, whilst reinforcing the reflection of trees and retaining views to the cafe and promenade within. The frit also acts as additional high level solar shading”.
Gallery in the Park 