Bendheim Wall Systems’ New Glass Rainscreen Transforms a Silicon Valley Office Building From Dated to Chic
New York, NY (PRWEB) March 25, 2015 -- In its first U.S. project, Bendheim’s new decorative flat glass rainscreen system delivered a striking transformation to an aged building exterior by enveloping it with an attractive, weather-resistant second-skin façade. The retrofit raised the profile of the 100,000 sq. ft. multi-story office building, located at 3001 Orchard Parkway in San Jose, Calif., on budget and without disrupting daily business. This is just one rehabilitated commercial building on San Jose’s “Renovation Row” to be given a new life and a new lease – a practice that could be the beginning of a trend.
Architects at San Jose-based MODULUS chose to modernize the 1980s building exterior with Bendheim Wall Systems’ rainscreen. The system features patented Wall-F compression glass fittings by Längle of Austria and 5,000 sq. ft. of clear low-iron glass, laminated with translucent white interlayers. The result is a highly functional, clean and elegant façade, with a dynamic aesthetic that changes as the sun travels across the sky.
“With the conceptual approach of a jeweled screen to modernize and accentuate the existing massing, Bendheim’s system proved to be a perfect match unachievable through any other avenue,” said David Fenster, AIA LEED AP, MODULUS.
A fast and non-disruptive installation was paramount, as the building remained occupied during the exterior retrofit process. Bendheim Wall Systems’ glass rainscreen contributed in multiple ways. Requiring no holes or cutouts in the glass, the system’s adjustability allowed for easy setup and quick on-site assembly. With construction taking place exclusively on the exterior, interior building operations continued uninterrupted.
"It was our first time installing these rainscreens, and the process was straightforward and surprisingly stress-free from start to finish, especially when you consider that tenants were in and out of the building while we were mounting the system,” said Christine Jacobs, Office Manager at Classic Glass, Inc., San Jose, Calif.
The unique renovation of 3001 Orchard Parkway earned it a place among the finalists in the Silicon Valley Structures Awards for Best Reuse Project.
“Both the cost and ease of installation of Bendheim’s rainscreen system resulted in a newly transformed building garnering great attention and accolades throughout the technology-driven Silicon Valley, with a façade and image unlike any other in the area,” said Fenster.
Bendheim Wall Systems’ decorative glass rainscreens offer design professionals a unique set of tools to significantly improve the look of new and retrofit buildings. They simultaneously deliver a range of functional benefits, such as weather resistance and bird-friendly glass. The systems surpass the ASTM and AAMA test requirements for water penetration, pressure equalization, air leakage, and structural performance. In addition to the patented quick-assembly technology, individual glass panels can be quickly replaced without deglazing surrounding panels (click here for video demonstration). The result is a substantial reduction in installation and replacement labor costs.
For further information about Bendheim Wall Systems’ decorative glass rainscreens, visit http://www.BendheimWall.com or call (800) 221-7379.
Yuliya Kutuzava, Catalyst Marketing Communications, Inc., http://www.catalystmc.com, +1 (203) 348-7541, [email protected]
Share this article