Bendheim Develops Specialized 4-Layer Laminated Glass
Gertler & Wente’s Pershing Square building renovation incorporates Bendheim custom glass wall-cladding.
Architectural firm Gertler & Wente charged Bendheim with developing a powerful custom glass as a crowning design element for the renovation of The Pershing Square Building, a 25-story office building at 125 Park Avenue in New York City.
The Pershing Square Building, owned by Shorenstein Realty Services, was originally designed by York & Sawyer in 1923. To reinvigorate its distinctive identity, the architects created a seamless transition from the entrance to the elevators through the 4,000 sq.-ft. lobby. At the lobby’s end, Bendheim’s illuminated glass wall serves as the focal point of the interior.
“We are pleased with how the glass wall draws visitors’ attention to the elevators from the entrance located 140 feet away, serving as a natural guide,” said Jeff Gertler, principal of Gertler & Wente. “The staggered slabs of glass can be clearly seen from across the street. It’s really quite an incredible view and we think it does justice to this extraordinary building.”
Created specifically to address the project requirements, Bendheim’s glass/acrylic combination is 2½ inches in thickness. The material is hand-silvered, laminated through a proprietary process, and water-jet-cut to its final size.
“With more than 2,000 glass varieties in stock and in-house production capabilities, Bendheim was able to find a solution to The Pershing Square Building’s design challenge and create a truly unique product,” said Steven Jayson, Vice President of Bendheim.
The 150-sq.-ft., 2½-inch thick wall features a glass, deeply engraved with an organic texture, creating a strong sensation of movement, depth, and luminescence, reminiscent of massive blocks of ice. The perimeter of the glass is carefully illuminated, amplifying its dimensional properties.
About Bendheim
Bendheim is one of the world’s foremost resources for specialty architectural glass. Founded in New York City in 1927, the fourth-generation, family-owned company offers a virtually unlimited range of in-stock and custom architectural glass varieties. Bendheim develops, fabricates, and distributes its products worldwide. The company maintains production facilities in New Jersey and an extensive showroom in New York City
