The Children’s Hospital of San Antonio

A major retrofit of The Children’s Hospital of San Antonio features our 504 Rough Cast textured channel glass in customized facade units. The vibrant fritted glass channel rise along the building’s 10 stories and enclose a 2-story-tall lantern cupola. Their striking colors, visible from a distance in the day or night, are inspired by the hospital’s revamped logo and a multi-story art mural gracing one of its facades.

Bendheim’s channel glass is available in hundreds of opaque and translucent frits. The colors are fired onto the glass at approximately 1,200° F (680° C), and are extremely durable, fade and scratch resistant. They enliven the hospital with color and light to improve the patient experience. Visible from within the rooms, the multi-colored translucent glass units bring children and families a sense of comfort and playfulness.

The smart technical design of the Bendheim system makes this project truly stand out. The self-supporting glass channels span the entire height of each floor, reaching up to 16 feet tall, in lightweight ¼-inch glass thickness. At only 4.5 lbs. per sq. ft., the fritted glass channels deliver the desired aesthetic in a lightweight construction, compatible with the building’s existing slim concrete eyebrows.

Speedy installation and eliminating the need for scaffolding were other key requirements. Our technical design team worked closely with the architect and installer to develop a custom glazing system to meet these challenges. Our customized SF-60S vertical unitized system enabled the installer, Sharp Glass, to pre-assemble the glass units off-site and hoist them into place as each floor became ready. The proprietary attachment mechanism allowed each unit to be perfectly aligned and secured to the structure in record time. On average, an entire floor could be installed in a single day. The unique solution resulted in substantial labor savings and allowed the team to beat the construction schedule.

Bendheim’s unique solution for The Children’s Hospital of San Antonio won the prestigious GOOD DESIGN award from the Chicago Athenaeum Museum of Architecture and Design. The award recognized our system’s contribution to the patient experience, as well as its ingenious installation.