Martha Washington Library

Translucent, floor-to-ceiling-tall channel glass walls by Bendheim create visually and acoustically quiet study rooms at Martha Washington Library. With VLT of approximately 40%, they fill the space with diffused, glare-free natural light, while providing privacy for those inside. They also deliver outstanding thermal and acoustic performance with U-Value of 0.25, R-Value of 4, SHGC of 0.43, and OITC up to 36. The walls utilize our 504 Rough Cast textured channel glass with up to 40% post-consumer recycled content, a translucent insulating material inserted in the cavity of the double-glazed walls, and our thermally broken SF-60 frames to enhance the thermal performance of the envelope. They appear soft-white in the daylight, while creating a lantern effect at night. Our channel glass system contributed toward the project’s LEED Gold certification.

Bendheim’s Lamberts® channel glass is a superior alternative to opaque walls, prioritizing aesthetics and daylight benefits, while offering comparable thermal and acoustic performance. It creates seamless walls, uninterrupted by vertical metal frames. Our channel glass frame systems are fully tested to stringent North American standards for structural deflection, interstory drift, and severe seismic displacement in accordance with ASTM E330-02, ASTM E331, ASTM E283, AAMA 501, and AAMA 501.4. The glass is sustainably produced by Glasfabrik Lamberts in an oxygen-and-gas-fired furnace, with low carbon footprint and up to 40% post-consumer recycled content. It is bird-friendly.