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Our Architectural Glass Products Win Three Innovation Awards

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Exterior and Interior Glass Cladding Solutions Win Best of Year Recognitions by Architectural Products Magazine

Bendheim's projectable glass rainscreens and Hexalite glass with the award logo

Our Lumi Frit™ Projectable Glass Rainscreen and HexaLite™ lightweight glass cladding have received three 2021 Product Innovation Awards (PIA). Architectural Products’ annual PIA program “awards manufacturers based on attributes, qualities, functionality and/or performance beyond industry standards.” It introduces architects and designers to new “products pushing the boundaries of what’s possible.”

Our Lumi Frit™ Projectable Rainscreen won an award in the Exteriors & Panels/Cladding category, as well as a Project Application award for its contributions to The Momentary in Bentonville, AR, by Wheeler Kearns Architects. These became the latest major design awards for the system, following recognitions by The Architect’s Newspaper and Interior Design magazine.

The system fit this year’s PIA theme of award-winning products that balance aesthetics and functionality, “performing better than ever before and doing it beautifully.” PIA judges recognized its ability to blend artistic application and functionality, noting, “The addition of a rainscreen to any building provides benefits on energy performance and many other considerations. This product offers a simple installation with a huge upside in transitioning the facility to a vibrant new life.”

The Momentary blue back-lit glass rainscreen

The Momentary, Bentonville, AR by Wheeler Kearns Architects.

Our fully customizable Lumi Frit™ Projectable Rainscreen functions as a virtually shadow-free, building-scale projection screen. It simultaneously offers tested moisture protection, and meets budgetary and installation targets. Our patented compression clips eliminate the need for holes through the glass, saving installers time and money. Embedded directly into the building’s structural walls, columns, or floor slabs, the clips also eliminate costly, carbon-heavy steel sub-structures.

Bendheim’s clipped rainscreen system is fully adjustable in multiple directions, allowing contractors to order the glass based on the approved drawings, rather than precise field measurements. This built-in flexibility can expedite the construction schedule by months. We can engineer the system to the unique requirements of each project, and can provide the projectable glass imprinted with any pattern, including bird-safe designs.

Moving to the interior of the building, our ultra-lightweight HexaLite™ laminated glass became a winner in the Wall Coverings category. Judges recognized the honeycomb-reinforced cladding product for its contribution to the reduction in elevator cab weight and motor size, together with its biophilic and naturally hygienic qualities. They noted that HexaLite™ was “another example of Bendheim’s commitment to research and discovering needs.”

HexaLite Glass Samples

HexaLite™ honeycomb-reinforced laminated architectural glass

HexaLite™ is intended for elevator interiors and lobbies, as well as applications featuring large glass panels and long spans, particularly in high-traffic hospitality and healthcare settings. The fully customizable glass can feature biophilic colorways and designs, as well as optical textures that lend a sense of depth and dimensionality, but are perfectly smooth to the touch and do not trap dirt. The glass can be repeatedly cleaned and sanitized without risk of color fading.

The three Bendheim PIA awards placed us in the exclusive group of 2021 Architectural Products best of year winners, including giants such as Vetrotech Saint-Gobain, YKK, Armstrong Ceilings, CertainTeed, Masonite, BILCO, Mitsubishi, and Owens Corning. The awards were judged by a panel of 19 distinguished architects, designers, lighting specialists, and editors.

Bendheim’s Channel Glass Installed at New York City School

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Translucent Glass Ribbon at Street Level Provides Privacy, Quietly Balances Geometric Facade Above

Architects selected our three-dimensional, privacy-friendly Lamberts® channel glass to complement the geometric facade of a new school for special needs students in New York City.

The Cooke School & Institute in East Harlem, designed by PBDW Architects, includes over 1,000 square feet of the channel glass, mostly on the exterior of the building. The glass envelops the ground floor in a luminous translucent ribbon, forming several glass-to-glass corners at both ends of the main entrance. It provides the highest level of visual and acoustic privacy for the administrative offices at street level. It also transmits approximately 40% of diffused daylight into the interior.

Cooke School & Institute at night | Bendheim channel glass

Cooke School & Institute, New York, NY by PBDW Architects. Photos © Francis Dzikowski / OTTO.

Architects specified our Low-E channel glass with thermal insulation inserts, installed in thermally broken SF-60 double-glazed frames, for improved energy efficiency. The channel glass assembly restricts heat flow through the facade, helping interiors retain heat in the winter and cool in the summer.

The unique frame design allows the glass to be captured at the head and sill only. Minimizing the amount of aluminum framing eliminates weak points in the envelope. At Cooke, it also enabled the creation of the long interrupted glass walls, as well as the numerous all-glass corners.

Our channel glass was also a sustainable choice: it includes 30-40% post-consumer recycled content and is bird-friendly. New York City adopted Local Law 15 (LL15) in 2020 that requires glazing in new building projects to reduce bird strike fatalities. Glass that meets this requirement can help deter up to 90 percent of bird collisions. Our channel glass was tested by the American Bird Conservancy (ABC). It has a threat factor of 25, meeting requirements.

“This PBDW design is a great example of the versatility of the material,” said Ben Jayson, President of Bendheim. “We typically see channel glass used as the main design feature on buildings, from our iconic Nelson Atkins Museum of Art to the new South Street Seaport Pier 17. Here, it allows other facade elements to take center stage.”

At Cooke School, channel glass’ defining characteristic is “quiet” – from its acoustic advantage to its ability to discreetly complement the striking geometric facade above. The daytime aesthetic of the translucent-white channel glass ribbon coordinates with the palest off-white shades of the terracotta rainscreen overhead. At night, it casts a soft glow, illuminating the sidewalk at the front of the school.

Cooke School & Institute during the day | Bendheim channel glass

Facade Technology of Pennsylvania installed the channel glass, creating a multi-material facade that integrates various elements into one seamless exterior.

The four-story, 69,000 square foot school creates a unique neighborhood presence. It brings a variety of programs into one space, including academics, therapy, support, and life skills for students K-12 and young adults ages 18-21. PBDW’s architects tackled the task of designing a facility for a diverse age range within the site and budget limitations by sourcing space- and cost-efficient solutions to address Cooke’s complex program requirements.

Bendheim’s New Ventilated Glass Facade System Wins Third Major Design Award

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Projectable Glass Rainscreen Garners Best of Year Recognition by Architect’s Newspaper

Our latest facade product – a projectable glass rainscreen system – has won the Architect’s Newspaper editors’ choice award for Best Glass Building Material. The eco-smart clipped glass system eliminates carbon-heavy steel sub-structures, thus turning buildings into virtually shadow-free, immense media screens.

The customizable system consists of projectable glass cladding panels, clipped into adjustable metal fittings. We can engineer all system components to the unique requirements of each project, and is frequently involved in design-assist.

The patented compression fittings can be embedded directly into the building’s structural walls, columns, or floors, eliminating stark shadow lines behind the glass. They do not require drilling holes through the glass, saving time and money.

The customizable clips are also fully adjustable in multiple directions, allowing the contractor to order the glass from the approved drawings, rather than precise field measurements. On projects, this built-in flexibility can expedite the construction schedule by months.

Our Lumi Frit™ white projectable glass, the other key system component, is a specialized tempered-and-laminated surface #1 fritted glass. It is bird-friendly and fully customizable, too. It can be imprinted in a range of standard or custom patterns, ranging from 50% to 100% surface coverage.

During the day, the glass creates a brilliant facade, as sunlight reflects off the white fritted surface. At night, it bounces projected light to create a sharp image. LED lighting installed behind the glass cladding can also transform it into a lantern facade.

The Momentary white frit glass rainscreen

Photo by Tom Harris Architectural Photography

The Momentary in Bentonville, AR by Wheeler Kearns Architects is the world’s first building to use our projectable glass rainscreen as a 6,000 sq. ft. media screen. It incorporates four unique fritted glass designs, created by Osage artist Addie Roanhorse. The adaptive-reuse project transformed a former Kraft Foods cheese factory into a contemporary arts museum. During the museum’s opening, the system was tested as both a projection surface and “stage.” A dance group performed a gravity-defying vertical ballet on the glass facade, while a dynamic light show was projected onto its surface.

The latest award for our projectable rainscreen follows an Interior Design NYCxDESIGN award and an Architectural Record Editors’ Choice Award for Best Building Envelope Product. The system also became a triple finalist in the Architizer A+ awards for Innovation, Building Envelopes, and Glass & Glazing.

For more information on our glass rainscreen systems, please visit www.bendheim.com/system/flat-glass-rainscreen-systems/.

Etched Dichroic Glass Brightens Utah Project

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2,300 Feet of Our Optichroic® Architectural Glass Installed at New Tech HQ

Our Optichroic® architectural glass was installed at a technology education company’s new headquarters. Architects from Rapt Studio in San Francisco selected our customized etched dichroic glass to add kinetic color to nine elevator lobbies at Pluralsight in Draper, Utah.

Developed by NASA in the late 1950s, dichroic glass is innately interactive in nature. As the viewer’s angle to the glass changes, so does its color.

Bendheim introduced large-format Optichroic® dichroic glass to the architectural market in the early 2000s. We recently added three new colorways to expand the palette.

Pluralsight Headquarters | Bendheim Architectural Glass Project

Pluralsight Headquarters, Draper, UT by Rapt Studio. Photo by Beth Hockett.

Pluralsight offers video training courses to software developers and IT administrators. The company recently consolidated its operations into a new state-of-the-art, 350,000 square foot headquarters. According to a press release, a key design objective was to “foster a feeling of connectivity and collaboration to further Pluralsight’s mission to democratize technology skills.” The four-story building includes a café, medical clinic, fitness center, bike room, and walking path with access to a nearby trail system.

Our dichroic glass clads the elevator lobbies throughout the building. It features a white back-paint, making it opaque for wall cladding purposes, as well as a “soft” etched surface to diffuse reflections. The maintenance-friendly SatinTech™ acid-etched surface also resists fingerprints and staining. B & D Glass installed the glass.

Pluralsight Headquarters | Bendheim Architectural Glass Project

Pluralsight Headquarters, Draper, UT by Rapt Studio. Photo by Beth Hockett.

Optichroic® glass has gained appeal with architects and interior designers due to its space-age aesthetic and versatility. Bendheim can tailor the glass with a wide range of finishes, textures, and light-diffusing interlayers to create different effects. Used in partitions, the laminated glass also provides added safety and acoustic privacy, with a minimum improvement of 4 points to the STC rating.

The glass’ versatility is illustrated in its wide range of applications. Optichroic® glass was installed in the main terminal at Hamad International Airport in Qatar, where it interacts with daylight through skylights, creating a dynamic play of color and light throughout the day. It was also installed at the City University of New York Science campus, where triple-laminated, custom-curved dichroic glass guardrails hug the contours of a six-story interior staircase.

Our new colorways of Optichroic® dichroic glass build on the products’ design flexibility. The glass is available in sizes 52” x 120” and thicknesses up to 3/4 inches. From subtle “color sans colors” partitions to vibrant feature walls, it allows architects to specify the color and intensity that works for their unique project.

Learn more about Bendheim’s new dichroic glass colors at https://bendheim.com/video/new-dichroic-glass/.

New Short Video Case Study | Infrastructure Project

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We have added a new video to our ongoing series of architectural case studies. In less than 2 minutes, the short film highlights the challenges architects faced when designing several structures at the new Gov. Mario Cuomo Bridge Welcome Center, and how we were able to offer solutions.

“Our ongoing two-minute video case studies distill the most relevant information to provide architects quick, valuable insights,” said Ben Jayson, Bendheim President. “Architects and designers are pressed for time, but have to continue accumulating product and application knowledge. We offer a range of solutions, from virtual project consultations to these short case studies.”

Designed by Wilkinson Eyre Architects of London, the focus of the new case study includes a welcome center, electric vehicle charging stations, bike repair station, outdoor pavilion, and public art. The complex serves commuters, cyclists, and pedestrians, drawn to the bridge’s biking and walking paths for their breathtaking views of the Hudson River.

welcome center Bendheim

Bendheim’s short educational video addresses the challenge of constructing distinct structures serving completely different functions that achieve coherence through their use of our three-dimensional channel glass. It shows how, at the entrance of the plaza, the architects used 2,220 square feet of channel glass to envelop the Center’s comfort station. Our glass provides the restroom structure with the highest level of privacy, while transforming it into an architectural highlight.

channel glass canopy pavilion bendheim

To unite the pedestrian plaza, the architects then chose channel glass to cover the open air Pavilion. This decision made the Cuomo Bridge Welcome Center the first project in North America to include Bendheim’s channel glass as a canopy. 880 square feet of our channel glass in unusual tempered-and-laminated form were used on the overhead installation to meet building codes.

For more 2-minute video case studies, please visit our YouTube channel.

Unveiling 3 New Dichroic Glass Colors for Architecture

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Space-Travel-Inspired Architectural Glass Creates Vibrant Visual Aesthetics

We are introducing three new colorways – Jupiter, Neptune and Saturn – to our line of Optichroic® dichroic glass. The fresh color-shifting hues expand architects’ and interior designers’ material palette, providing new ways to create dynamic light and color effects.

Dichroic glass is innately interactive in nature. As the viewer’s angle to the glass changes, so does its color, giving Optichroic its kinetic iridescent characteristics.

NASA developed dichroic glass in the late 1950s to protect against the potentially harmful effects of direct sunlight and cosmic radiation. With its striking visual qualities, dichroic glass has found use in a variety of architectural applications – from stair railings to wall cladding.

Bendheim introduced large-format Optichroic dichroic glass to the architectural market in the early 2000s, and the new colors are the first since the product launch.

Optichroic® Dichroic Architectural Glass | Bendheim

Optichroic® dichroic architectural glass from Bendheim.

Since its introduction to the market, Optichroic has gained appeal due to its space-age aesthetic and versatility. We can tailor the glass with a wide range of finishes, textures and light-diffusing interlayers, creating a myriad of effects. Adding a matte finish, for example, can soften the shifting hues and lend an ephemeral quality – what one client referred to as “color without color.” Adding a sharp texture has the opposite effect, intensifying the color.

The adaptability of our Optichroic glass is reflected in the diversity of its applications. At the City University of New York Science Campus, for instance, our triple-laminated dichroic guardrails were custom curved to hug the contours of the six-story interior staircase. Their fine etched surfaces diffuse and soften the light and glass colors. They also resist fingerprints and stains – the perfect choice for this high-traffic area. At Google’s New York City office, clear dichroic glass exhibits high reflectivity and color. It was selected for its ability to capture and radiate the full spectrum of light.

W New York Times Square | Dichroic Architectural Glass DJ Booth

Bendheim’s Optichroic® laminated glass forms the attention-grabbing DJ booth at the W New York – Times Square Hotel lobby. Photo by Michael Kleinberg.

The new dichroic colors build on the products’ design flexibility. The glass is available in sizes up to 50″ x 120″ and thicknesses up to 3/4″. From subtle “color sans color” partitions to vibrant feature walls, Optichroic glass allows architects to specify the colorway and intensity that works for their unique project.