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Dazzling Downtown Marketing Suite Features “Magical” Privacy Glass

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Prominent architectural firm Eastlake Studio specified our Houdini™ Privacy Glass in a high-end marketing suite on the 12th floor at 1 South Wacker, a luxury office tower in Chicago. The design seeks to bring the outside in and uses advanced materials to create a work environment that combines glamor and functionality.

Houdini™ glass features a precision-rolled micro-fluted pattern to transmit maximum daylight while providing a high level of visual privacy. The name refers to the remarkable visual effect it creates, whereby people and objects seem to disappear behind it even as light continues to shine through. In addition to diffusing light, Houdini™ reduces glare and minimizes reflections.

“Our design team was drawn to Houdini glass because it creates a unique blur effect that is different from other fluted options,” noted Emily Koss, Technical Designer at Eastlake Studio. “The combination of the vertical flutes and the horizontal striation creates a dynamic visual which allows natural light in, but also created division and privacy,” Koss added.

Eastlake Studio’s design for the 37,000 square foot marketing suite uses elements such as breezeway block, recessed lighting, and plants.  A key aspect of this outdoor theme is the inclusion of as much daylight as possible.  Eastlake used approximately 1,000 square feet of laminated Houdini™ glass for the office partitions, allowing high-quality natural light to fill the space.  Other uses of Houdini™ glass throughout the suite reinforce this fundamental of the design.

Glass office partitions with Houdini textured privacy glass

1 South Wacker suite renovation by Eastlake Studio. Photos by Hall + Merrick + McCaugherty.

As Emily Koss explained, “We used the glass throughout the space to help form the cohesive design story. It appears in full-height walls in meeting rooms, as a feature in the break room, and as booth dividers. In addition to being aesthetically interesting, the glass filters light in, while keeping a focus on what is in the foreground, and limiting distraction beyond.” Installation at 1 South Wacker was carried out by MTH Industries.

Houdini™ glass can be customized through combination with a virtually unlimited range of color interlayers, prints, and other textured and etched glass varieties. It can also be back-painted or laminated to mirror for wall cladding applications. The glass is an ideal solution for environments where privacy and natural light are vital, including educational facilities, retail applications, healthcare and laboratories, along with offices.

“There are multiple benefits to Houdini™ glass in this application,” Bendheim co-owner Steven Jayson said. “It establishes visual privacy, while managing daylight and bringing high-quality natural light into the core of the space. We have seen substantial growth in the popularity of linear privacy glass, and it’s great to see it contribute to projects that represent the leading edge of design.”

New Prospero™ Collection Expands the Design Palette

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New Linear Pattern Glass Collection Balances Visual Privacy and Daylight

We are expanding architects and designers’ material palette with a new privacy-friendly linear glass collection, Prospero™. The collection comprises five etched and carved designs in low-iron (ultra-clear), grey, and bronze 3/8”-thick tempered glass. Ideal for elegant frameless partition walls and shower enclosures, the monolithic glass balances visual privacy, daylight, and value.

Prospero™ combines an intricate decorative aesthetic with shorter lead times. It is also a cost-effective solution for applications blending a decorative pattern and color, which typically require more costly lamination fabrication.

“Delivering projects on time is a major pain point for the architect, installer, and building owner,” said Ben Jayson, Bendheim President. “Glass is one of the last interior finishes on the project, and the market needs speedier decorative glass solutions with guaranteed quality. Today, we can turn around a fully fabricated, polished, and tempered Prospero order in as little as two weeks.”

Prospero™ glass is ideal for privacy partitions in offices, transportation, hospitality, and healthcare projects. It is also perfectly suited for frameless shower enclosures in hospitality and multi-family residential applications.

Grey Carved Corduroy Glass Rendering

Rendering of Prospero Grey Carved Corduroy glass in a frameless shower enclosure.

Linear glass remains timeless yet trendy. Demand for our linear patterns has increased more than 120 percent in the past few years. Architects and designers also gravitate towards ultra-clear or neutral glass colors for their projects. Prospero™ glass combines the in-demand linear design aesthetic with several important functional benefits. The maintenance-friendly glass resists permanent stains from water and fingerprints, diffuses light, and reduces glare. Stocked and fabricated in the United States, it also offers controlled lead times and premium quality.

We fabricate the glass to the desired size, shape, aesthetic, and safety requirements of the project. Maximum panel size depends on the application. Our tempered Prospero™ glass meets building safety codes, the requirements for ANSI Z97.1, and the Consumer Product Safety Commission CPSC 16FR, Part 1201 – Safety Standard for Architectural Glazing Materials.

Our design consultants can also work with architects to tailor the glass, creating completely new aesthetics. Mirrored or back-painted, linear-pattern glass can serve as unique, maintenance-friendly and durable wall cladding with dynamic qualities. Architects can conduct project consultations in person or live-remote via our Design Lab: https://bendheim.com/professional/design-lab/

Renowned Architects Celebrate Women’s History Month with NYC Project Featuring Our Etched Glass

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A renowned architectural firm, owned by Iranian-born sisters Gisue Hirari and Mojgan Hariri, is celebrating both Women’s History Month and the recent completion of a dramatic renovation featuring our architectural glass.

Hariri & Hariri Architecture re-designed a 3,000 square foot office in Manhattan’s Diamond District. The tenant, SIBA Corp/SIBA Residences, is a prominent gem dealer and real estate business. The project includes our SatinTech™ etched glass to establish privacy while allowing natural light to enter the central space. The glass resists fingerprints and staining, diffuses light, reduces glare and minimizes reflections.

“Large frameless sliding doors and panels along the perimeter offices needed to be tempered for safety and etched for privacy,’’ Gisue Hariri said. “We also wanted a maintenance-friendly surface unlike coated, sandblasted glass.”

The architects incorporated their design trademarks, using a unique blend of architectural, artistic and interior design elements to create a space that is filled with art, timeless, healthy and inspiring. “We wanted to pay homage to SIBA’s heritage in the diamond business by making the architecture like a cut stone or jewel,’’ Gisue said. “We also wanted everyone to have their own views of New York City to enjoy the skyline and natural light.”

Bendheim etched glass installed as cubicle partitions.

SIBA Corp, New York, NY by Hariri & Hariri Architecture. Photo Eric Liagnel, courtesy of Hariri & Hariri Architecture

Hariri & Hariri have incorporated our products into various commercial and residential projects over the years. “The quality, variety, dependability and size is what makes Bendheim products special,’’ Gisue Hariri said.

SIBA’s main office is organized around a central open space with private offices and meeting rooms on the perimeter. Natural light enters the private offices via large windows and filters into the central open space through translucent doors customized with our etched glass. The design creates a bright, airy and tactile central space.

Three divisions of SIBA – diamond trading, real estate sales and building management – share the floor. The architects faced a design challenge in securing the gem side of the business, while also providing functionality and space for the other company divisions.

Solving architectural challenges is not unusual for the Hariri sisters, who came to the United States in the 1970s from Iran and have since become two of the world’s most highly regarded architects. They have won multiple awards, including the “2015 American Architecture Award” from The Chicago Athenaeum Museum and the “Academy Award for Architecture” from the American Academy of Arts and Letters. Inducted into Interior Design Magazine’s Design Hall of Fame in 2006, they also received the Career Achievement Award from the Public Affairs Alliance of Iranian Americans.

After working independently for several years, the Hariri sisters formed their own multi-disciplinary architecture and design firm in 1986. Considered one of the most progressive and forward-thinking firms in the industry, it has completed a variety of projects, including luxury residential developments, hotels, single-family homes and high-tech, high-concept experiments.

The Hariri sisters are pioneers in the field of women’s architecture. The percentage of women registered with the American Institute of Architects continues to be astonishingly low. Only 17 percent of registered architects are women, according to the AIA. When the Hariris started their business in the 1980s, only about four percent of the architects were women, the AIA said.

Women’s History Month celebrates the contributions women have made in the United States and recognizes the specific achievements women have made over the course of American history. Gisue Hariri and Mojgan Hariri have been among the most influential women architects for more than 30 years.

“Our projects are unique, our concepts are different and our dedication has been rewarded,’’ Gisue Hariri said. “Being women has contributed to our work philosophy, vision and approach to architecture. Being different is an asset, being a woman is a gift, and being Iranian is a cultural strength.”  

Fred Jayson & Margaret Bendheim

Bendheim co-founder Margaret Bendheim with her son-in-law, second-generation owner Fred Jayson.

“It’s an honor to be chosen to work with such world-renowned architects,” said Ben Jayson, Bendheim President. “Diversity has enriched the industry and our team profoundly. Our company was co-founded by a woman in the 1920s. My great-grandmother Margaret Bendheim ran the business operations, while my great-grandfather Sem focused on sales. This set them apart at a time when only about one in ten married women worked, and very few held controlling positions in a business. I am truly proud of our legacy.”

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.

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/.

Our Gradient Glass Enhances the Shopping Experience at Saks Fifth Avenue Bal Harbour

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More Than 3,000 Square Feet of Fade® Architectural Glass Brightens Multi-Level Designer Store in Shopping Mecca

Architects collaborated with Bendheim to create a range of gradient glass varieties for a renovation at Saks Fifth Avenue Bal Harbour in Miami. Purposeful variations in the glass colors and translucency were used to define distinct areas and serve various functions throughout the space – from blush Fade® mirror cladding in the cosmetics department to vibrant prismatic glass escalator surrounds and product backdrops.

More than 3,000 square feet of our tailored Fade glass was included in the two-year renovation, which extended across three floors. Cincinnati-based NELSON Worldwide, formerly FRCH Nelson, collaborated on the project with HVC Global Design of New York. The renovation focused on modernizing the shopping experience at the store, which has been part of Bal Harbour Shops since 1976. The open-air shopping destination is home to more than 100 of the world’s most famous and luxurious fashion and jewelry brands. It is one of the highest grossing shopping centers in the world.

Saks Fifth Avenue Bal Harbor | Bendheim Architectural Glass Project

Saks Fifth Avenue Bal Harbour, Miami, FL by based NELSON Worldwide. Photos courtesy of Miller Glass & Glazing.

Architects selected laminated glass with customized color interlayers that smoothly transition in hue across the entire height of the glass. According to our Natalia Naleeva, the objective was to create a morning sky appearance in one level, an afternoon sky in another and, finally, an evening sky for the final layer.

“You cannot see where one color starts and the other ends,’’ said Naleeva, who worked with the architects and Saks’ design team to develop the glass. “It’s a very subtle transition. The hardest part was to get the right intensity of color. It had to be really subtle and delicate.”

Saks Fifth Avenue Bal Harbor | Bendheim Architectural Glass Project

Most panels in the project are 16 inches wide by 143 inches tall. The glass was manufactured by Bendheim in New Jersey, and installed on-site by Miller Glass & Glazing of Pompano Beach. Our sales, sampling, and production teams collaborated closely with the architect team to create the various gradient graphics required.

“We also had to be very careful fabricating the glass,’’ Naleeva said. “The interlayers are made of a delicate material that cannot be packed, nor placed on an uneven surface. We had to handle them with care.”

Bendheim’s decorative laminated glass can feature a wide range of interlayers, including graphic prints, color filters, metals, textiles, wood veneers, and more. The glass offers the highest level of design flexibility, allowing the creation of virtually unlimited aesthetics for a range of applications, from hotels and cultural buildings to medical centers.

Saks Fifth Avenue Bal Harbor | Bendheim Architectural Glass Project

Saks Fifth Avenue Bal Harbour, Miami, FL by based NELSON Worldwide. Photo courtesy of Miller Glass & Glazing.

“The design in this application is beautiful, but there are also distinct functional benefits,’’ Naleeva said. “While the glass is relatively see-through, it adds a layer of privacy in the escalator area. At the same time, it allows light to travel into the space, while lending a colorful touch.”

“The Saks Fifth Avenue project demonstrates our commitment to design excellence and our collaborative team spirit,” said Ben Jayson, Bendheim President. “With innovative thinking and improved technology, we are continuing to push the envelope to help architects meet their project requirements.”