Z-KISS concealed attachment system adds color to terminal with ease

The new single terminal at Kansas City International—representing the largest infrastructure project in the region’s history–opened in February 2023. From the beginning of the design process, meetings with the city’s taxpayers identified a streamlined experience for travelers as a high priority, with an emphasis on comfort and dignity for all. In 2018, the Mayor and City Council of Kansas City, Mo., specifically directed lead architects at Skidmore, Owings & Merrill to create “the most accessible airport in the world.”

One reflection of this aim was the terminal’s restroom design. In addition to traditional male-only and female-only spaces, generous provision was made for gender-neutral facilities, easing travel for families with young children and cutting long wait times for female passengers. These options are coded with color as well as signage to direct travelers appropriately: blue for men, yellow for women, and green for gender-neutral rooms.

We provided the vibrant back-painted etched glass used to execute this vision, as well as the patent-pending Z-KISS concealed attachment system. With over 10,000 square feet of glass provided, Kansas City International represents our largest Z-KISS installation to date.

A fully-engineered alternative to traditional Z-clip fastening systems, Z-KISS requires fewer horizontal hanging brackets while providing reliable mechanical support for the dead load of glass. Designed to create a frameless aesthetic for opaque glass, Z-KISS can be used with a wide range of glass choices, including back-painted, mirrored, or digitally printed varieties. The glass is delivered with the hardware preinstalled, ready for installation, and accompanied by shop drawings and layout drawings provided by Bendheim.

In addition to back-painted glass for the restrooms, we also provided etched laminated mirrored glass from our Titanium™ line to frame the new terminal’s elevators in a warm cinnamon shade. While emphasizing access and inclusivity, project architects also bore in mind the terminal’s prominence as a brand new welcome center for Kansas City. With high-profile events such as the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the airport’s near future, a world-class feeling for its interior spaces was essential. With its etched surface, the delicate mirror effect of Titanium glass becomes beautifully subtle, with the gentlest of diffused reflections.

“Our design capabilities and the breadth of our product offerings give us wonderful opportunities to support the visions of our architect partners,” said Said Elieh, Bendheim’s Vice President for Sales and Innovation. “Ease of installation is a high priority for us too, since it’s our job to make the beauty of these special glasses a practical choice. We’re extremely proud of our contributions to Kansas City’s next-generation airport, and we greatly respect their commitment to safe and comfortable travels for everyone.”

Quick-install method supports design vision for employee-friendly building

Architects for a $157 million downtown redevelopment in Central Indiana specified our problem-solving TurnKey™ Glass Wall Cladding system for the project’s anchor building, adding elegance to an open interior.

Designed by Browning Day of Indianapolis, a new corporate headquarters for First Internet Bank opened in the city of Fishers, Ind., in May 2022. Framing the elevators of the six-story structure, our gently etched grey mirrored glass creates a soft backdrop for some of the more dramatic features in the open central space, including the grand staircase connecting the four uppermost levels. As described by Madison Rief, Designer and Fitwel Ambassador at Browning Day: “It was a contemporary solution that allowed us to highlight the elevators without stealing the drama from the feature stair and two-story feature wall.”

The use of our TurnKey™ system to attach the glass cladding sped installation along. This simple rail-based concept allows glass panels to be locked into place with one-inch clips that turn like a key. Installation crews need only their basic tools, and no special training is required.

The work at First Internet Bank was completed by Architectural Glass & Metal of Indianapolis. AGM’s Marc Fickle noted that installation was up to 20-25% faster with TurnKey (versus conventional J-channel and mastic). The TurnKey system is also more forgiving than other installation methods, allowing easy adjustments to compensate for uneven walls.

Panels mounted with TurnKey can also be easily demounted in the event of a redesign, or if access to an area behind the glass is required. TurnKey hardware is available in any RAL color, allowing designers to downplay or highlight these elements as desired. The clips installed in First Internet Bank were powder coated in RAL-7043 Traffic Grey, to match the custom grey etched and laminated mirror. Browning Day’s Rief expressed satisfaction with the outcome: “It was a perfect solution, and we just loved the look of it.”

In keeping with its history as the first state-chartered, FDIC-insured institution to operate entirely online, First Internet Bank took a reflective and deliberate approach to the purpose and nature of its brick-and-mortar office space. Features designed to promote employee wellness include a private amenity terrace and ready access to the nearby Nickle Plate Trail, fostering a connection with nature. The sleek and modern design of the building’s workspaces provides flexibility for collaboration, with a nod to the industrial past in the form of exposed concrete and open ceilings.

Said Elieh, Vice President of Sales and Product Innovation at Bendheim, noted: “We’re proud to be associated with this forward-looking project, and with the dynamism of growing cities like Fishers. The beauty of our TurnKey system is that it’s now far easier for architects and designers to include gorgeous interior glass in their plans.”

Easy installation, even light, and 360° technical support make vision a reality

 

A cutting-edge medical research facility at the University of Missouri has pioneered the use of our TurnKey Fusion Light Wall system, a complete solution for backlit glass cladding. Able to accommodate panels up to 8 feet in height for floor-to-ceiling illumination, the entire TurnKey Fusion Light Wall system is UL listed.

Located on the University’s flagship campus in Columbia, Mo., the entryway of the Roy Blunt NextGen Precision Health Building features our LE’Diffusion Safety Glass, vibrantly decorated with a custom graphic film. The TurnKey Fusion Light Wall system integrates Fusion LED backlighting panels into the the TurnKey system for mechanical attachment of interior glass. Glass panels are mounted using a simple rail and key system that requires no special tools—and they can be demounted just as easily for maintenance needs, or in the event of a redesign.

While any Bendheim laminated or tempered glass can be mounted with TurnKey Fusion, our LE’Diffusion glass is specifically designed to provide even, shadow-free dispersion of LED lighting over a maximum 8’ span. The Fusion LEDs have also been engineered to provide uniform light throughout the system. Just as importantly, the entire system hugs the wall with its minimal 2 1/16” overall depth.

Designed by Burns & McDonnell, the 265,000 square foot NextGen Precision Health center is designed to foster cross-disciplinary collaboration in the field of precision medicine, an approach to healthcare that is tailored to an individual’s genes, lifestyle and environment. In keeping with the program’s mission of hope, an MU faculty member used magnified cross-sections of her own late father’s lymphoma cells to create the entryway artwork.

The wall of glass in the facility’s entry gave the architects a blank canvas–for a design which would be easy to update in the future. “We could have provided the graphic laminated inside the glass, but we chose to go with an applied film,” said Bendheim Vice President of Sales Said Elieh. “This allows us the ability to change the graphic later on. In addition, in order to meet the install deadline, we needed to order the hardware and glass before the graphic was finalized. We were able to complete the installation while the owner and architect finalized the design. This is a ground-breaking project, and we are excited to be part of it.”

“We sought a high quality of light from a technical, space and budget standpoint,’’ said Clint Blew, Senior Design Architect at Burns & McDonnell. “Bendheim’s system met those criteria. The light quality before the artwork was applied to the glass was incredibly clean and even, virtually no ghosting. Many claim to be able to achieve this, but few truly can, at least not on a budget that every client can afford. The Bendheim system is also engineered in such a way that we were able to integrate it into the building pretty effortlessly and flawlessly.”

With integrated Fusion LED panels and specially engineered LE’Diffusion glass, the TurnKey Fusion Light Wall system creates even, shadow-free illumination in the entryway of the NextGen Precision Health building.

“Bendheim’s was the most cost-effective solution for this project and the installation was a smooth process,” added glazier Ray Wells, owner of Central Missouri Glass. “The glass is right at the heart of the building, and it creates a visually striking appearance. We are proud of this work. It’s an important project for everyone here in Missouri.”

The TurnKey Fusion Light Wall system allows us to offer our project partners an all-in-one solution for backlit glass cladding. We can provide shop drawings, wiring diagrams, engineering calculations, and other forms of technical support at every stage. With no drilling and no adhesives, TurnKey Fusion Light Wall provides easy installation and gorgeous light quality–with flexibility for the future.

Artwork: Enduring Impermanence, Digital Transparency Artwork by Katina Bitsicas