Channeling History: Innovative Glass Façade Defines Renovated NYC Landmark

Bendheim’s Lamberts^® channel glass is the focal point of the new eye-catching South Street Seaport at New York’s Pier 17. The glass envelopes the façade of this updated landmark with two stacked rows of 20-foot-tall light-boxes. The three-dimensional glass channels diffuse natural daylight and minimize glare during the day. At night, the back-lit façade becomes a beacon on the Pier.

South Street Seaport, New York, NY by SHoP Architects. Photo by C. Taylor Crothers Photography, Inc.

SHoP Architects selected Bendheim to provide a tailored solution for this ambitious landmark project. The design required approximately 37,000 square feet of channel glass in a custom shape – featuring a greater flange depth – for added structural capacity. In addition to the non-standard channel shape, Bendheim supplied quick turn-around on samples and reliable estimating throughout the design phase.

The continuous, two-story-tall channels maintain clean design lines and brace against the East River winds without the need for reinforcing wind clips. The channel glass exterior uses structural glazing to create a flush appearance, eliminating typical horizontal frames. The glass is installed in Enclos Corp’s unitized system, facilitating the pre-assembly and installation of the units. On average, each two-story-tall light-box section required only 1.5 hours to hoist and secure to the building.

South Street Seaport, New York, NY by SHoP Architects. Photo by Said Elieh.

“We thank ShoP Architects and the Howard Hughes Corporation for the opportunity to demonstrate the design capabilities of our channel glass,” said Robert Jayson, Bendheim’s President.

With dozens of Bendheim channel glass projects throughout the city, the new Pier 17 reinvents the material by creating a completely new façade geometry, with truly unique dimensionality and depth. For more information about Bendheim’s Lamberts^® Channel Glass, please visit www.bendheim.com/channel-glass.