INNOVATIONBEAUTY BEHIND ARCHITECTURAL GLAZING PROJECTS

From Helen Duval 2022

The Merdeka 118 in Kuala Lumpur, is one of the world’s tallest building and has been built on one of the country’s most important historic sites. This modern icon can be found near to the stadium where independence was declared in 1957.

Fender Katsalidis, an Australian architectural firm, designed the multi-use hospitality, retail, and residential Merdeka that will have 118 stories when finished. This amazing architectural feat will reach 2,227-feet-including its spire when complete. A two-storey observation deck has also been included in what will be the tallest in Southeast Asia.

The Merdeka 118’s glass façade is a series of faceted windows, which is surrounded at its base with a four acre water park, which all combined helps to enrich this culturally significant building. Nanjing, China, is recognised historically one of the four ancient capitals, however this new megacity houses 9.3 million people.

MAD Architects was contracted for the design concept of the Zandai Himalayas Centre, which is a mixture of stunningly designed tower blocks, low density buildings as well as multiple green spaces. Ma Yansong, the architect, has created a 6,027,790-square-foot megacity comprising commercial buildings, hotels, and residences to echo a modern take on a synthetic ski village that is surrounded by huge mountains.

Low buildings with pitched roofs, are in the centre of this man-made landscape of hills and water features, that comes complete with rising glass-and-metal towers around them. Harmonising people and nature together was a focal aspect of the design concept.

Solar reflection, sound insulation and burglar resistance remain essential on glass curtain walling projects today with increased security now a focal point for architects to incorporate. As the technical performance of insulating glass becomes more and more important during the planning stages, co-operation and creative understanding has to be an essential component in all evolving projects.

With changing legislation, it seems to make so much sense for more glass processors to be involved at the heart of the planning discussions during the collaboration stages.