On the fine line between form and function, contemporary glass facades today often go to the limit and beyond. What is already feasible is shown by the daringly flowing glass-steel roof of the Chadstone Mall in Melbourne (www.chadstone.com.au/shopping). The design was created by the architects of CallisonRTKL, the Buchan Group (New Zealand) and the facade specialist seele were responsible for implementing the construction. Safety glass for the façade and insulating glass (Gewe-therm 4SG) were produced in the Schollglas workshops.
2672 different IG units
The three-dimensionally curved shape of the 7000 m2 roof construction is the result of steel knots, rods and edge beams. These support 2672 cold-bent insulating glass units, which are equipped with the thermoplastic spacer Ködispace 4SG as a warm edge system to ensure permanent gas tightness.
None of the insulating glass units between 8m2 and 1.2m2 is identical to any of the others, as each has to adapt differently to the organic shape of the building. This makes each of the 2672 ISO units unique. The glasses were delivered to the construction site and only then brought into shape. For this purpose, the 39 mm thick double insulating glass had to be cold-bent at its defined point into the respective profile during assembly, then it was fixed in the construction.
Aaron Pocock Photography
The cold bending also deforms the edge bond. With conventional spacers, this can easily lead to leaks in the space between the panes. The warm edge with Ködispace 4SG, on the other hand, compensates the occurring deformations much better than rigid spacer systems, because the reactive polyisobutylene chemically bonds with both the glass surface and the silicone sealing compound. As a result, virtually the entire edge bond "melts" into a flexible and resilient unit.
Flexible spacer withstands very high loads
In addition to experimental component tests, the high load-bearing capacity of the spacer was also proven by finite element simulations. Thus, Ködispace 4SG should guarantee outstanding long-term stability and permanent gas tightness even with curved insulating glass units.
Due to its special composition, Ködispace 4SG forms a chemical bond with both the glass and the secondary sealant silicone in the edge seal. The insulating glass thus becomes a firmly bonded yet flexible unit.
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Kömmerling Chemical Factory
