I was on the campus of the University of Texas at Dallas, where the Bioengineering Building features a series of glass and metal guardrails that we designed and fabricated for Alliance Glazing Technologies.
I think these guardrails speak loudly as to what you can expect from Glass +Metal Craft when it comes to such systems.
First, they are highly engineered. All of the hardware, including the non-supported stainless steel handrails, rail caps, machined pockets, and inset illumination was fully integrated into a seamless, stunning system by G+MC’s Fulcrum Architectural Design Assist Division.
All the glass was fabricated by our Glass + Mirror Craft Division. Throughout the entire effort a G+MC project manager ensured proper fit and finish, performance to budget, and timeliness to schedule. When it was ready to roll, our logistics team kitted the entire project to flow installation. Oh, and that same project manager travelled to Dallas to collaborate with the glazier at the onset of work to ensure a successful completion.
That’s how a guardrail project – or any architectural system project – should go, and does go at Glass + Metal Craft.
Second, now that the guardrail system is installed, the design is immediately accessible to all our glazier partners. Glass + Metal Craft believes that great architectural system designs should be available off-the-shelf. And so we’ve committed to building a book of designs that save time and cost – yes, they can still be customized to need, but they launch well ahead of starting from scratch.
We’re finishing up another highly custom glass and metal guardrail for a large corporate client in Michigan, and I hope to share that story, here, in the months ahead. This design features more than 500 stainless steel balusters. It’s quite a sight, and quite a project.
And in the years ahead it too will go from custom to off-the-shelf. Stay tuned.
