STRUCTURAL GLASS FACADES - USC School of Architecture

As such, it supports the standardized forms of structural glass façade technology as defined
in Chapter 6. Designers can of course, at their own discretion, pursue a more elaborate and
involved methodology building from this one as desired to develop designs of added
complexity, or as a means to more tightly control the development process.
The methodology defined in Figure 7.1 can support a high degree of design complexity.
However, depending upon the experience of the architect, complex designs with innovative
technology frequently require the involvement of a specialist; in the case of structural glass
facades, a specialty consultant or design/build contracting company. The level of
involvement required of the specialist in such cases is beyond what they can reasonably be
expected to provide for free, and a mechanism for brining them to the design team as a paid
consultant is necessary to secure meaningful participation. While this is a viable and
effective means to proceed, the requirement often becomes a barrier to the implementation
of the technology. A theory of this thesis is that a few strategic simple tools and resources
can facilitate a broader use of this technology by enabling the architect to initiate a structural
glass façade project with only the minimal outside involvement typically supplied by industry
providers (material suppliers, fabricators, design/build specialists) for free as part of their
sales support services.
The work product of this process is a developed conceptual design that has been tested for
structural, fabrication and economic viability, and represented in a set of contract documents
suitable for bidding in a design/build format. The methodology is appropriate for the
implementation of any innovative building technology for which there is adequate industry
expertise and infrastructure involving material suppliers, fabricators, installers, and/or
design/build specialty contractors.
The complexity of structural glass façade designs, as with many other design types, results
not so much from the basic design as it does from the boundary interfaces, form transitions,
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