Structural-silicone glazing
Glass is bonded to concealed aluminium framing for a flush external surface. Silicone bite, dead-load support, drainage and replacement access are calculated for the project.
System 02 · For the view
Structural & Point-Supported Glazing Facades
Structural-silicone, glass-fin and point-supported elevations where the view is the brief — engineered around real loads, movement, glass fabrication and installation access.
Where it wins
When the drawing says "see nothing but the view"
Depending on span, movement and architectural intent, the glass can be bonded to a concealed frame, supported by transparent glass fins or fixed at engineered points. The result is a restrained elevation with the support logic kept visually secondary.
- Uninterrupted sightlines — the horizon reads unbroken from inside.
- Exposed-site engineering — wind loads and, where relevant, impact cases designed with margin.
- Marine-grade options — 316 stainless fixings and coastal coating systems for water's-edge sites.
- Privacy where needed — switchable interlayers and acoustic laminates within the same elevation.
- Coastal hardware strategy — exposed fixings and finishes can be selected for waterfront salt and humidity.
- Heat-aware sealant design — structural joints are checked against project loads, glass size and surface-temperature conditions.
Honest note: frameless work rewards an experienced crew. We recommend a supervised installation start (T2) for most projects in this system — one or two weeks of our engineer beside your crew removes almost all of the risk.
Three routes within one system family
Choose the support logic before detailing the glass.
Point-supported glazing is treated as a defined structural-glazing route, not as a disconnected product. That keeps glass design, primary steel, fixings, movement, sealants, drainage and installation responsibility coordinated as one facade package.
Glass-fin-supported walls
Vertical glass fins carry the face glass where interior transparency matters. Fin stability, splice locations, head movement and base restraint are resolved with the building structure.
Point-Supported Glazing
Engineered point fixings connect drilled or locally supported glass to steel, cable or glass-fin structures. Hole geometry, edge distance, local stress, redundancy, stainless grade and maintenance access govern the detail.
Specifications, translated
The numbers, and what they mean for your building
| Parameter | Typical specification | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| Glazing build-up | Laminated low-iron, double or triple | Colour-true views with no green cast, and a laminate that holds together if a pane is ever struck. |
| Panel dimensions | Up to ~3.2 × 4.5 m per project engineering | Living-room-scale glass — fewer joints, more view, sized to what your site's wind loads actually allow. |
| Thermal performance (Uw) | 1.2 – 1.8 W/m²K per build-up | Comfortable beside the glass on a winter evening — no cold radiant zone by the sofa. |
| Structural silicone | Engineered bite per load case, documented | The glass is held by calculation, not habit — every joint's capacity is in the handover file. |
| Support routes | Structural silicone, glass fins or engineered point fixings | The visible result may be similar, but the load path, glass processing, tolerances and replacement method are selected explicitly. |
| Wind resistance | Project-specific, coastal exposure cases included | Ridge-line and water's-edge sites get the extra load cases they quietly demand. |
| Hardware | Concealed splices; 316-grade stainless at marine sites | Nothing interrupts the line — and nothing rusts at the coast. |
Typical values shown for guidance; every project is engineered to its own loads, climate and code, and the quotation states the tested configuration that applies to you.
Test evidence for your market
✓ ✓ EN 13830 / CE
✓ ✓ ASTM E283 · E331
✓ ✓ AAMA 501
✓ ✓ EN 13022 structural sealant glazing
Common system pairings
Keep the view clean across every interface.
Operable opening
Sliding & Folding Glass Walls
Minimal fixed glass carried into large terrace openings.
Outer shading layer
Mashrabiya Facade
A floating screen adds privacy and solar control ahead of the glass.
Top light
Rooflights & Skylights
Vertical and overhead glass coordinated with clear interface responsibility.
Related project records
See the system in building context.
Drawing a building around a view?
Send the elevations — or even the site photos — and we will tell you what the glass can honestly carry.
