There is a new generation of glass façades, and the innovation in aesthetics and functionality has evolved quickly over the past few years. Architects now have more choices, taking into consideration light transmission, solar shading, and thermal performance, among other things, while also delivering the proper visual result for each client. It’s like going to the 24-hour diner and reading the 40-page menu: all of the choices may look appealing, but there’s only one right one for the occasion.
The team at BNIM Architects faced its own façade dilemma on a project that opened last year at Johnson County Community College in Overland Park, Kansas. In the construction of JCCC’s new Fine Arts & Design Studio, architects needed to find a façade that delivered aesthetically and met the needs of the growing university.