Bendheim has taken its consultative design approach digital, opening its architectural glass DesignLab™ to A&D professionals across North America with the help of video conferencing tools. The benefit to design professionals is a faster and more effective way to direct product development and customization for key projects.

The newly launched virtual design program is the culmination of months of training in live-remote client-led R&D. It uses the entirety of Bendheim’s Design Lab resources – a team of design consultants with decades of specialty glass experience, thousands of physical samples, and large glass displays – to collaborate virtually and meet project-specific aesthetic, functional, budget, and lead-time goals.

“This design approach is much faster and more targeted than browsing thousands of samples on the web or relying on a limited local resource library,” said Steven Jayson, Executive Vice President of Bendheim. “We are happy our Design Lab resources are now available to design professionals across North America – no travel required.”

Architects and designers looking for a bespoke glass solution can initiate the virtual design process through the company’s network of local representatives. Based on initial input, Bendheim’s design consultants pull a selection of samples from thousands of on-hand options. The curated collection is then examined by the architect up-close with the help of high-resolution video. In real time, they can morph samples to develop a new aesthetic, as well as explore installation systems. The customized samples are then fabricated in Bendheim’s New Jersey facility and shipped to the architect.

“This allows us to take the traditional face-to-face interactions designers rely on to the virtual realm, saving them a tremendous amount of time and energy,” added Jayson.

Bendheim’s Design Lab, which powers the new virtual design consultations, opened in 2019 on the top floor of the New York Design Center at 200 Lexington Avenue. To create an all-inclusive glass education and specification resource, Bendheim moved in several tons of glass samples and materials. The selection, created with input from the company’s product development and customer-facing teams, represents a comprehensive glass material library with all the physical resources needed for on-the-fly custom design. For more information, please visit https://bendheim.com/professional/design-lab/.