Glass partitions dramatically change the look and feel of an interior space, whether in an office environment or a more relaxed residential setting. There are several items to consider when looking to design glass partitioning.
First and foremost, it’s important to identify the exact purpose of the partition. Are you looking to maintain an open plan feel to an office, whilst providing areas of privacy? Do you have acoustic needs to consider? Or perhaps it’s more design led with the need to add a real focal point to a room?
Below, we have set out five key points to consider when specifying glass partitions:
Harnessing Natural Light
It comes as no surprise that glass is a perfect material for letting natural sunlight flow easily through to create airy and bright environments. However, consideration needs to be given to the partitioning’s position, it’s position in relation to the sun, and the affect this has on light throughout the day. Buildings can have areas with dark spaces. If positioned correctly, glass partitions can harness natural light and remove the need for artificial light in daytime hours, thereby reducing lighting costs.
In an office environment, the need for natural light is of great importance. Research shows that giving staff access to lots of natural light has a huge impact on their productivity. This is why more and more new and refurbished offices have glass partitions incorporated into their design. In addition to staff productivity, natural light is also known to have many different benefits in terms of overall wellness.
Function – Design for Living
Your reading this article about glass partitions strongly suggests that you might be looking to partition a specific internal space. Glass partitioning has recently become commonplace within modern looking office environments. Partitioning is also increasing in popularity in the residential sector, so it’s worth pointing out how multifunctional a glass partition can be when sectioning areas of a room.
It’s important that you consider all the options. Is there is a requirement to reconfigure the overall room layout on a regular basis? For example, in office partitioning, where new offices or meeting room spaces need creating regularly, a relocatable/demountable glass partitioning system could be an option, although ceiling height needs to be considered.
Form
Design and aesthetics are key when creating interior spaces. Therefore, your glass partition needs to look the part! Whether your partition is intended to be a stand-out design statement, or it is meant to make a more subtle impact by merely complimenting the overall interior design, there are many things to take into account.
In a commercial setting, you may want to consider adding corporate branding or a logo on the glass, perhaps a unique design or pattern using frosted glass?
Consider the life cycle and duration of your glass partition when looking at design. How long will the glass partition be in use for? Arguably, in a home environment, the glass partition may be in use for many years, whereas a modern office may change its design and layout more frequently.
Currently Crittall style glazing is very popular. People are using these steel-framed partitions to create interiors that feel both light and inclusive, while retaining an element of separation, perfect for subtly defining kitchen and living areas (as shown below).
Crittall partitions are also perfect for offices, and social settings in business environments. Cool and versatile, the sturdy, slim-profile frames help to create interest in professional settings whilst not overpowering or distracting.
Acoustic Benefits
Glass partitions are great for maintaining the feeling of open space, allowing light to flow throughout the room. They are also ideal for minimising noise. In particular, double-glazed partitions can provide excellent acoustic benefits.
Glass partitioning is ideal in an open plan office design where noise levels can often be off-putting for workers requiring a more peaceful environment. Furthermore, glass partitions can also allow employees to feel included in the surroundings without having to hear everyone!
A comfortable sound level for most rooms is around 35 decibels (dB).With glass partitioning, various acoustic requirements can be met, up to 50 dB depending on the glass thickness, joints and partition configuration.
Cost-Effective
As mentioned above, when designed correctly, glass partitioning can enable dark areas of an interior to be filled with natural light, restricting the need for artificial light and reducing electricity costs. Additionally, glass partitioning systems can be easily installed without harming or disrupting the fabric of the building. They can be taken down easily and reused if desired, making glass partitioning systems a cost effective, viable alternative to bricks, plaster and mortar.
If you are keen to specify glass partitions into your next project please feel free to contact the specialist team at Glasstec Systems with your ideas.
