Structural Glass installations at Hastings Library
Project
Ion Glass working on behalf of Baxall Construction of Kent in conjunction with Miller Bourne Architects
Public and Community Award Winner 2018 – Award Contributor
Product
A variety of products installed throughout Hastings Library, including fire-rated frameless glass doors, fire-rated glass screens, fixed fire-rated glass panels, frameless glass balustrades, secondary glazing and glass infills.
Overview
Hastings Library has been completely refurbished and extended in a major project which has involved areas of the building that had not had any previous maintenance in the 140 year history of the building. The multi-million pound project has created a modern and vibrant library in an historic Grade II listed building in the heart of the town.
Critical to the success of the project was the introduction of fire-rated glass screens and automatic fire-rated glass doors around the lift shafts, ensuring that this heritage building has maximum protection in the event of an incident. Protective glass panels and glass balustrades were installed to retain some of the original features of this building whilst ensuring that the modernised library meets current building requirements.
Technical Information
Ion Glass were commissioned to install a series of bespoke fire-rated glass doors with 30 minutes integrity and automatic operation in the event of a fire. The installation includes a variety of bespoke fire-rated glass screens fitted with frameless glass double doors. Each set of individual double doors is designed to open automatically in normal use to provide easy access to all floors for visitors to the library but will remain closed and sealed in an emergency.
The doors are linked to the fire-detection system: in the event of a fire the automatic operators are de-activated allowing the intumescent seals built into the edges of the doors to seal the openings to the individual library rooms on each floor of the building, protecting the stairway as the escape route and providing at least half an hour for any occupants of the building to exit.
The doors combine automatic operation and frameless fire-doors in a unique system designed by Ion Glass to meet all statutory requirements
The installation includes arched overhead transoms in fire-rated glass, maintaining full integrity and fire-safety without compromising the aesthetics and original architecture of the building.
Fire-rated glass panels around the lift shaft and glass infill panels on either side of the doors provide 30 minutes protection with Contraflam 30 glass set into hardwood frames, retaining the flow of light around the building whilst ensuring the new structural glass meets all fire safety requirements.
As part of the project Ion Glass also installed fixed glass panels in toughened laminate glass to the window reveals, meeting current building and safety regulations whilst providing protection for the original stained glass windows.
Frameless glass balustrades in front of the original open metalwork balustrades, retains the original staircase whilst meeting building regulations.
Access to Hastings Library is now via frameless glass double-doors, also supplied and installed by Ion Glass, providing a light and welcoming entrance for visitors, in keeping with the newly modernised look and feel of the building.
Ion Glass also manufactured all the bespoke hardwood frames required for the entire installation (fully in accordance with fire regulations) and supplied the door hardware, including handles set above the standard height in the children’s area of the library to ensure that younger children can’t open the doors without adult supervision.
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The fire-rated glass doors with automatic closures were integral to the success of the refurbishment project, ensuring that this impressive Grade II listed building fully meets current building requirements without losing the heritage features that make this building so architecturally significant.