Functional Transparency
Glass walls balance the needs for open space and privacy.
Companies are tearing down their walls — literally — to create open-concept, collaborative working environments so that executives and managers are more accessible to employees. For all the benefits of an open-concept work environment, there is still a need for privacy. That’s why some companies are turning away from traditional drywall and toward more flexible, aesthetically pleasing options, such as glass wall systems.
Seamless glass systems can be built to specifications and reconfigured as the size and needs of a company change. Glass walls create clean lines and help small spaces look larger, while still providing opportunities for both privacy and interaction. As more companies become interested in green building and earning Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification, utilizing glass wall systems helps companies earn points for the amount of daylight and recyclable materials in the office.
“Movable wall systems are becoming a trend, and we’re seeing more applications for this type of feature,” says Theresa Comer, account executive with OM Workspace®. “In addition to clear glass, the user could opt to include panels made of fabric, whiteboard, wood veneer, reconstituted materials and even frosted, patterned or colored glass.”
Teknion, a Toronto-based international designer, manufacturer and marketer of office systems, is one of the companies leading the way in the innovation of glass wall systems.
Collaboration and flexibility
OM Workspace and Seattle architectural design firm SABArchitects, Inc. (SABA), utilized the Teknion Optos® wall system to maximize natural light and create a comfortable, energy-efficient working environment for the Seattle location of Danish healthcare company Novo Nordisk. Optos helped OM Workspace and SABA integrate a clean, open interior design while providing picturesque views of the exterior landscape to every employee.
The result was a transparent open-plan workspace that made maximum use of available natural light, while also offering a level of privacy for those who required it. To accommodate for privacy during meetings, SABA designed an additional layer of patterned film utilizing colors that reflected the corporate brand identity. The film was applied to the Optos walls.
Stephen Wood of SABA was pleased with the aesthetic the Optos walls brought to the Novo Nordisk project.
“It’s a very elegant solution,” Wood says. “While other wall systems we considered had exposed bulky compensation tracks, we felt the Optos walls had a sleek design with a lot of transparency and openness.”
The customer experience
Bethanie Warnock, owner of Warnock Lexus in New Jersey, found a solution in the Teknion Altos® wall system when she had the opportunity to custom-build a new Lexus dealership location. Warnock wanted to make the dealership better able to accommodate future growth and stand out as an individual business, while remaining within the style guidelines provided by Lexus.
Teknion’s high-end Altos walls caught Warnock’s attention, but had the potential to send her project over budget. Ultimately, the flexibility of the Altos track system for future office configurations and the thick, towering glass completed the aesthetic she was aiming for in the showroom. Since the Altos walls work in place of standard stationary walls, Warnock was able to purchase the Altos system with her cost savings on drywall.
Changing times
As companies balance changing trends in the need for open space and privacy, along with changes in workspace size and configuration, the option of movable glass wall systems can provide a high-impact solution. While the use of these systems is still in its infancy, architects like Wood will continue to consider them for future projects.
“Things are moving in a good direction,” Wood says. “The improvements resulting from the combined experience of architects and the offerings of manufacturers could easily make wall systems the way of the future.”