The Major League Baseball playoffs are well underway and all eyes are on the New York Mets, making their first playoff run since 2006.
While you’re watching the next home game at Citi Field, keep an eye out for the structural glass fin wall located just beyond the foul pole in left field. Completed in 2009, the Pilkington Planar™ point-supported glass fin wall encloses a lounge and restaurant that overlooks the entire field so patrons don’t miss any of the action.
A point-supported glass fin system was chosen for this project by world-renowned stadium architect Populous (formerly HOK Sport Venue Event) thanks to its high transparency. This feature area gives spectators a panoramic, bird’s-eye view of the baseball field while protecting them from high humidity in the summer and the brisk October chill in the fall. These systems are a great fit for many outdoor sporting arenas, and Citi Field was no exception.
Don’t worry about fly balls! Transparency does not compromise the strength of the glass lites, which are rigorously tested to exceed industry standards like all Pilkington Planar™ manufactured products to assure the highest quality. In the event someone hits a mammoth shot to left, both the glass and the spectators will be fine due to the strength of the fully tempered laminated glass composition designed to safely withstand an impact.
Going to a game yourself? Have a look at the structural glass canopies Pilkington manufactured at the gates outside Citi Field. They utilize Optiwhite low-iron glass laminated with “SentryGlas” ionoplast interlayer from Kuraray and custom 905 fittings to ensure you can see the magnificent brick facade above no matter where you’re standing.
Next time you turn on the Mets game and someone hits a fly ball into the outfield, remember to keep an eye out for an excellent example of point-supported structural glass. W&W Glass and Pilkington were proud to work on this beautiful ballpark. For other examples of our work on stadiums, make sure to check out our blog on point-supported applications for sports arenas.
W&W Glass LLC is a family owned business with a 70-year history in the metal and glass industry, one of the largest metal and glass companies in the New York metropolitan area and the largest supplier of structural glass systems in the country. We have over two decades of experience in the design and installation of various building enclosure systems, including stick-built curtain walls, pre-glazed unitized curtain walls, Pilkington Planar™ structural glass facades, and custom metal and glass enclosure systems. We install all of our work with our own dedicated union labor force. W&W is consistently the largest employer of glaziers in the NY metropolitan area.
