Skip to main content
Point-Supported Glass Systems

Is a Point Supported Glass Facade Right for Your Retail Store?

If you’re a retailer/designer trying to show off a product, you want it to be clearly visible with uninhibited views right at eye level. If you’re promoting your product in a catalog, you want to make sure you use high-quality photography. Likewise, if you own a flagship retail store, you want window shoppers to clearly see your products on display through the glass to maximize brand awareness.

 

Point-supported glass systems are a great solution for any retailer who has a high visibility, prime location storefront. There are various ways that these highly transparent facades can be implemented to meet your needs.

 

The Uniqlo Flagship Retail Store  located at 666 5th Avenue in New York City is a great example of what a low-iron point-supported glass fin system can achieve for a brand. Rising three stories above the hustle and bustle of the city, the Pilkington Planar™ structural glass facade prominently displays its interior retail space with an artistic flair.

 

        

 
 
Baccarat in New York City is another great example of a structural glass storefront that utilizes a low-iron glass fin wall system. The architect created custom artwork that was used for the creation of digitally printed white ceramic frit patterns that were applied inside the laminated glass. This transparent design combined with the semi-transparent, silk-screen patterns allows you to see the retail space behind the facade, while also adding a dramatic high-end design element that reflects the quality of the brand (the pattern just so happens emulate the retailers fine crystal products). The stainless steel signage is also seamlessly connected through the face glass with concealed fasteners. It looks great from the street and warmly invites passers-by to come and get a closer look at the quality products inside.
 
 

 
 
For larger merchandise, such as luxury cars, point-supported glass fin systems are a great way to get attention from the road. Whether you’re viewing from street level or from a distance while driving down a highway, it’s hard not to notice the vehicles on display through a monolithic low-iron, highly transparent point-supported facade like the Mercedes-Benz dealership in midtown Manhattan.
 
 
 
 
Point-supported systems are also a great fit for malls and other retail centers where you want to create a grand shopping entrance from the outside. The Mall at Millenia in Orlando, Florida is an iconic example of the luxury and great design options these systems can provide. Monolithic tempered glass fins have the ability to reach heights of up to fifty feet, which allows for some truly spectacular entrance lobbies that are awe inspiring for patrons!
 
The Mall at Millenia - Photo 11
 

These point-supported systems are the perfect solution for showcasing particular products or proudly displaying the retail space within. If you have any questions about point-supported systems or if you are looking for help designing your next point-supported glass storefront, feel free to contact us for assistance!


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 structural 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.

Leave a Reply

Loading...