Microgaming HQ, Isle of Man
5th September 2017

A 25 metre tall, nine metre wide wall of PILKINGTON Planar glazing, enclosing a five-storey atrium, features in a new building at the Douglas, Isle of Man, headquarters of online gaming software business, Microgaming.

The glass is supported by a lightweight tension structure, combined with low-profile stainless steel point fixings. This avoids the need for any large framing elements, giving the appearance of an almost free-standing wall of glass.
The Pilkington Planar system is designed with an outer pane of 12mm Pilkington Suncool Pro T, a toughened glass that provides high resistance to wind loads.

This glass also features a solar control coating that helps to reduce the risk of the space overheating during the warmer months of the year, meaning it does not require intensive air conditioning.

Working with designers at Pilkington and IOCHRE, the team developed a tension structure to support the wall of glazing, which was installed by structural glazing installer OJ Taffinder. Managing director Ollie Taffinder said: “We needed a system that would allow us to create a large, clear façade for the front of the building, without using bulky and unsightly framing.

“The tension structure is an evolution of more traditional rigid steel structures and provides a very elegant appearance, similar to that which can be achieved with glass fins. The clean lines and low profile of the stainless-steel bolts used by the Pilkington Planar system finish the design perfectly, delivering an almost uninterrupted wall of glass.”

www.pilkington.co.uk