Pilkington Glass Service supplied the glass for the façade forming part of the €750million renovation of La Samaritaine on the historic Rue de Rivoli in Paris, one of the city’s most famous department stores.

Architec Sanaa worked with curved glass specialist Cricursa and glazing engineers Frener & Reifer to design and deliver the façade, which is made from 343 individual curved and laminated panels. 

The panes come in 23 different shapes and sizes across the façade and weigh between 600 and 1250 kg. Despite their weight, they are each held in place by just four stainless steel fixings in order to achieve the minimal, flush profile the architect was looking for.

The effect of the curved glass is heightened by a reflective chromium coating that was applied before the glass was laminated. PilkingtonOptiwhitelow-iron glass was specified for the project to ensure the reflections in the façade were free from any colour from the glass.

Marc Amah, technical manager at Pilkington Glass Service said: “Glass has been used on this project not only to define the building itself but also to give an exciting new perspective on the heritage architecture that surrounds it.

“La Samaritaine showcases the benefits of Pilkington Optiwhite– with its extraordinary clarity and natural colour balance – in one of the world’s most glamorous and architecturally rich locations.”

Cricursa has helped deliver some of the most iconic glazed buildings of recent years, including One Blackfriars in London, the Emporia shopping mall in Malmö, Sweden and the Thomas Heatherwick-designed Bombay sapphire gin distillery in Hampshire, UK.

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