Glazing is a critical element of most building facades, offering interior occupants access to daylight—and in the case of windows, fresh air as well. They also contribute significantly to a building’s character. However, balancing historic character and cultural value with their historically poor energy performance has proven to be a pain point for preservationists, particularly when it comes to single-glazed windows. “Reglaze or Replace? VIG as an Alternative to Window Replacement,” the recent paper co-authored by Senior Associate Laura Boynton and Principal Angel Ayón, addresses this topic, in the context of a case study at 310 Riverside Drive in Manhattan's Upper West Side.
Also known locally as The Master Apartments, this 28-story designated Landmark built in 1929 is a unique example of the high-rise typology that came to define the NYC skyline during the first half of the 20th century. Its distinctive Art Deco design is rendered primarily in brick masonry of varying color and monumental steel windows above the ground floor entrances and marquees. Examining the restoration, rehabilitation and replacement options devised for the building’s steel windows and storefronts, the paper outlines the decision-making process that led to the retention of the original non-thermally broken steel window frames and the installation of replacement vacuum insulated glazing (VIG) within them, and the process of procuring custom-made VIG panes to replicate the textured blue glass at the side lites.
Although it’s not a new glazing technology, VIG only recently has become more affordable and more readily available in the US and may be able to help preservationists retain the historic frames while providing much higher energy performance and better interior comfort. The case study of the Master Building intervention indicated that the VIG panes provide a nearly four-factor improvement over the original single-pane glazing and offer a viable alternative to wholesale window replacement.
Angel presented the paper on October 10, 2024 at Facade Tectonics Institute's 2024 World Congress, part of FTI Facades Week at the University of Utah College of Architecture and Planning in Salt Lake City. Entitled “Face Time | Building Ecology: Facade Design for the Real World,” the biennial conference brought together the domestic and international building communities and the industry’s most influential leaders and academics.