The Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida is the world's first guitar-shaped hotel. Designed by Klai Juba Walk, the 34-story building that stands 137m above the ground is clad in glass and millions of lights. The glass creates a bright reflection during the day, while at night the building is able to put on light shows that are generated by the 2.3 million LED lights, video mapping, and lasers. Being situated in Florida, the building is subject to hurricane-related building codes, where, how the glass is glazed, plays a vital part in meeting these standards. SentryGlas® high-performance laminated glazing from Kuraray has a large role in the glass facade.
Glass Elements
The elements used on the glass facade are comprised of two 1/4 inch (6mm) glass panels - that are laminated on one side with SentryGlas® interlayer - placed together with an air gap in between. One more 1/4 inch (6mm) glass pane is placed on the external surface. This creates insulated, glazed units that are strong enough to withstand the extreme weather found in the region. The East and West facades that contain curved glass surfaces, make use of glass panels that are laminated on both sides to create the facade system. This strengthens the glass more, meeting the safety glazing code required.
Usage
The panels for the glazing are laminated with SentryGlas® and are used in multiple locations in the building, both externally and internally. SentryGlas® Interlayer was used for the external facade, while SentryGlas® laminate was used for interior applications. This included parts of the lobby entrance, shopping, and restaurant areas – as well as a complex curved glass wall with curved sliding doors, that enclose the Butcher Shop, at the Council Oak Restaurant. The laminated glazing continues onto an indoor water feature – based around a 12.2 m (40 ft) diameter glass cylinder – called the Oculus, which is comprised of fourteen panels of custom-laminated glass, some with a projection film applied. SentryGlas® is also used in the guest rooms, for the balcony railings and the shower doors, which were supplied by Continental Glass. In both instances, laminated glass helps to ensure occupant safety and protection.
SentryGlas® characteristics
Kuraray's SentryGlas® offers both aesthetic and functional characteristics. These include an increase in stiffness, higher post-breakage and in-service strength and an extremely clear finish, which allows for maximum light to be transmitted in and through the building.
“We deal with lots of different glass types, but in this region almost all of them are specified with SentryGlas® interlayers. In this instance it was chosen due to the stringent building codes and the intricate geometry of the building, including the architect’s demand to see the smooth curvatures"
Noshad A. Shamshad, façade contractor | Owner of NR Windows
