Vitro Certified^TM Newsletter

Rolex Towers

Dallas, Texas

Project Background

Rolex watches are known for their design and precision, so it is only fitting that the new office tower the company commissioned in downtown Dallas, designed by renowned Japanese architect Kengo Kuma, reflects those same values.

Rising from a multi-tiered garden of reflective pools, native plantings and a hand-chiseled quarry stone wall, the eight-story structure is abruptly staggered at each floor plate to maximize daylighting and city views, and to accommodate the expanded outdoor terraces and garden sanctuaries the architect designed for each level of the building.

While the tower achieves its rotated shape primarily with concrete and stone, Solarban^® 67 Optigray^® glass by Vitro Architectural Glass is integral to its fusion of nature and architecture. Gregory A. Oehlers, executive director of architectural sales for Tristar Glass, a member of the Vitro Certified^™ Network, said the glass was selected jointly by Kuma and his collaborators at HDF for its ability to enhance views while harmonizing with the tower’s landscaping and foliage.

“Solarban^® 67 Optigray^® glass possesses a very soft blue-gray exterior color, which is very pleasing to the eye,” Oehlers explained. “It also has low exterior reflectivity and it is extremely energy-efficient,” which suited the architect’s penchant for sustainable design.

Identifying the right glass for Rolex Tower was a complex process. “A plethora of products were reviewed early on,” Oehlers added. “Once the list had been narrowed to a select few, a full-sized mock-up was used for the final selection process. Southern Glass and Mirror (SGM) constructed the mock-up simulating a variety of site conditions, which helped ensure the final glass choice was the right one.”

The unique twisting shape of the building presented a range of challenges. While every floor of Rolex Tower was designed as a trapezoid, each assumed a slightly different shape. As a result, no two corners of the building are the same, which made it difficult for SGM to frame up the cast-in-place concrete and to design and install the glass curtain wall.

To help manage the complex logistics associated with the project, Tristar joined forces with the Vitro Concierge Program^™, a service created to deliver success at every step in the glass supply chain for challenging projects such as Rolex Towers.

“Vitro was very much involved in the planning process,” Oehlers said. “Glass was reserved through the Concierge Program to ensure availability at specific times throughout the project. The coated glass was sourced from Vitro’s plant in Wichita Falls, then fabricated at our location in Grand Prairie so we could service project needs on a local basis.”

As the curtain wall designer and installer, SGM was vital to managing logistics as well. To facilitate timely glass delivery, the company collaborated with Tristar and the Concierge Program manager to resolve engineering challenges well in advance of order entry; then placed its glass orders with Tristar in the sequence required to ensure its products arrived on the job site just as they were ready to be installed.

In the end, Oehlers said the project, which consumed more than 50,000 square-feet of glass, was executed with the exactitude of a Rolex watch. “As a result of all the pre-planning, there were no hiccups and not a single delivery was delayed,” he reported.

Introduced in 2016, Solarban^® 67 glass is formulated with a soft, almost undetectable neutral coating that endows commercial buildings with a clean, clear appearance and excellent solar control. When coated on an Optigray^® glass substrate in a standard one-inch insulating glass unit (IGU), it delivers visible light transmittance (VLT) of 38% and a solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC) of 0.24.

About the Vitro Concierge Program^™

The Vitro Concierge Program^™ is designed to help ensure supply-chain success for large or complex construction projects fabricated with products from Vitro Architectural Glass (formerly PPG glass). It’s available at no cost to members of the Vitro Certified^™ Network and their glazing contractor customers in the U.S. and Canada.

While most projects, even very large ones, can be handled effectively by Vitro Certified^™ Network’s normal supply chain approach and with standard Vitro inventory, some unique projects with atypical glass configurations or non-standard glass components require extra production and logistics management. The Vitro Concierge Program^™ provides customized coordination through a dedicated Vitro Concierge Program^™ manager, who will align Vitro inventory and production schedules, even providing priority access and reserving inventory and glass production scheduling.

To learn more about Solarban^® 67, Optigray^® glass and the Vitro Concierge Program^™, or to find a member of the Vitro Certified^™ Network, visit www.vitroglazings.com or call 1-855-VTRO-GLS (887-6457).

^{©2020 Vitro Architectural Glass. All rights reserved. Solarban® and Optigray® are registered trademarks owned by Vitro. Vitro Certified™ and Vitro Concierge Program™ are trademarks owned by Vitro}