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HansenGlass Glazes Award Winning Pier Project

British seaside holidays may have changed dramatically over the years, but piers hold an enduring fascination for the public and one which recently scooped a coveted award makes extensive use of the glazing products available from HansenGlass. Designed by Peter Emptage Associates, Southend Pier’s new entrance structure caught the imagination of the panel judging the RIBA eastern division’s Architecture for Tourism Award, supported by the East of England Tourist Board.

The existing entrance and bridge to the Essex resort’s Victorian pier in fact dated from the mid Sixties but had aged badly: bringing the brief for a new, light and airy frontage which would expose the original Grade II listed structure.

This has in fact been achieved by creating a contemporary enclosure of glass and steel that harmonises with and highlights the pier’s heritage. Constructing the main façade consumed some 250m2 of ThermoSpan™ structural glazing from HansenGlass; featuring 12mm thick toughened glass braced by 19mm thick fin sections.

The head of the practice, Peter Emptage, comments: ‘Our designs make use of curved glass, structural glazing and several other applications for glass.

'The ThermoSpan™ in particular forms the main entrance or facade to the station and pier. The contract was in fact awarded to HansenGlass because no other manufacturer was able to meet both the performance requirements and the very tight programme targets.

‘We are absolutely delighted with the way the project has turned out – in fact the judges’ comments made reference to its transparency and lightness; and that can only be achieved by using structural glass.’

According to the eastern region judges, ‘The scheme is a bold contemporary solution. In daylight the transparency of the building gives it an ethereal quality while at night, dramatic lighting gives it real substance.’

Contact: Graham Chung
Tel: 0151 545 3000
Email: mailto:sales@hansenglass.co.uk