ECKELT Glas creates a landmark in New York City

An impressive landmark close to Times Square has been created by Perkins Eastman Architects and ECKELT Glas with one of the world’s largest walkable glass structures. The glass sculpture was commissioned by the Times Square Alliance and houses the central TKTS – Ticket Office - and has already become a huge public magnet. The synthesis between structure, architecture, light and heating offers space for as many as 1,200 people.

Constant illumination in the Metropolis

The steps of the TKTS booth pulsate and brightly shine in the glowing corporate red of the organisation. Over 1,000 sheets of laminated safety glass were manufactured and supplied by ECKELT. The primary construction for the coloured glass steps are two-part glass beams, each 9m high and totalling 19.2 m in length. The beams were spliced using specially developed fittings and pre-assembled at ECKELT. A paricular challenge was achieving the exacting tolerance of +/- 2 mm over the whole 9.6 meter length.

World’s largest glass sculpture stands at Times Square

• Glass beams // 3 x 24 mm STADIP and STADIP COLOR red _RUMU
  Laminated safety glass pre-assembled
• Support walls // 48 mm STADIP SentryGlas laminated safety glass
• Treads // 36 mm LITE-FLOOR R with STADIP COLOR red _RUMU

The optical brilliance is achieved tthrough the exclusive use of DIAMANT – extra-clear low-iron glass. The individual sheets were thermally processed and used in combinations of Fully Tempered or Heat-Strengthened.

Since the opening in October 2008, the project has received many national and international accolades for design and construction.

(Photos: Ari Burling)