Full-glass balustrades give Sluishuis a sleek, transparent look

Following in the footsteps of Terras aan de Maas Tower B in Spijkenisse and The Terraced Tower in Rotterdam, for example, the expert advice and efficient, customized services come into their own in project Sluishuis. Here, as a construction team partner of VORM and BESIX, FEK Metaal is equipping the balconies of the new construction apartments and penthouses with all-glass balustrades.

"The choice of balustrades has a major impact on the aesthetics of the building and also often affects the environmental permit to a certain extent. Not for nothing did this discipline come into the picture early on with the building consortium," says Mark van Gulik, Commercial Manager at FEK Metal. "Back in 2018, we provided insight into various possibilities of glass balustrades, using 3D visualizations and detailed drawings. In doing so, we took into account the set requirements and standards in terms of fall-through safety and wind load. Based on our visualizations, a full-glass balustrade was chosen, which is only attached to the precast concrete at the bottom. A minimalist U-profile was also placed on the top of the glass panels, ensuring maximum transparency."

Mounting at height

Aluminum clamp-in profiles, supplied to size by FEK Metaal, are used to attach the full-glass balustrades. "Together with the other construction team partners, there has been frequent consultation in order to arrive at the most efficient method of delivery and assembly," said Van Gulik. "At the construction site, the balconies including profiles are lifted to the appropriate floor and assembled, after which we apply the glass panels and cover profiles at height."

Custom

"All FEK Metaal products are specifically custom designed, produced and delivered for each project," emphasizes Commercial Associate Thijs Schalken. "By thinking along with the architect, project developer, contractor and other stakeholders as early as the design phase and actively sharing our knowledge and expertise, we can achieve an optimum in aesthetics and technical manufacturability, within the set budget. In this project, too, we succeeded excellently."