De Hoftoren

Glass structure for the Dutch showpiece project "De Hoftoren"

"De Hoftoren" - in many respects a very unusual project - has been realised in the heart of Den Haag in Holland. The "Den Haag Nieuw Centrum" does not consist of just glass, concrete, and steel. It also contains an inner garden courtyard ("de hof") - a green oasis for the general public. Indeed the overall layout of this whole area is a model for living and working in cities.

The project encompasses a usable surface area of over 48,000 square meters. The building complex, designed by the office of the internationally renowned architects Kohn, Pedersen, Fox (KPF), based in London, has created a highly exciting effect. Its most striking features are its flowing lines, lending the complex a maritime grace, and the soaring tower itself. The tower has 30 storeys and is 140 meters high. 

Photo: Michiel van Dijk
download image (300 dpi)

It looks, seen together with the low building immediately beside it, like the bridge of the ship "De Hoftoren". The façade glazing breaks totally new ground. It employs the high-efficiency insulation glass "ipasol natura" with its (Interpane-Thermo-System). Interpane created, especially for this project, a completely new edge sealant for its high-tech glazing.

The newly developed silicone sealant, in which the glass elements are fitted, prevents gas diffusion, is permanently UV-stable, and is suitable for filling with argon gas. This gives this high-quality solar-control glass a high light transmittance, a low total solar energy transmittance (g value), and a Ug-value for the glass itself of only 1.1 W/m²K (according EN 673). These windows, instead of the conventional aluminium spacer, use a high-grade special stainless-steel section with especially low thermal conductivity (its). The its edge sealant system reduces the risk of unwanted thermal bridges and appreciably improves the surface temperature in the edge zones. The basic advantages of this high-quality functional glass sealant are thus even further improved because the high-quality edge sealant further optimises thermal insulation.

Photo: Rob Brink
downlaod image (300 dpi)