A collaboration between architecture firms Fentress Architects and Arquitectonica, the exterior envelope of the Miami Beach Convention Center serves as a ode to the surrounding elements of nature- the ocean, beach and underwater life, and is one of the most technologically-advanced centers in the United States. Sentech partnered with both firms to design, engineer and manufacture both the glass canopy centerpiece and the decorative aluminum fin façade on the exterior envelope. Utilizing Sentech’s parametric modeling technology and incorporating both our Decorative Fin and Overhead Systems, the façade was built using more than 500 unique angled aluminum fin shapes that span the exterior of the building, creating sweeping, wave-like undulation throughout the entire façade.

The façade consists of more than 500 angled “fins” constructed out of aluminum plates. Each fin is braced back structure-side and stainless steel struts tie them together to combat lateral loads from hurricanes as well as to account for acoustical vibrations.
– The Architects Newspaper

Connected to the façade curtain wall, the fins elegantly morph into undulating glass canopies at the building entrances, reflecting curvilinear shapes that draw from the inspiration of ocean waves. The façade’s design provides the impression of dynamic movement along the building, while providing functional efficiency by ensuring the orientation of each fin maximizes the shading provided by the façade. To accommodate the high wind loads that are unique to the Florida coastline, the façade was designed and built with hurricane-resistant connections and projectile-resistant glazing.

The elegant, curved canopy was created using laminated canopy glass that was manufactured in flat patterns, and later cold-formed at the job-site to generate the curved canopy shapes. This cold-forming of the glass is a rare technique used sparingly to bend glass plates into anti-clastic shapes to create the curvilinear forms demonstrated by this masterpiece- a symbol of resilience and sustainability.

Once the U.S. Tobacco headquarters, the 162,000 sf complex was renovated in 2011 into a multi- tenant corporate campus. Designed by Perkins Eastman Architects, the four-story curved structural glass wall joins the two former free standing structures, maximizing interior daylighting and framing the scenic views of the Long Island sound. In 2016, 100 West Putnam Avenue was awarded the TOBY (The Outstanding Building of the Year) award by BOMA (Building Owners and Management Association).

Located near New York City’s Battery park in Manhattan, One State Street Plaza is a 33-story commercial office building underwent its first lobby renovation since original construction in 1970. The original storefront façade was replaced, and the lobby transformed with the construction of a new 20-foot+ tall, structural glass façade, using Sentech’s VetraSpan system. The façade uses full-height, 20-foot+ glass panels that fully span the 2-story space without the use of glass fins. This design gives the space a unique, clean, expansive and completely transparent look that opens the lobby up to the city around it.

Completed in 2022, Central Park Tower has been called a “wonder of the world”, and a “beacon of glass and steel”. It is also the tallest residential building in the world by roof height. The 131-story residential skyscraper, located at 217 W 57th Street on Billionaires Row in Midtown Manhattan, boasts one of the most prestigious addresses in the world. Designed by Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill, one of the leading international experts in supertall building design and technology, the 1,550-foot-tall tower yields 179 units above a Nordstrom retail podium between West 57th and West 58th Streets and Broadway and Seventh Avenue.

Sentech’s VetraFin-G Series System wraps around the 131st floor penthouse, a 17,500 square-foot space crowned by a 1,433 square-foot terrace – deemed the highest on earth. It is also the most expensive home ever listed in the United States, carrying a price tag of $250 Million.

The structural glass balustrades, designed, engineered and supplied by Sentech, feature unobstructed views in every direction thanks to the VetraFin-G Series System. The system is designed and engineered to withstand extremely high wind loads. The system utilizes laminated, tempered, heat-soaked glass coupled with custom machined fittings, custom heavy-duty base brackets, mirror polished stainless steel railings, and built-in stainless steel lightning protection that was required due to the height of the tower.

”There is nothing else like it. I’ve been seeing high-priced luxury homes for 15 years in my career. I’ve sold some of the most expensive homes around the world, and I have never seen anything like this home.”
– Ryan Serhant, CEO & Founder, Serhant

The height of the tower, combined with building movement, high wind loads and navigation were some of the key challenges faced by the design and engineering team. Other challenges arose due to wind pressure, parapet loads and designing a system to be installed from the inside of the terrace, instead of from the outside of the terrace as would typically be done. Transparency, structural integrity, seamless elegance and integration with the surrounding cityscape were key design mandates for this system, and the result is nothing less than the tower it sits atop- iconic.

The 156,000 square-foot Central Library renovation of the iconic landmark Boston Public Library dramatically transformed the second wing from a solid stone bunker into an inviting, light-filled space that spills out into a newly defined public plaza. The renovation included an increase in ceiling heights and the replacement of dark-tinted glass and stone walls with transparent, floor-to-ceiling structural glass walls that utilize Sentech’s VetraPatch Connection Series and VetraFin G-Series Systems. The resultant façade allows daylight to flood the interior of the library and invites visitors and pedestrians alike into a lively, dynamic and modern civic space. Winner of numerous awards, the renovation blends historic preservation, sustainability, innovation, community connection and the modernized transparency of structural glass into an architectural makeover that has become the lively cultural center of the city.

Designed by one of today’s most forward-thinking architects, Sou Fujimoto, this stunning, all-glass structure is located in Miami’s renowned Design District. Known for his designs of delicate, light structures and permeable enclosures, this 2-story decorative glass fin structure utilizes Sentech’s Decorative Fin System to create a vibrant interplay between nature and architecture. The 7,000 square foot, palm-dotted plaza hosts fashion shows, music performances and open-air events while boasting an impressive array of high-end, luxury boutiques. In an effort to blend the internal and the external, the building façade features a series of elongated structural glass fins that span over 42-feet from base to rooftop of the open courtyard. The design was originally inspired by Sou’s first impressions of Miami- a colorful, vibrant city with an aquatic nature, bursting with blue skies, ever-present ocean views, and tempestuous rainfall that takes over in the summer months.

The slender fins attach vertically to the storefront façades, and the shape of the atrium design intentionally creates a “curtain” effect- partially enclosing the corridors and creating a pathway in front of the high-end luxury boutiques on both floors. The structural glass fins have a threefold purpose: aesthetic, functional and structural. They create a striking aesthetic, a dynamic visual spectacle at the heart of the district- the result of which has been called “crystallized showers of sunlight”. They allow natural light to permeate the space, while create shading elements for shoppers and visitors. They allow for unobstructed air flow throughout the courtyard. And they utilize glass as structure, utilizing discreet connections and slender steel elements.

Beautiful, iconic and engineered to withstand the region’s high wind loads, this structure is worth a visit on your next trip to the city of magic.

Completed in April 2021, the structural glass fin walls installed at the Herb Chambers Jaguar Land Rover dealership in Boston, MA feature the largest panes of glass to be featured in any building in Boston to-date. The 20 insulated glass units each soar 27 feet tall, span 8 feet in width, and are more than 1-1/2 inches thick.

Commonwealth Avenue’s Herb Chambers Jaguar Land Rover Dealership features the largest single span, insulated glass units in the City of Boston.

The dealership features five structural glass fin walls utilizing Sentech’s VetraFin-G series system. The façade height varies between 27-feet and 9-feet at various elevations, totaling over 4,250 square feet of various types of low-iron tempered, insulated structural glass, along with low-iron tempered laminated fins with SGP interlayers. Sentech provided façade engineering, design and material supply. Installed by Salem Glass Company in tight collaboration with Shawmut Design & Construction, the installation took 5 days, with the installation team navigating the challenges of working on a tight urban site by combining both crane and ergonomic suction cups to seamlessly install the units.

Transparent and inviting, the finished structure allows for seamless connectivity and integration between the dealerships showroom and the hustle and bustle of Boston’s celebrated Commonwealth Avenue.

Boston University’s LEED Silver certified Joan & Edgar Booth Theatre is a design tour de force, and one of the top dynamic performance venues in the Boston area. The central inspiration for the design of the renowned theatre and its stunning glass façade was derived from a well-known quote from Shakespeare’s Hamlet: “To hold as ‘twere the mirror up to nature”. The artistic contemplation of theatre as tool a mirror to society influenced the design of the theatre’s spectacular, shimmering 42-foot glass façade that elevates BU’s presence on Commonwealth Avenue. Soaring 40-feet high and 112-feet in width, the striking façade utilizes Sentech’s VetraPatch Connection Series and VetraFin G-Series System and slants toward the street at a 14-degree angle, enclosing the 3-story high lobby. Reflecting back on Boston pedestrians and visitors alike, Booth Theatre’s elegant structural glass wall reaches out and invites the city into the award-winning cultural center, striking a glorious harmony between theatre and the society it mirrors.

Located just 20 miles north of New York City, this 155-year-old facility was once known for its storied racetrack (Empire City Race Track), where prominent thoroughbreds such as Seabiscuit once galloped. In 2013, owner Timothy J. Rooney transformed the flagging raceway into a top-performing casino, partnering with New York–based architecture firm Studio V to create a 63,000-square foot addition for the existing casino. Beautiful, innovative and authentic, the design utilized Sentech’s VetraFin G-Series System. The renovation of the historic pavilion’s façade embraces light, transparency and the dramatic charisma of the raceway while preserving its historic and storied atmosphere.

Soaring above New York City at 1,776 feet, One World Trade Center is America’s tallest building – and an indelible New York landmark and tribute to 9/11. Designed by David M. Childs of SOM, the 3-million-square-foot building includes office space, an observation deck, and world-class restaurants. From structural redundancy to dense fireproofing to biochemical filters, it creates a new standard for high-rise buildings. Safe, sustainable, artistically dynamic – the Freedom Tower stands as a shining beacon for New York’s Downtown and for the future of design.