When the Patina Restaurant Group commissioned award-winning architecture firm Studio V to transform an abandoned warehouse into the luxurious Morimoto Asia restaurant in Disney Springs, the intent was for the design to pay homage to the industrial history of the existing space while adding an elegant, striking contemporary twist. The ensuing design is an award-winning structure known for its architectural opulence, highlighted by the dramatic façade that welcomes visitors into the space.

The entrance to the massive restaurant (with one of the longest continuous bars in the world) features a stunning, 3-story, triple-height structural glass fin wall that utilizes Sentech’s VetraFin-G Series system. Soaring, crystal clear, floor-to-ceiling glass fins provide structural support to the low-iron façade…resulting in maximum transparency and minimal obstruction, with views overlooking Disney Springs. The first pan-Asian concept from Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto has been listed among the top architectural designs in Central Florida- with a dramatic, vibrant ambiance that echoes throughout the space and into the streets beyond.

This two-story, glass fin façade at Georgetown University’s School of Continuing Studies is located in the burgeoning East End area at 650 Massachusetts Avenue NW, overlooking historic Mt. Vernon square. The building was formerly a television studio with a windowless street face, dark rooms, blank walls and minimal daylight. But its location was key, and it was identified as the ideal site for the relocation of Georgetown University’s School of Continuing Education. This bustling section of downtown could accommodate the growing needs of the school, afford convenient connections for students and faculty, and help expand its reach. The architects from STUDIOS Architecture in Washington DC were enlisted to make this vision a reality, and to transform the existing space into one that was light, open and inviting to the surrounding community. With an emphasis on light and transparent materials, Sentech’s VetraFin G-Series System was selected to replace the windowless façade with a two-story structural glass fin façade, utilizing laminated glass with minimal componentry to bring daylight deep into the space and enhance the brightness and conviviality of the entrance while creating a beacon of light deep into the night. Elegant, seamless and transparent, this structure realizes the transformative potential of glass to connect and expose the many dynamic facets that make up the School of Continuing Studies.

Known as “The Capsule,” the oval-shaped structure standing two-stories tall includes the Virginia Tech Engineering Communications Center and a conference room for the Department of Mechanical Engineering. The capsule is made of plaster, steel, and glass, among other materials. The goal was to create a structure as a singular object with an organic texture to the skin, as well as to include an addition to the atrium the would fill the void in the building by adding a permanent stationary space and a habitat for human activity. The Capsule fulfilled that purpose by adding a mobile and dynamic visual element to the building. The stainless steel fins curve to fit the ellipsoidal shape of the suspended structure, and provide support for the glass enclosure.