Abu Dhabi: Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company (Adnec) has announced that glazing work on the Capital Gate Tower, under construction next to the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, is almost complete.
More than 12,500 individually shaped glass panels have been installed on Capital Gate's façade in a complex engineering feat which has taken Adnec and its construction partners ten months to complete.
In an intricate operation, each pane of glass had to be shaped slightly differently and fitted at a different angle due to the building's unique lean and its curved profile.
"The tower's unique shape and character made the installation of the glazing particularly challenging for our engineers. It is a compliment to all involved that the installation took place during Adnec's busiest year ever for exhibitions and events, yet, there was no disruption to our visitors or exhibitors," said Simon Horgan, Adnec Group CEO.
Capital Gate forms the focal point of Capital Centre, the business and residential micro city being developed by Adnec around the thriving Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre.
When fully complete, Capital Gate will feature the 5-star hotel ‘Hyatt at Capital Centre' besides offering some of the most exclusive office space in the UAE capital.
The glass panes on Capital Gate make up more than 700 larger glass "diamonds," and were manufactured in the United Sates with the steel frames holding the glass precision-cut in Austria before being shipped to the UAE.
Adnec stored the glass panels away from the construction site.
The glass used is a highly energy-efficient, low ‘e' category glass (Cardinal 240) containing 2 layers of silver inner coating, allowing a high degree of natural light to permeate the building, while shielding users from harmful glare.
"The use of this advanced variety of glass is a first for the UAE. The ‘pressure-plate' system that has been developed for the steel frame which holds each pane in place guarantees the watertightness of the façade..." said Tony Archibold, Associate Director of RMJM, the international architectural firm that designed Capital Gate.
