Creating the ideal glazed façade is always a challenge – but never more so than when it also has to accommodate large, unpredictable amounts of movement. This was the challenge faced by Façade & Glazing Solutions UK Ltd. (FGS) at The Macallan whisky distillery in Speyside.
As part of the £140m project, FGS was commissioned to design, manufacture and install a glass façade – which, as well as looking stunning, would accommodate the deflection of the building’s striking timber and turf roof. Comprising five circular structures that form the distillery’s production rooms, arguably the most distinctive feature of the new Macallan site is its rolling grass roof set over a sustainable Glulam timber structure: the building is set directly into the landscape so that the ground rises to cover the distillery.
The roof of the new distillery is one of the most complicated timber structures in the world and was expected to provide up to a possible 60mm downward deflection and 38mm outward deflection, so FGS had to ensure that the main façade screen could accept this level of movement.
Solar control was also a high priority for the project: it was important that the building’s temperature should remain as consistent as possible to ensure comfort, energy efficiency, and reliable conditions for distillation. For the main façade, FGS installed 59mm thick units of laminated heat strengthened safety glass structurally bonded to structural fins made from 33mm thick laminated toughened glass. To combat movement and deflection in the glass caused by the Glulam roof structure, FGS had to introduce a pin joint to the base of the glass fin to limit the outward movement.
To insulate the glass units and limit heat exchange, the glass was retained in a thermally broken channel at its base, which was designed especially for the project by FGS. Arguably the distillery’s most striking glazed feature is the Cave Privee, a stunning 3m-high curved glass viewing deck and function room located in the visitor area. This was created using 41mm toughened double glazed glass units, both straight and curved, comprising 10mm panes of SGG Securit Planibel for the outer and 10mm Securit Planiclear for the inner pane. The units were then glazed into steel channels at the head and base, and direct fixed to concrete slabs.