This week we opened the hermetic envelope of HIL to install a temporary door for the Makerspace on Level C.
What looks like a simple opening is part of a larger transformation. Two historic glass panels have been carefully removed and will now be upgraded. By the end of the year, they will return to the façade — repurposed as a new sliding door.
A particular aspect of the project is the upgrading of the existing glazing. The approximately 50-year-old double glazing no longer meets current standards in terms of thermal performance and safety. Facades of this age are therefore typically replaced in their entirety. When glass is reused, the existing panes are usually crushed and combined with other types of glass to manufacture new panes.
In our pilot project, we are pursuing a different approach: the existing panes are carefully removed, cleaned, reinforced with a thin layer of laminated safety glass, and combined with a new, thin pane to form a triple-glazed unit. The main focus is on assessing the technical feasibility of this process, and in particular its energy-related potential. Due to the considerable logistical effort involved and the economic constraints, comparable approaches have rarely been pursued to date.
The facade, its upgrading, and the question of how and where it can be opened are central themes in the ongoing development of HIL. We are exploring its potential through various input projects, complemented by studies initiated by the planning team itself. Together, these investigations help us understand how the existing facade can be adapted to new requirements while preserving and further developing its architectural and material qualities.
This intervention is therefore more than a purely practical measure. It forms part of an ongoing process of testing, learning, and transforming the existing building fabric – paving the way for lasting change.
