The imposing luxury department store ICONSIAM in Bangkok has a technically outstanding all-glass facade.

5,300sqm

façade area  

333

glass fins   

24m

height  

333

front glass panels

ICONSIAM - a new landmark in all-glass design

With the luxury shopping mall ICONSIAM, the skyline of Bangkok has been given a 750,000sqm landmark on the Chao Phraya River. The draft of Urban Architects envisioned a 3-stories-spanned "colossal window", that captivates with its innovative design while at the same incorporating allusions to traditional Thai culture. The shape of the 5,300sqm façade (Luxury Façade) is geometrically utmost complex: For static reasons, the glass façade had to be suspended from the ceiling, wherein the glass panes are inclined in two directions and arranged in a zig-zag-shape. seele faced this challenge and developed an outstanding technical solution for the up to 24m high all-glass façade. 

Glass and steel were produced within the seele group. 333 glass fins (up to 8-fold laminate) and 333 glass panes with a length of up to 16m were manufactured and 103t mild steel and 118t stainless steel were processed into stainless steel shoes, consoles and other elements. 

  • To ensure a high production accuracy, the stainless steel shoes were mounted on the glass fins prior to shipping to Bangkok. On site, the glass fins were bolted to 120 continuous glass fins up to 24m height. Within 13 months, the glass fins and glass panes were assembled into a highly transparent façade stretching across a length of 300m.

    In a project duration of under two years, the entire engineering, production and assembly was carried out. With the Luxury Façade, seele realized one of the largest suspended all-glass façades, and thus set new standards in façade construction.

    Reference overview and Header image: © seele / Andreas Keller

  • Façade specialist seele manufactured and assembled 333 glass fins up to 16m for the luxury shopping center ICONSIAM.
  • seele realized the all-glass façade in only two years.
  • To ensure a high production accuracy, seele mounted the stainless steel shoes on the glass fins prior to shipping to Bangkok.
  • The glass panes are inclined in two directions and arranged in a zig-zag-shape.
  • Fassadenbauspezialist seele fertigte und montiere das "Riesenschaufenster" des Luxuskaufhauses ICONSIAM in Bangkok.
Façade specialist seele manufactured and assembled 333 glass fins up to 16m for the luxury shopping center ICONSIAM.
seele realized the all-glass façade in only two years.
To ensure a high production accuracy, seele mounted the stainless steel shoes on the glass fins prior to shipping to Bangkok.
© seele/Andreas Keller
The glass panes are inclined in two directions and arranged in a zig-zag-shape.
Fassadenbauspezialist seele fertigte und montiere das "Riesenschaufenster" des Luxuskaufhauses ICONSIAM in Bangkok.
© seele/Andreas Keller

Spectacular assembly of oversized glass panes

For the assembly of the oversized glass fins and panes, two suction units with counterweight and three-axial adjustment were developed specifically for this project. Only the specially developed suction systems made it possible to lift the glass into the final, double inclined position. During assembly, the glass fins were temporarily stabilized by custom-fit timber supports that formed the contour of the façade. Only when the façade panes were inserted, the façade became self-supporting. Particularly spectacular was the installation of glass fins which were inserted in one piece, featuring 24m heigth and a weight of 5t each.

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The vacuum lifter was specially designed for the project and enabled extremely accurate adjustment while mounting the panes.
The suction unit with counterweight and three-axial adjustment turns the glass pane into the required geometry.
Temporary beams made of timber were produced for the installation of the façade glasses. For protection reasons, all cherry pickers and edges of the already installed glasses were covered temporarily with timber.
Within 13 months, the glass fins and glass panes were assembled into a highly transparent façade stretching across a length of 300m.

Technical highlight: Static hanging on the roof

Glass fins form the supporting structure for the suspended all-glass construction. These were assembled from parts with lengths of up to either 16m or 8m. Static fastening was on the ceiling at a height of 20m, above that, the construction cantilevers up to 4m to form a balustrade for the roof garden above. The façade comprises glass panes measuring up to 16m x 3,20m and 8m x 3,20m. The dead weight of the façade panes, which are up to 3.5t, is absorbed at the lower end of each pane by crosspieces, known as transoms. All steel components directly connected to the glass had to be designed as bolted connections in order to rule out accuracy losses due to welding distortion. There are six entrances along the façade, consisting of gold-colored stainless steel portals. These portals are necessary for static reasons in order to fix the doors and separate them from the suspended façade, so that the movements between the roof and floor can be absorbed. 

Credits

Client ICONSIAM Co. Ltd.
Main contractor Thai Obayashi Corp., Ltd.
Architect Urban Architects
Engineer KCS & Associates Co., Ltd.
Date of completion 2018
Scope of work by seele

Design, production and installation of 5,300sqm all-glass façade:

  • 333 glass fins up to 16m height, low iron heat strengthened glass
  • 333 front glass panels 2.2m x 16m made of 2x10mm low iron TVG
  • 103t mild steel
  • 118t stainless steel
Awards
  • World Retail Congress - Best Store Design of the Year 2019
  • International Council of Shopping Center's Asia Pacific awards programme 2019