Less STEEL, More GLASS!

Creative detailing is often the difference between heavy structural compromises and refined architectural intent.

Case Study #3 – I worked with the architect to minimize sightlines and maximize glass by refining the layout of window and door systems from two different manufacturers. The architect originally specified 2" x 8" horizontal steel beams above the doors in the pavilion, but the longer beam over the pocket sagged ¾".

The structural engineer proposed a vertical steel column to support it—but that would have destroyed the clean transom line. Instead, I proposed welding steel straps in front and behind the window mullion and covering them with brake metal for a concealed reinforcement.

During critical phases of shell construction, I was on site nearly every week. On the left side of the first floor, I caught a structural misalignment where the overhead beam was 4" too high for the door head height and had it re-engineered.

The final result: a clean ribbon of sliding glass walls aligned precisely with ceiling cladding, steel, and the floating pavilion transom.

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Have you ever had challenges with SLIDING POCKET DOORS?

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BIGGER GLASS and SMALLER FRAMES in a Hurricane Zone