December 15, 2017

The IQ Group: 2017 Year in Review

Written by Rebecca Clayton

2017 has been an exciting year here at IQ Glass with many award-winning projects, new things to see at the showroom and an impressive array of new architectural glazing products to offer architects here in the UK. Take a look below for some of our most exciting advances throughout 2017 as well as an insight into what is coming up in 2018.

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New Products

At IQ Glass we are always looking for the latest new advance in technology that will push architectural design forward. This year we have brought on a wide range of new architectural glazing products all with our ethos of modern design and impressive performance.

Walls of Glass that Disappear

Our most noticeable product of 2017 is the HIRT Swiss Descending Window. This architectural glazing phenomenon allows you to completely sink entire elevations of glass (or other material!) below the floor.

HIRT Swiss Descending Windows are available exclusively from IQ Glass in the UK

“Finding solutions to merge inside to out is something that is a constant theme for the architects that we work with,” explains Daniel Fozard, Technical Sales Advisor at IQ Glass.  “The HIRT Descending glass wall has been a real turning point in the projects we work with. Architects and specifiers can now have a clear aperture when the elevation is both open AND closed. It changes the game of how buildings work and what they look like.”

There will be an amazing public installation of HIRT Descending fronts set to be completed in Summer 2018. Three curved descending windows are being installed as part of the new cafe in the Duke of York Square, off King's Road in Chelsea.

Copyright Nex Architecture, Duke of York Restaurant

Minimal Glazing for Interior Design

With space to build new homes at a premium making the most of any available natural light is imperative. That is why in 2017 we brought on a new range of Italian design internal glass doors and screens, all with an ultra-modern and minimal design.

ADL Internal Sliding Doors with Anodised Frames

We have installed various examples of the ADL internal door range throughout the IQ Glass office and the Sky House Design Centre. Angeles Gonzales Lupion is an interior designer with IQ Furniture and loves to include internal glazing on her project:

“The use of natural light is by far the best way to light internal spaces. I often recommend internal glass doors on projects to draw light from the rear patio doors further into the home. The ADL Range we have on show here is a beautiful way to do that. I particularly enjoy the broad range of glass finishes that you can choose from. A slightly mirrored finish with a dark aluminium frame offers a really lovely design.”

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The Showroom

The IQ Glass showroom and the wider Sky House Design Centre continues to be a must-visit location for architects and specifiers looking to include any glazing on their project.

Throughout 2017 we expanded our showroom to allow us to show visitors a wider range of architectural glazing solutions and broaden the options of design and performance.

At the heart of the Courtyard, a new steel-framed glass box was installed to showcase our bespoke architectural metal finishes from Mondrian Glazing and our very popular MHB External Slim Framed Doors Range. The thermally broken steel window and door system adhere to the highest levels of performance as well as creating a minimal, industrial design to the glazing.

In addition, a new meeting room was created using some of the residential glazing solutions we offer from Hedgehog Aluminium, our aluminium fabrication factory. These solutions include a thin framed glass façade system that rivals structural glazing for minimal sightlines offering a cost reduction option for those looking for walls of glass.

The new aluminium framed meeting room at the IQ Glass showroom and offices.

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Expert Views and Advice

We try to use our website as a tool for architects and specifiers so that they may find the answers to their questions here, ready and waiting for them to read at their leisure. Below are some of our most popular advice and blog articles of the year.

All you need to know about glass to glass connections

Structural Glass Facades vs Slim Façade Systems

4 ways to create a wall of glass that disappears

Picking the right patio door for your project

What To Consider When Specifying Structural Glass

How much will a glass extension cost?

Top 10 FAQ’s about the HIRT Swiss Descending Window

How can I Cost Engineer my Architectural Glazing Project?

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Projects

To find out about some of our favourite projects of 2017 take a look at our article ‘Top 10 Architectural Glazing Projects of 2017’.

Our Best 10 Architectural Glazing Projects of 2017

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Awards

Many of our residential and commercial glazing projects have been recognised this year in awards from some of the most recognised architectural bodies in the UK, including the RIBA and Architects Journal.

Our glazing is only a small part of these impressive architectural designs but we are always so proud to have been able to work on them. As always we offer our congratulations to all the parties involved and are looking forward to the continuing projects we have with all of these award-winning architectural practices.

Silver House Shortlisted for RIBA Stephen Lawrence Prize

IQ Glass Projects featured in AJ Architecture Awards

IQ Glass are RIBA Regional Winners across the UK

Warwick Hall named AJ Retrofit of the Year 2017!

Warwick Hall Wins Heritage Project of the Year and Design of the Year @ AJ Architecture Awards 2017

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Updated Website and Design

2017 also saw the update of our main IQ Glass website. The design has been the same since 2012 so was due a redesign. We worked with the team at Chris Curd Design to give the website a fresh look and make our extensive range of architectural glazing products easier to navigate.

Thanks to the team at Chris Curd and our customers for their positive feedback.

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Coming in 2018…

We have lots of new and exciting things in the pipeline for 2018. These include:

A dedicated website for IQ Projects; our commercial glazing division

The launch of the dedicated IQ International website

Secured by Design certification for some of our most popular aluminium products

Enhanced performance testing for our thermally broken steel systems

New Mondrian^® 'Atelier' finishing workshop for bespoke client finishes

A new range of specialist CPD modules investigating various areas of specialist architectural glazing.

… and beyond

The expansion of the IQ Group headquarters will begin in 2018 with the construction of two new factories and eight industrial units. The factories will be the new homes of our aluminium fabrication company and our glass processing factory and will also facilitate the expansion of our showroom areas.

Thank you for all your support throughout 2017 and we look forward to working with you all in 2018. Please note that the IQ Group offices and showroom will be closed from Friday 22^nd December until 8.30 am Monday 8^th January 2018.