Solarban® 90 glass helps convert historic Chicago building into boutique hotel

Solarban® 90 glass helps convert historic Chicago building into boutique hotel
Photo source
By Tom Kessler

Date: 13 November 2020

Neglected historical structure finds new life with new six-story glass-clad crown

For many years, the Atlantic Bank Building on Chicago’s Michigan Avenue was an eyesore on the city’s most famous boulevard. Now, thanks to the efforts of architects Hirsch Associates and owner Oxford Capital Group, the structure has been transformed into the 18-story Hotel Julian, now crowned by a glittering six-story jewel fabricated with Solarban® 90 glass by Vitro Architectural Glass (formerly PPG Glass).

Following guidelines for the original building that suggested how to add floors in its future, Hirsch Associates glazed the new hotel’s top six floors with Solarban® 90 glass, a recent development in the evolution of solar control low-emissivity (low-e) glass.

In the tradition of Vitro’s popular family of low‑e glasses, Solarban® 90 glass conveys an appearance similar to that of conventional clear glass in both color and reflectance while delivering an exceptional solar heat gain coefficient of 0.23 percent and visible light transmittance (VLT) of 51% in a standard 1-inch insulating glass unit (IGU). Together, the daylighting and solar control enable Hotel Julian to offer all the charms of a classic, old-world hotel along with the environmental performance and comforts of a modern one.

Named after St. Julian, the patron saint of travelers, the former 12-story building has been fully transformed by its $75 million investment. Now open for more than two years, the newly refurbished venue is successfully attracting tourists to Chicago’s Millennium Park area while gaining an architectural stature worthy of its many famous neighbors near the Magnificent Mile.

For more information about Solarban® 90 glass and Vitro Glass’s full line of architectural glasses, visit www.vitroglazings.com or call 1-855-VTRO-GLS (887-6457).

600450 Solarban® 90 glass helps convert historic Chicago building into boutique hotel glassonweb.com

Others also read

At the heart of CSU Channel Islands, OKALUX glass helps create a bright, comfortable study environment by softly diffusing natural light throughout the library.
BGT supplied advanced glass solutions for Newark Liberty International Airport’s new Terminal A, supporting the project’s bold architectural vision with high-performance, energy-efficient glazing systems.
The AIA/Deltek Architecture Billings Index (ABI) remained in negative territory in June with a score of 46.8, down from 47.2 in May as more firms reported a decrease in billing.
In the heart of Thessaloniki, OKALUX daylighting systems enhance the timeless architecture of the Archaeological Museum, balancing heritage preservation with intelligent, glare-free natural light.
As Munich expands westward, Glas Trösch plays a key role in the Freiham WA 16 residential project, delivering high-performance glass solutions that balance design, comfort, and energy efficiency.
Developed by Related Ross and designed by SOM, the project showcases Solarban® R77 Acuity® glass by Vitro, setting a new standard for modern office design.

Add new comment

From industry

Ottergemsesteenweg 707-Zuid
9000 Ghent
Belgium

52 Corniche El-Nil, AL-SHARIFAIN Tower 10th Floor,
Maadi,
Cairo Governorate
11728
Egypt

Polígono Industrial El Bayo, parcela I, 19
24492 Cubillos del Sil León
Spain

Via Del Lavoro Snc
64023 Mosciano Sant’Angelo TE
Italy