Sapphire Prescribes Solutions for Complex Balustrades

A complex curved glass and stainless steel balustrade for a spiral staircase is among the solutions supplied by Sapphire Balustrades for a building complex in Cambridgeshire for one of the UK’s largest pharmaceutical companies. Sapphire’s Crystal frameless structural glass system, uninterrupted by balusters (uprights), provides the perfect light-enhancing replacement for the stairway’s old balustrade. In addition, Sapphire’s Crystal balustrades are installed in the refurbished atrium, link bridges, dining areas and an outdoor terraced area which forms part of new landscaping around the building.

Sapphire’s balustrading package for the project needed to suit the building’s unique aesthetics as well as meet functional and legislative requirements to ensure safety and durability. Drawing on its extensive experience in the design and manufacture of high quality balustrades Sapphire calculated the precise radii for each spiral glass infill panel to achieve the staircase’s helical profile. The structural glass panels are combined with stylish stainless steel handrails which complement the simplicity of the wall lights, cladding and flooring aesthetics. To ensure a neat finish, the outer rail wall brackets were custom designed by Sapphire to line up with wall panel joints. The stairway’s new balustrade rises from the building’s open plan atrium where coordinating Crystal glass and stainless steel balustrades have been installed, enhancing the effect of free-flowing glass from the ground to the upper floors. In addition to interior balustrades, Sapphire supplied a complementary solution for the building’s new outdoor terraced area. Approximately 50 metres of structural glass balustrades are installed around the perimeter of the terrace. As part of the bespoke design detailing requested by the architect, the exterior balustrade features a deep stainless steel trim, specially designed by Sapphire to create an attractive shadow gap between each glass infill panel.

Sapphire Balustrades’ comprehensive service and support helps to ensure that each balustrade project achieves the desired visual appeal and is also fully compliant and fit for purpose. Sapphire’s Marketing Manager, Nick Haughton, comments: “Our step-by-step support from concept to completion makes specifying the right balustrade solution much easier, even on large projects with complex design requirements like a spiral staircase. Added to this, Sapphire offers the reassurance of a unique 12 year warranty, providing peace of mind for specifiers, architects and their clients.”