As a tribute to “Throwback Thursday,” here’s a High-End Design project that won Giroux Glass the coveted Glass Magazine “Crystal Award” for the Most Innovative Interior Glass Project, Residential” for that year. It was awarded for the unique design and installation of the frameless elevator shaft and glass stairway shown here.
After being contacted by architecture firm C.J. Light Associates and general contractor Andrew Williams, Giroux Glass became an integral part of designing this “frameless” glass elevator shaft and stairwell at an exclusive beachfront property on the southern coast of California.
After some thorough layout, the Giroux in-house drafting department constructed a digital 3D model of the entire area in Solid Works, from which the design team would work. Later, the model became the template for ordering and fabricating all of the elevator shaft and stairwell components.
The first challenge this project presented the Giroux team was the design and engineering of a stringer that would free span from the second to the third floor. For this, Giroux solicited the expertise of Andrew Nasser, a structural engineer with whom Giroux often works. Once the requirements for the stringer and treads were calculated, the next hurdle was to retrofit the existing wood structure with enough steel to structurally support the stringer and stair.
Cundiff Steel fabricated and installed all of the support steel, 38-foot elevator guide rails and the 2-inch by 12-inch steel helix for the stringer. The third and final hurdle was the design and engineering of a frameless, 6-foot cylindrical elevator shaft that was to stand 30 feet tall. The design intent was to utilize minimal support clamps for a “frameless” look.All of the 9/16-inch bent tempered, laminated glass and 1-inch tempered, laminated treads were fabricated by Cristacurva and installed by Giroux Glass.
A recent visit to this gorgeous 9,000 sq.ft., 5-bedroom, 8-bathroom beachfront home confirmed that the splendor of its original design still holds, and despite the beach environment, all is still in perfect condition.
Although it was the staircase and elevator which earned the award, other glass elements of this beautiful home contribute to its extraordinary design. Other projects within this residence completed by Giroux Glass include the impressive glass entry and “bridge,” the master bathroom with steam sauna, and the single largest lite of glass, installed — part of the sensational wine cellar in the family room. Visiting the site again last week brought back the challenges and successes we experienced in bringing all of these projects to completion so many years ago.
