Architecture and Buildings

Canary Wharf

Canary Wharf subway station

London (UK)

Architect: Foster & Partners

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

Three large glass canopies, designed by Foster & Partners, surround and afford lighting to the access point of the new Canary Wharf underground station in London.

Canopy A and Canopy B show a curved design on two axes with radiuses varying from 42,000mm to 47,000mm approx., and were created with cylindrically curved glass panels, with a 3,150mm curved section positioned on the longitudinal axis.

The spherical shape of the canopy was obtained through the particular geometry of the glass panels cut in a curvilinear pattern, thus determining the spherical effect of the canopy.

STATICITY TESTS

After the designing stage of the canopies, load and breaking tests were carried out on a mock-up made of four panels mounted according to the executive project.

Particular tests aimed at verifying the behaviour of the glass panels and the bracketing and support system were performed in the following situations:

1. Wind thrust, water and snow load resistance (Weather test);
2. Accidental dynamic load resistance (Car test);
3. impact test;
4. Drop-out test;

Testing, all with positive results, was carried out in Germany at the Testing laboratory of the Darmstadt University Institute of Technology.

GLASS TYPOLOGY

in order to ensure that the characteristics of mechanical resistance of the toughened, surface compression during the toughening process was kept at 90 Mpa + 10%.

Processing and manufacturing cycles were carried out in compliance with the standards in BS EN ISO 9002, UNI 6487, DIN 1249-12 and in accordance with the ISO EN 9001 Quality Plan,

All the glass panels were tested with the HST (Heat Soak Test) thermal cycle in order to reduce risk of spontaneous breaking deriving from nickel sulphide inclusions.