The centrepiece of Fosse Park in Leicester, a Crown Estate-owned scheme, is a retail terrace which is anchored at each end by a 90,000sq.ft major retail store.

Its whole length features double-height glass shopfronts, giving maximum uninterrupted views in and out by having no opaque framing or other support below 2.7m in height.

The towering wall of glass was made possible thanks to Pilkington Planar structural glazing, which uses low-profile stainless-steel bolts and glass fins to hold double-glazed units in place without the need for a traditional framing system.

The quality of the views was further improved by using low-iron Pilkington Optiwhite to give an almost completely colourless appearance to both the face glass and the 15mm thick supporting fins.

Double glazed units were used throughout the scheme with a combination of air-filled and argon-filled cavities to improve the levels of insulation achieved by the glazing, avoiding excessive heat loss during the colder months of the year.

For the southerly glazed areas of the scheme that are exposed to direct sunlight, glass with either solar-control coatings or laminated interlayers were used.

The double-height glazing that fronts the main terrace also features a Pilkington Suncool 70/40 coating.

This means that 70% of visible light is allowed through the glass but only 40% of the sun’s energy can pass through.

The result is that the excellent views are maintained but the heating effect of sunlight on the interior of the building is significantly reduced, minimising the need for intensive air conditioning to create a pleasant climate for customers during the summer.

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Image: Internal view of the Fosse Park shopping centre with Pilkington Planar glazing.