'Glass palace' in Leipzig was first project constructed with Starphire glass by PPG

Ultra-clear low-iron glass remains most transparent float glass in industry 25 years after debut  

Neue Mess Central Hall, Leipzig, Germany, otherwise known as the “Glass Palace,” was the first major project constructed with STARPHIRE(R) ultra-clear glass by PPG. Now celebrating its 25th anniversary, Starphire glass is based on a proprietary low-iron formulation that has enabled it to remain the most transparent commercial architectural float glass available since it was introduced in 1990.

Designed by Ian Ritchie Architects, London, and opened in 1996, Neue Mess Central Hall is one of the largest railway-station buildings in Germany, measuring more than 780 feet in length, 260 feet in width and 90 feet in height at its apex. The building envelope is composed of 5-by-10-foot laminated glass panels fabricated from Starphire glass that are suspended from an external grid shell.

In a standard ¼-inch (6-millimeter) thickness, Starphire glass has visible light transmittance (VLT) of 91 percent. Architects often pair Starphire glass with SOLARBAN(R) solar control, low-emissivity (low-e) glasses by PPG to combine the aesthetic benefits of ultra-clear glass and the environmental benefits of exceptional solar control.

For more information about the 25th anniversary of Starphire glass, visit www.ppgstarphire.com.

Contact: Robert J. Struble PPG Flat Glass rstruble@ppg.com +1-412-820-8138 www.ppgideascapes.com