Heathrow Airport Terminal 2
Architectural glass case study
An ambitious development takes flight
ToughGlaze played an integral role in London Heathrow's Terminal 2 redevelopment. Discover what we did and how we pulled out the stops to make it happen.
How it started
You can't teach an old terminal new tricks.
By 2007, Heathrow Airport's Terminal 2 was facing serious problems. It was old – 52 years old, by that point – and it was showing its age. Originally designed to accommodate 1.2 million passengers annually, it now had to cope with approximately eight million.
The building had been upgraded and renovated several times over the years. But these efforts only served to delay the inevitable. The building was becoming increasingly decrepit and unmanageable – and with passenger numbers expected to rise, drastic measures were needed.
So, in May of 2007, the Mayor of London signed off on an ambitious new plan. The old building was to be completely demolished. In its place would stand a bright, contemporary terminal – a terminal fit for Heathrow's growing passenger traffic and modern standards of sustainability and efficiency.
And it was to be called "Queen's Terminal" in honour of HM Queen Elizabeth II.
What happened next
The dream team assembles.
The Queen's Terminal development was complex. Exceedingly complex. The total project cost was forecast at £1.5 billion – and the new building was to be more than 300% larger than its predecessor.
And so, Heathrow assembled a dream team. It included renowned UK architects Foster + Partners, as well as the Spanish firm luis vidal + architects. Laing O'Rourke and Ferrovial Agroman would handle demolition and construction. Many others were involved in design, consulting and fit-out.
Together, they laid grand plans. The new terminal would have sustainability at its core, with solar control and renewable energy technologies built in. And it would follow the design principles of Pascall + Watson's then-new Terminal 5: a gigantic, steel-framed structure clad in a toughened glass facade.
They needed lots of glass. And not just any glass – they needed glass that met strict standards for safety, integrity and sustainability.
They needed ToughGlaze.
ToughGlaze delivers
We get off to a flying start – and nail the landing.
For ToughGlaze, it was full steam ahead from day one.
Working directly with Laing O'Rourke, we supplied more than 7,000m² of glass wall cladding and structural glazing. That's enough glass to cover 11 five-a-side football pitches.
At this scale, supplying one type of glass would be complex enough. But the project specification demanded a mix of products, all produced in vast quantities and to strict deadlines. That included clear 13mm toughened glass, as well as toughened laminate in 13.5mm, 15.5mm and 17.5mm thicknesses.
To make matters more complicated, a range of finishes were required. Some of the glass was screen-printed, and many of the laminate panels were fabricated with black and white coloured interlayers.
What's more, much of the glass was to be installed at height – and with eight million passengers expected every year, safety was paramount. So, all 7,000m² of glass was heat soak tested to all but eliminate the risk of spontaneous breakage.
Despite these complexities, ToughGlaze delivered on time and on spec. The project was a success – and it was in no small part thanks to our industry-leading daily processing capacity and state-of-the-art facilities. Unlike many smaller glass processors, we were able to carry out fabrication, testing and logistics in-house, drastically reducing margins of error and delay.
But our proudest moment was yet to come. ToughGlaze was also asked to handle the finishing touch: a set of commemorative laminate panels to mark the opening of Terminal 2 by Queen Elizabeth II.
The key facts
7,000m²+
Total glass coverage
210,000m²
Building size
210,000m²
Annual passenger footfall
How we did it
TG TOUGHENED
Toughened glass
Our high-quality 10mm clear toughened glass was critical to the success of the T2 redevelopment.
TG TL
Toughened laminate
ToughGlaze supplied thousands of square metres of 13.5mm, 15.5mm and 17.5mm laminated glass.
TG HST
Heat soak testing
Each and every glass panel was heat soak tested, drastically improving safety and integrity.
TG CI
Coloured interlayers
We used black and white Vanceva interlayers to bring the architects' aesthetic vision to life.
TG SP
Screen printing
Ceramic silk-screening was used throughout – including on the historic commemorative glass panels.
About ToughGlaze
Heathrow Terminal 2 stands as one of our proudest achievements. But it's far from our only prestigious project.
Since 1993, ToughGlaze has worked closely with some of the world's leading architects, interior designers and construction firms.
They trust us because we're uniquely positioned to deliver on time and at scale. Only ToughGlaze has the production capacity, transport infrastructure and project management capabilities to work against the strictest time pressures and most demanding specifications.
And now, from our state-of-the-art facility in Bedford, we're better equipped than ever to bring large-scale projects to life. Today, ToughGlaze can offer dozens of decorative options and process as much as 5,000m² of toughened glass daily.
If you need the best, you need ToughGlaze. Don't hesitate to get in touch to discuss how we can support your next project.
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