Songjiang glass sparkles in Qatar World Cup
The Lusail Towers
While the label of "made in China" was everywhere during the just-concluded 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, Songjiang elements also shone over the city of Lusail.
The Lusail Towers, a landmark project envisioned as the catalyst for a new central business district Qatar with four high-rise buildings, are coated with 92 pieces of alien glass made by NorthGlass in Xiaokunshan Town of suburban Shanghai's Songjiang District.
Each of the four skyscrapers has an oval facade, rising with the distortion of the structure, which gives the impression of asymmetric beauty.
"The spiral architecture posed a big challenge to the construction of a glass curtain wall," said Zhao Weigang, manager of NorthGlass's marketing department.
As the rotation starts from the bottom of the building, NorthGlass developed a new curve-forming technology to match the structure and ensure its safety.
The precise cutting technology of flexible interval strip and the improved coating process of butyl glue help ensure the artistic appearance.
The four skyscrapers of Lusail Towers are the headquarters of Qatar National Bank, Qatar Central Bank, and Qatar Investment Authority, alongside several other global organizations including Qatari Diar. The project in the desert, located at the end of the tree-lined main road, covers 1.1 million square meters, successfully connecting the newly completed football stadium with the coastal area.
The architect fully considered sunlight and applied aluminum package in the design. Its outspread outlines surrounding the building can block direct sunlight while retaining a good view and ample light.
"Due to the scorching climate in Qatar all year round, energy conservation and environmental protection are the priority factors in the selection of construction materials," Zhao said. The glassmaker independently developed the 18-meter coating equipment that produces the energy-saving LOWE film.
NorthGlass is a glass supplier for many of the world's iconic landmarks, such as the National Stadium (Bird's Nest) in Beijing, National Speed Skating Hall (Ice Ribbon) for the Beijing Winter Olympics, Leadenhall Office Building in London, Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, and many more.
