Pulp Studio, the leading fabricator of technically advanced architectural decorative glass, demonstrated its glass-bending expertise once again in a high-profile installation for the elite global law firm Freshfields at Port Authority’s 3 World Trade Center in New York, NY.
In March 2024, the firm relocated to Lower Manhattan, partnering with national construction firm JT Magen and architecture and design leader Gensler to create a vibrant new workplace that reflects the law firm’s modern operations. With glass serving as a central design element, Pulp Studio was enlisted to bring the vision to life.
“Pulp Studio is honored to have been selected by such prestigious architecture and design partners to execute their design goals,” says Kirk Johnson, Chief Executive Officer of Pulp Studio. “Glass bending played an integral role in achieving the modern aesthetic of this project. With our proprietary in-house engineered bending equipment, Pulp can shape glass into many forms, enabling impressive, custom design solutions.”
For this project, Pulp Studio supplied a large order of glass for the office’s railings and smoke baffles. The striking glass staircase functions as the centerpiece of the design, greeting visitors into a modern, light-filled atmosphere. The railings utilize a thicker, high-performance laminated glass to achieve a sleek, contemporary aesthetic, while the elevated smoke baffles feature a thinner yet equally durable laminated glass. Both applications include a mix of flat and curved pieces, showcasing Pulp Studio’s renowned bending capabilities and creating a seamless, elegant look throughout.
This design features the following glass types: GL-07 13/16” Low Iron, Tempered Laminated with Sentry Glass Plus interlayer, GL-08 13/16” Low Iron, Chemically Strengthened Laminated with Sentry Glass Plus interlayer, GL-09 9/16” Low Iron, Tempered with Sentry Glass Plus interlayer, GL-10 9/16” Low Iron, Chemically Strengthened Laminated with Sentry Glass Plus. There are flat and bent panels for both the overhead smoke baffles and the railings.
Project Title: Freshfields 3 World Trade Center
Location: New York City, New York
Construction Manager: JT Magen
Architect: Gensler
Glazier: M Cohen & Sons
Photography: © Alexander Severin, Courtesy of Gensler
About Pulp Studio
Founded in 1996, Pulp Studio passionately advocates for the creative use of glass as a building element. From the beginning, the brand’s defining mission is to fill the void in the market for innovative uses of glass in interior and façade projects. Pulp Studio combines technical prowess with design sensibility; creating products that reside at the intersection of fashion and function.
Pulp Studio employs craftspeople, artists, scientists, and inventors who view working with glass as an artistic endeavor – their medium being glass. The company’s capabilities include bending, hand-color coating, laser etching, glass carving, screen print imaging, drilling, notching, and a patented system for uniformly illuminating panels using high-intensity LEDs. Every project is another opportunity for Pulp Studio to further enrich the idea of “custom” by delivering products that are superior in design and functionality. One of the company’s insulated glass products, Ombra™ achieves a solar heat gain coefficient superior to that of other insulated glass units, dramatically reducing climate control requirements and providing significant energy savings over the life of a building.
Working in collaboration with architects and design studios, Pulp Studio’s products have been used in numerous high-profile projects including: Moynihan Station, New York, N.Y., the Space Needle in Seattle, W.A., David Geffen Hall at the Lincoln Center in New York, N.Y., the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach, C.A., Wilshire Grand in downtown Los Angeles, C.A. and the Gores Group Headquarters in Beverly Hills, C.A. www.pulpstudio.com.