The vertical curve which covers the 6 floors (global curve) is led by a curvature within the single plane (local curve).

The High Performance TGU (light transmission 56% - solar factor 33% - external light reflection 17%, Ug= 0.7 W/m2K) is curved with a radius of 86m, equivalent to an arrow on the arc of 22mm in the 3900mm height of the surface, by a cold bending process (mechanical induced deflection on the flat plate, without the use of heating furnaces).

The natural bending glass result (directly processed in our factory) allows the achievement of a flat bent glazing, free from local deformation or visible distortions, with a further manufacturing advantage of lower costs.

The development of the bending process has required a series of laboratory tests:

• IFT Rosenheim (Austria): TGU permeability tests in pressure and temperature differences,
• DC laboratory (Belgium): adhesion and tension stress test,
• Istituto Giordano (Italy): mechanical and weather tightness façade test,
• Focchi spa (Italy): load-deformation test, in order to validate the induced tension state in structural silicone joints, in butyl junctions and in the differential slide of the glass slabs caused by the curvature induced by the curved template.

Arata Isozaki si laurea presso l'Università di Tokyo nel 1954 e studia con Kenzo Tange. Nel 1963 fonda Arata Isozaki Atelier, oggi Arata Isozaki & Associates. Membro della giuria del Pritzker Prize 1979-1984, Isozaki ha ricevuto riconoscimenti internazionali per le sue opere che sono state costruite in tutto il mondo. Tra i suoi progetti più importanti sono: il Museo d'Arte Moderna di Gunma (1978), il Museum of Contemporary Art di Los Angeles (1986), il Soho Guggenheim Museum di New York (1992), la Kyoto Concert Hall (1995), e l’Olympic Sports Hall di Torino (2002).

It’s 1997 when Andrea Maffei moves in Tokyo to begin its collaboration with Arata Isozaki, managing the Italian projects of the practice. In 2005 Maffei established the “Andrea Maffei Architects” practice, based in Brera. In 2006 he supervised the projects in Turin, such as the Palahockey, built for Winter Olympics and now called Palaisozaki, the Olympic pool and the Piazza d’Armi park. The architect was also in charge of the Allianz Isozaki Tower in CityLife, the former area of the fair in Milan. Furthermore, beside his professional work, he edits books and articles for several architectural magazines.