SEFAR® VISION Exemplifies Strength and Beauty of 3 World Trade Center

DEPEW, NY…Distinguished by a “K-brace” exterior steel framing feature, 3 World Trade Center was also afforded the ability to shine in an additional fashion with the incorporation of SEFAR® VISION fabric at the lobby level and up into the triple-height atrium.

“VISION enabled us to achieve a sparkle and texture when up close to the building, and an attractive softness from further back, while allowing the light to transition far back into the building’s core,” says Richard Paul, Partner, Rogers Strick Harbor + Partners, the firm responsible for architectural services.

Located in the central position within the collective of five World Trade Center towers, Tower 3 is the only building with its podium facing the World Trade Center memorial. It was determined by the design team that the building’s core be set further into the structure, to provide space between the memorial outside and the interior activity. SEFAR VISION made it possible for light to filter wholly inside, while preserving views to maintain a feeling of expanse.

“We didn’t want the perception of distance from the exterior to the interior heart to be too large, and it was imperative that we maximized the amount of light coming into the structure,” says Paul. “SEFAR VISION enabled us to get as much light as possible inside.”

SEFAR VISION fabric interlayers are used to enhance the exterior appearance of glass facades, rainscreens, curtain walls, glass rail, and interior and decorative glass partition wall systems, while preserving the views from the inside. In addition to its aesthetic benefits for these applications, SEFAR assists with thermal modeling to demonstrate how the VISION fabric interlayer reduces solar heat gain and glare.

Aesthetically, SEFAR VISION enabled the light coming into the structure to possess a certain softness, which contrasts beautifully with the building’s strength and power. Because of the unique manner in which light diffuses through VISION, it further enabled 3 World Trade Center to be distinct from the ensemble.

“This material has a high degree of reflectivity and created a unique animation off the walls,” says Paul. “It also generates the right kind of visual feedback because of the way the light catches off the surface of the glass. “

Functionally, SEFAR VISION fabric interlayers improve thermal performance by reducing heat loading and will save building owners additional expense on HVAC. The laminated fabric mesh interlayer will also reduce glare by mitigating visual light transmission (VLT), eliminating the need for exterior louvers and interior shading systems, further reducing the capital cost to the owner.

Located at 175 Greenwich Street, 3 World Trade Center stands at 80 stories and spans 2.5 million square feet. The ribbon cutting ceremony and official building opening took place in June 2018.