The Union at Easton Park

Head 12 miles east of downtown Austin, Texas and you’ll arrive at Easton Park. A vibrant residential community spread over 2,300 acres and featuring an eclectic mix of home designs, wide open spaces and state-of-the-art amenities that are all designed to encourage a strong neighborhood feel.

Central to this, the hub of the community, is The Union. Easton Park’s 14,000 square-foot amenity center that comes complete with a resort-style pool, outdoor fire-pits, a fitness club, event space, games room and more.

The community philosophy of Easton Park required The Union to be an open, inviting place that connects with nature. The Texas climate, on the other hand, required high-performance glass that can withstand intense heat. While the design of the building itself would invite abundant natural light, the glass would need to keep interiors comfortable as well as be pleasing aesthetically.

The architects, Gensler, specified SunGuard® SNX 51/23 on clear glass. Offering excellent performance along with an attractive aesthetic, the glass’ triple silver coating offers a high light transmission of 51% yet also a low 0.23 solar heat gain coefficient. This not only helps to enhance daylight but also to reduce air-conditioning demands and meet stringent energy codes.

Guardian Glass supplied 6,800 square feet of SunGuard® SNX 51/23 to independent Guardian Select® fabricator TriStar Glass Products. The insulating glass units were then installed by independent Glazier Connection™ member Floyd’s Glass Co. The structural glazing, which utilized Oldcastle BuildingEnvelope® Reliance™ curtain wall, includes large profile, 10 foot IGUs on the first floor, while the top pieces were customized to follow the steel profile of the roof. 

“The service from my fabricators and the excellent relationship they have with Guardian Glass gives Floyd’s Glass confidence in our supply chain, and that’s hard to put a price on,” says Kevin Zuehlke, project manager, Floyd’s Glass Co. 

“The Easton Park project was a culmination of first-in-class design, fabrication and installation. The glazing is one of the signature features”, Steve Versland, Architectural Design Manager, Guardian Glass. 

“The exceptional exterior aesthetic paired with the high performance of SunGuard SNX 51/23 coated glass has made it extremely popular with architects in Texas and across the South,” adds Steve Versland, Architectural Design Manager, Guardian Glass. “The Easton Park project was a culmination of first-in-class design, fabrication and installation. The glazing is one of the signature features of this phenomenal structure.” 

Photo: Dror Baldinger