Sunday, February 8, 2026

Glass Design Primer

For the Architects, designers and self-build / design-build oriented Owners and Contractors out there.


We all love the look of glass handrails, stairs and BIG GLASS in general on our projects. 

We will start with the basics, a how to guide to get more of it in your project: 

There are a few approaches: 

a. Draw the glass elements into your project like cantilever glass rails for example and then cross your    fingers that you won't need any engineering to get your permit submission through the municipalities unscathed because if you do, the whole thing gets hung up at the gate. The plans examiners being the gate-keepers. 

 b. Organize your structural engineering for the glass work upfront and co-ordinate the package with your team; owner, contractor, your own envelope designers in your architectural practice and the structural engineer on the project such as CUCCO engineering + design (www.structuralengineertoronto.ca). 

 c. Try to use proprietary glass systems that come with engineered shop drawings that meet the requirements of that gatekeeper, the plans examiner. 

 d. Just show standard handrails that comply with the guard code, more on that separately, and then stickhandle this problem post permit in a permit revision so that you have more time to assemble the team, detail the building and figure out whether your client can really afford your vision for their building!. 

 e. I could go on ...





























https://www.structuralengineertoronto.ca/