When cutting-edge innovation meets heritage architecture, the result is nothing short of spectacular, as demonstrated by the transformation of the Pathé Palace in Paris, reimagined by Renzo Piano Building Workshop.
This Belle Époque gem, located in the heart of the 9th arrondissement, has been transformed into a cinematic masterpiece featuring seven state-of-the-art auditoriums equipped with LED screens and heated leather seats, as well as a concierge service. At its core, it is a celebration of light, openness and timeless design.
The driving force behind this architectural tour de force is a small but mighty component: Super Spacer® by Quanex company Edgetech.
From curved façades to large-scale glazing, the flexible Super Spacer® TriSeal™ Premium Plus played a pivotal role in bringing the vision of light and transparency to life. The iconic inverted glass pyramid at the entrance, spanning five storeys and flooding the atrium with daylight, features double-curved insulating glass made possible by Döring Glass and Josef Gartner.
Gartner and the bending specialists Döring Glass developed a technically complex insulating glass construction for the corners. The 28 double cylindrically curved rectangular panes ranged in dimension from 1638 x 5546 mm to 1663 x 3440 mm. The 44- and 46-degree bends each form a 90-degree corner with a flat section in between, followed by a short straight section after the bends
Why Super Spacer®? It adapts effortlessly to complex geometries and ensures clean edges, even at tight radii. It also enhances thermal insulation and aesthetic continuity and is compatible with both automated and manual production.
It is available in custom colours — light grey was chosen here to blend invisibly with the glass and honour Renzo Piano’s vision of lightness.
In a constantly evolving world, adaptability is key, and Super Spacer® continues to enable architects, glass processors and builders to push the boundaries of design and performance.
Congratulations to all the partners involved in the transformation of the Pathé Palace, where the golden age of cinema meets the future of glass architecture.
