Safety and Design First

The decision to integrate art and safety was an easy one. With a healthcare clientele that accounts for 40% of their business, Meltown Glass Art & Design looked to SaftiFirst, a manufacturer of fire-rated glass, to help create an artistic yet fire-resistant product. The final product needed to provide both a heightened aesthetic and be able to protect patients from potentially dangerous situations. “There is definitely a push in the healthcare design that has a much more artistic bent,” explains Peter Hayes, architect and sales director for the Chandler, Ariz.-based manufacturer. “There was a need to bridge the gap between artistic and function.” The glass is coated in a fire-resistant glazing that allows for greater design flexibility and is available in laminated, insulated, tinted, patterned, frosted, mirrored, reflective, curved and decorated.