Our CEO, Franz Safford
Summary
Educated at the University of Colorado @ Boulder in Architectural Engineering (BS in AE’81); has built a unique knowledge base over 42 years within the building envelope industry in design, structural engineering, aluminum, steel, finishes, waterproofing with a focus on glass as the cladding material. Expert in all aspects of process, from initial conception/design development, engineering, material selection, fabrication, project management and installation.
Design Strategy
Follows a process that strives for simplicity in the design solution embracing a philosophy of integrating components to achieve a higher level of efficiency for the end-product. This inevitably results in excellent value for the owner as redundancy is removed from the equation. Excellent architecture is every project’s goal. “I let the solution be what it wants to be.”
Specialties
conceptual design
engineering
project management for specialty projects
product development
customer support
management
Learn More → Career • Testimonials • Milestones
Career
1980
Structural Engineer, Skidmore Owings and Merrill, Denver, CO, Engineer
1981-85
Space Structures International, Inc. New York; Engineer, Technical Director
Mero Structures, Inc. Milwaukee, WI; Technical Director, VP Business Development
1986-90
1990-91
Pearce Structures Inc, Los Angeles, CA; VP Business Development
Founding partner of ASI Advanced Structures Incorporated, Marina del Rey, CA; owner and VP Business Development and Technical Support; ASI became a world leader in specialty structures.
1991-07
Founder and owner of Innovation Glass LLC, Tivoli, NY; engineering supply company of high performance, innovative façade systems.
2007-Present
Founder and owner of VS1 Home Inc., Tivoli, NY; offers US and international turnkey services for all-glass house models.
2018-Present
2018-Present
Founder and owner of VS1 Inc, Tivoli, NY; offers engineered metal services for VS1 system to the US and international marketplace.
2022-Present
Founder of Innovation Glass GmbH, Amstetten, Austria; directly offers supply of the VS1 system to the EU market.
Founder of Innovation Glass Ltd., London, England; directly offers supply of the VS1 system to the UK market
2022-Present
Co-founder of VS1 Innovation Glass Dubai; directly offers engineering and supply of the VS1 system to the Middle East market.
2023
Testimonials
Innovation Glass is proud to have worked with architects, glaziers, and facade consultants around the world. We are grateful for our many collaborative relationships in the industry.
NICHOLAS LEAHY
Co Ceo and Executive Director,
Perkins Eastman
“I have collaborated With Franz for close to 30 years, he has been one of my go to people when I want to work with an openminded and creative partner, someone to bounce ideas around and solve interesting problems, of any scale and budget—butterfly houses , facades of all types, canopies and glass steps.
I have found Franz never shies away from a challenge, he has an intuitive sense of design and engineering, and like all great collaborators gets that excited when you start asking the “ what if” questions.
There is nothing quite as fun and fulfilling as sketching through the various design solutions to an option, I have never heard no from Franz, he is always positive, and delivers quality through and through.”
MOSES VAUGHN
Senior Associate; Director of Architectural Technology WRNS
“I have worked with Franz and Innovation Glass on several projects over the last 10 years; in every case the collaborative effort has been incredibly successful. From the outset, Franz brought his architectural background to the effort; and was able to anticipate and solve aesthetic challenges as adeptly as technical ones. The inevitable speed bumps along the supply chain were negotiated with full transparency; and the IG team always stepped up to the plate. I can heartily recommend Innovation Glass and the VS-1 system for any project seeking a high value glazing solution.”
GEOFFREY DIAMOND
Design Director, Senior Associate
Gensler
“Franz Safford, and the entire team at Innovation Glass, represent everything we look for in a partner. His engineering acumen is always on display, but never takes a back seat to his passion for great design. I’ve yet to come to him with an idea that he wasn’t willing to help explore, design, and ultimately deliver.”
NICHOLAS MICHEELS
Project Architect
Muller2
“Assisting with schematic design until the curtain wall was installed, Franz was always quick to offer design assistance. He brought with him not only his expertise, but also his positive attitude and a collaborative mindset. He is the kind of person that makes you excited to work through the tough details and I enjoyed our in-person work sessions.”
MIC PATTERSON
Ambassador of Innovation & Collaboration
Facade Tectonics
“I've had the privilege and great pleasure of working with Franz Safford for over three decades now. Franz is a skilled and creative problem solver as well as a true innovator, all amply evidenced by the many remarkable facades completed worldwide with his VS1 system. His greatest strength is sitting shoulder-to-shoulder with an architect and sketching through a facade solution to a demanding project requirement. But his commitment to a design doesn't stop there, he invariably drives any project he's involved with through to a successful completion. Franz is simply the best building partner I've ever worked with.”
Milestones for Franz Safford as Principal in Charge
1981-85
Development of aluminum lattice structures (space frames) in the USA.
1986-90
Development of steel lattice structure in the USA using the German system Mero.
First hybrid space frame tension lattice grid developed for the Museum of Fine Arts, Montreal working with the office of Moshe Safdie.
1989
First integrated steel and aluminum tension truss glass wall system in US at Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN working with the office of David Brody Bond.
1991
1992
Developed steel ball node space frame system for ASI.
1993
Developed glass point supported cable truss system improving transparency.
First stressed shell glass wall structure in US for the Boston Federal Court House, Boston working with the office of Pei Cobb Freed & Patners.
1995
1998
Early generation dual glass wall, Michigan.
2000
First cable net glass wall in US: 1 North Wacker UBS tower, Chicago; ultimate transparency achieved; conducted first laboratory test in the world of a cable net glass wall.
World record cable net span: Time Warner Center (now Deutsche Bank Center), NYC working with SOM NY.
2001
First hyperbolic shaped cable net glass wall/roof enclosure in the world for Security and Exchange Commission HQ, Washington DC working with Kevin Roche John Dinkeloo.
2004
Invention of VS1, point supported, glass wall system (patented) for storefront, window wall and curtain wall applications; system offers superior performance, is competitively priced.
2006
Founded Innovation Glass LLC, sole owner.
2006
Mock up test for VS1: large missile impact glazing system to ASTM 1886/ASTM 1996.
2006
2006-08
Six VS1 beta projects completed to develop the system.
First standard system VS1 mock up test: 30 psf, air, water.
2007
1st commercial VS1 project: Spertus Institute, Chicago working with Krueck & Sexton
2007
2nd commercial VS1 project: Information Commons, Loyola University, Chicago; Zero Energy LEEDs Gold building working with Solomon Cordwell Buenz.
2007
TKTS "red stairs" in Times Square, NYC; first all-glass structural operational building in the world working with Nicholas Leahy of Perkins Eastman.
2008
Simons Center for Geometry and Physics, Stony Brook, NY: first major mulit-story VS1 exterior wall application working with Perkins Eastman.
2009
Macnamara Building, Detroit, MI: point supported wall using custom aluminum fittings with stainless steel finish.
2010
Adobe Corporate Building, Salt Lake City, UT: first application of jumbo spanning VS-1 system to 42 ft. clear span; world record clear span for an unreinforced aluminum curtain wall working with WRNS.
2011
University of Chicago Early Childhood Center, Chicago, IL: largest exterior glass wall application to-date of VS1 system; integration of exterior metal perforated fins and panels into system working with Valerio Dewalt Train.
2012
Citi Point, Brooklyn, NY; multiple VS1 walls on the podium of a large multi-purpose development including the first application of VS1G using glass mullions; project featured two 80ft high spanning walls using an asymmetric tension cable system, the first of its kind in the world working with COOKFOX.
2013
Ryan Center, Chicago for Northwestern University; three hybrid VS1 tension glass walls including a concert hall wall that is acoustically isolated from the exterior working with Goettsch Partners.
2014
2015
Quinlan School of Business, Loyola University, Chicago; 10 story dual glass VS1 wall with building system integrated venting; wall solution used tension rods to stabilize a high transparent wall system working with Solomon Cordwell Buenz.
2015
Gordon Parks Arts Hall for University of Chicago; complex multi-folded VS1 façade as complete exterior glass enclosure for the building. Integrated shading and acoustically isolated room divider details implemented working with Valerio Dewalt Train.
2016
Central Bank of Ireland, Dublin; two large atrium VS1 glass walls using a triangulated wall geometry and jumbo glass panels working with AECOM.
2017
CTC Technology Center, Pune, India; largest faceted glass wall in the world at 110,000 sq ft using VS1 system; specialty terra cotta glass panels developed for project.
McCormick Marriott HQ Hotel, Chicago; large podium VS1 wall project with large horizontal glass panels using armature supports to reduce glass structural spans working with Goettsch Partners.
2017
2018
New Statue of Liberty Museum, Liberty Island, NY; large spanning VS1 glass walls creating dramatic viewing experience at the most iconic monument in the US working with FX Collaborative.
2018
Launched VS1 Home Inc. to introduce all-glass houses to the market place.
2019
Scaled VS1 mullion to span 60ft clear and developed proprietary in-plane +/-24 inch seismic movement joint.
2021
Completed longest spanning glass fin façade with un-spliced full-height 4x12mm glass fins spanning 55ft clear at 155 N. Wacker in Chicago working with HED.
2020
Invented VS1-g, which offers the option of a tempered glass fin in lieu of the standard extruded VS1 blade mullion. A high level of facade transparency is achieved.
2021
Completed first cold bent VS1 façade at QA-tower in Dhaka, Bangladesh with 8 inch out of plane warped insulating glass panels on straight line mullions.
2022
Completed St. Regis Tower 10 story “glass cube” feature with two-way fustrum exoskeletal VS1 facade at base of 95 story high rise tower; 42ft clear span lower floor space created for 5 star restaurant working with Studio Gang.
2022
Invented VS1-t, which offers the option of a timber mullion in lieu of the standard aluminum VS1 blade mullion. Timber has low embodied carbon and can be harvested sustainably.
2022
Formation of Innovation Glass Ltd. (UK) and Innovation Glass GmbH (Austria) to directly service the European markets after transitioning from working with Saint-Gobain.
2023
Formation of VS1 innovation Glass Dubai to directly service the Middle East market with a focus on United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.
2023
Development of a VS1 mullion die to clear span 55ft for the Costar project in VA achieving another clear span world record for an unreinforced aluminum curtain wall working with Pickard Chilton.
2023
Completion of the largest airport project to-date using VS1 at O’Hare’s Terminal 5 for an innovative 60,000 sq ft façade with approximately 1/3rd of the wall area utilizing electrochromic SmartGlass working with Muller and Muller.
2023
Completion of a custom structural glass skylight feature for the renovated Lord & Taylor building in NYC working with WRNS.