Office layout design has over the years tended to swing between the extremes of open plan and separate, discrete spaces created by solid partitioning.

With nothing to restrict line of sight between colleagues, advocates of open plan have always argued that it creates a more communal environment to work in. Others, on the other hand, believe teams and individuals need their own clearly defined spaces away from the distractions of the rest of the workforce.

With glass office wall partitions, you can have the best of both worlds. They are a great way to retain the look and feel of an open plan office with most of the layout kept visible, while still giving workers the sense of their space.

In addition, internal glass walls add a fabulously bright and contemporary edge to your office design, allowing light to move freely around the space and providing a modern, stylish twist.

Even better, there are a number of different options for the glass you can use in partition walls, giving you great flexibility when comes to design. Here is a quick lowdown of some of the types available.

Single Glazed Partitions

Low cost and easy to install, single glazed glass walls are a great way to box off different areas in your office without compromising on light and visibility.

Double Glazed Partitions

Double glazed walls perform the same function as single glazed in terms of light and keeping lines of sight open, but provide much better sound insulation. They are therefore a good option if you want to cut down distractions from noise but still keep that open plan feel.

Acoustic Glass

This specially reinforced type of glass provides better sound insulation than ordinary single glazed. It can therefore be used as a step between single and double glazed for reducing noise distractions in the office, with the advantage of not having to add a second pane.

Curved Glass

Curved glass wall partitions make a superb design feature, freeing your office from the boxy feel and straight lines of cuboid partitioning. The process is necessarily more costly and time consuming, as tracks and glass panels have to be custom made, but the final effect is stunning in its elegance.

Faceted Glass

If curved glass is a little too extravagant for your budget but you still want to avoid boxy partitions, faceted glass walls are a brilliant alternative. Instead of actually curving the panels themselves, thin flat walls are arranged in a polygon to create the impression of a curve.

Fire Rated Glass

If fire protection is a key requirement in your office design, fire glass is a perfect option for keeping your workspace open and bright without having to close everything off behind fire board and doors.

Finally… Don’t Forget The Film!

By law, any glass partitions you install in your office must be complemented with film – a safety precaution to stop people walking into the glass. Film might have a functional purpose, but it can be used creatively to add an extra dimension to your interior glass walls, with company logos and branding. Or why not go one better and go for special film which switches between opaque and clear – meaning your glass partition walls can offer privacy and open plan as required.