Workers at the downtown Stamford campus last week began installing glass panels that will form one of the longest spanning glass cable truss walls in the world.

The building, located on Broad Street and Washington Boulevard, will have a seamless wall of glass 35 feet high and 400 feet long.

"It is one of the largest in the world and the largest of its kind in this country," said Pam Julias, public affairs and marketing consultant for the Stamford campus.

The Pilkington Planar Glass System, named for its manufacturer in England, is designed to allow visual access to the building. The three-story glass wall will display the concourse, the campus' public space, which includes an art gallery and a library.

"Viewers will see through the glass into the entire building, bringing the university and the community together," said Julias.

Pilkington is a structural glazing system that provides a glass envelope for buildings without the use of metal frames between panes. Instead, the glass panels are attached to stainless steel cable suspension wires called trusses. Attached to each truss are five stainless steel "spider" fittings to which the glass is bolted. The panels in the Stamford glass wall range in size from 5 feet by 6 feet, to 7 square feet.

The lack of metal framing not only enhances the appearance of the glass, but by placing glass next to glass it also reduces the risk of leaks and provides better insulation.

The 14,000 square-foot glass wall is scheduled for completion next month. The move downtown from Scofieldtown Road is expected to take place in January.