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Glass isn't just for windows anymore

Glass isn’t just for windows anymore

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Glass isn't just for windows anymore

Glass isn’t just for windows anymore

The emergence of glass as a primary building material has left some architects and artists wondering about the exact limits of glass. In most cases, glass is used for fenestration (windows) and for exterior façades on commercial buildings.

But glass is more versatile than that, and some architects are experimenting with exactly what glass can do. Artists have known for thousands of years that liquid glass can be formed into virtually any shape. The shape hardens as the glass cools. A talented artist can make just about anything.

In the industrialized world, however, function is preferred over form, so glass adopted a highly functional role in architecture. A process to make uniform sheets of glass, known as float glass, has been around since the 1950s. If you want glass panels, float glass is ideal, but few people have experimented with what they can create with float glass.

An MIT researcher aims to change that, and has created geometric structures out of float glass panels. The panels are bound together with UV-activated bonding agents, and are changing ideas about what you can do with a flat piece of glass.

The pieces are impressive, and range in size from viewable to habitable, but there’s no doubt that float glass panels are exceptionally heavy. When joined together, a large number of panels may exceed practicality.

That hasn’t stopped some designers from rethinking what can be done with glass. MDRDV recently completed a new façade for the Chanel store in Amsterdam. The storefront is made from glass bricks that were designed to blend in with the surrounding architecture, and to complement an existing brick façade on the building’s upper floors.

It’s safe to say that with the advent of secure bonding materials, you may begin to see more creative uses for glass in architecture in the near future.

If you’d like more information about Glassprimer™ glass paint, please visit the rest of our site. If you’d like to purchase Glassprimer™ glass paint, please visit our online store .

Photo Credit: el genio del dub, via Flickr.com

Incorporating glass bricks into your plan

Incorporating glass bricks into your plan

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Incorporating glass bricks into your plan

Glass bricks in the Michigan State Capitol floor

Glass bricks are common, yet they can impart an extraordinary look to a space. Glass bricks were first developed in the early 1900’s as a way to add light to industrial manufacturing spaces. They’ve been used continuously since that time in a number of innovative ways.

Glass bricks are versatile

Glass bricks are right at home in the trendy industrial look, owing to their industrial origins. You can use glass bricks to create a room divider or replace an existing window. The benefit of using glass bricks in windows is that the bricks will allow nearly full transmission of natural light, while preserving privacy. This is a great solution for urban spaces where having a window doesn’t equate to having a view!

Glass bricks are also a great solution for bathroom and basement windows. Again, these are spaces where light is welcome, but full view may not be. Standard glass bricks come in nominal 8″x 8″ dimensions. “Nominal” means that the bricks are slightly smaller, but when they’re set in the recommended 1/4-inch mortar, the finished size of the block and mortar are 8″ x 8″. You can find glass bricks with smaller and larger dimensions, usually available by special order.

Glass bricks have an R-value of about 1.75-2.0, which puts them in the same range as thermopane windows. Glass isn’t known for its heat insulating ability, but you won’t gain much by going with standard windows.

Unlike regular window glass, you can use glass bricks to make both interior and exterior walls. Used inside, glass bricks can be found in room dividers and walls to allow natural light to penetrate a dark, interior space. They can also be used to create privacy in bathrooms, offices, conference rooms and other similar spaces. Glass bricks also have some sound insulating qualities, thanks to the brick’s hollow interior space. Used on exterior walls, glass bricks can create more attractive, light filtering windows. They can also be used in structural spaces to create exterior walls.

Glass bricks can also be used to create walkways and floors. When lit from below, the glass bricks can create dramatic floor space in both interior and exterior applications.
If you’re looking for some additional glass decorating inspiration, please visit the rest of our site. If you’d like to purchase Glassprimer™ glass paint, please visit our online store .

Photo Credit: Mitten State Photog, via Flickr.com