Art glass as an external partition – its impact on visual and functional properties

Alina Lipowicz-Budzyńska

doi:10.37190/arc190308

Abstract

The article discusses issues relating to the integration of art and architecture in the context of the implementation of art glass in the outer shell of a building. Compositional and artistic issues related to the construction of the glass partition resulting from the location and relation of plastic layers were adressed. The publication also deals with the topic of functional properties of the glass coating resulting from the above-mentioned factors and the fact of placing the glazing in the outer coating.     The research material consisted of seven projects from the turn of the 20th and 21st centuries: City Hall in Alphenaan den Rinn (The Netherlands); Ryerson University in Toronto (Canada); Forum Confluentes in Koblenz (Germany); building of the University Library in Cottbus (Germany); Institute for Hospital Pharmaceuticals in Basel (Switzerland); building of the University Library in Utrecht (the Netherlands); Saxon State Baths in Bad Elster (Germany). Due to the location of the plastic layer, the following typology emerged: single-layer glazing, in which the artistic layer was placed on one plane of the glass; single-layer glazing in the form of a building skin; double-layer glazing in which the image was placed on two layers of glass; art glass in the form of wall cladding; mobile coatings as blinds or moving panels.     It has been observed that art glass located in the external partition has a significant impact on many aspects of the architectural object. The outer shell is the border between two spaces: the outside and the inside of the architectural object. This location defines the role of the glazing in both spaces. As an artistic element, it influences the aesthetic reception of a building, deciding on its expression, symbolism, character and color, it is an element that integrates the facade. As a barrier, it changes the properties of light penetrating through it, which can be used for specific purposes related to sun protection.     The publication concludes, that both the architect and the glass designer should work not only on visual aspects of the glass coating but very consciously on its specified functional properties.

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