{"id":2988,"date":"2017-08-28T14:00:00","date_gmt":"2017-08-28T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/architizer.wpengine.com\/how-to-specify-glass-block\/"},"modified":"2022-05-31T06:25:59","modified_gmt":"2022-05-31T10:25:59","slug":"how-to-specify-glass-block","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/architizer.com\/blog\/practice\/details\/how-to-specify-glass-block\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Specify: Glass Block"},"content":{"rendered":"

The jury is deliberating... stay tuned for the winners of<\/i> Architizer's A+Product Awards<\/i><\/span><\/a>! Register for the <\/i>A+Product Awards Newsletter<\/i><\/span><\/a> to receive future program updates.<\/i><\/p>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Stop. Stop it right there. I know what you\u2019re thinking. Glass block?<\/i> Your eyes rolling, What is this, Miami in the \u201980s?<\/i><\/p>\n

Yeah, OK, so glass block comes with some aesthetic baggage, but there are a lot of contemporary designs that take the material\u2019s storied legacy into the 21st century. If you\u2019re considering using it, look to this article and the rest of the week\u2019s glass block features to give you a sense of what\u2019s possible and how to make the most of it.<\/p>\n

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Glass block\u2019s history goes back to the beginning of modern architecture. Left: 1914 Glass Pavilion of the Werkbund Exhibition in Cologne by Bruno Taut, via Wikipedia<\/a>; middle: the 1929 Immeuble Clart\u00e9 in Geneva by Le Corbusier, via <\/i>TRAC\u00c9<\/i><\/a>; right: the 1932 House of Glass in Paris by Chareau and Bijvoet, image by Fran\u00e7ois Halard<\/a><\/i><\/p>\n

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Contemporary masters have also embraced glass block. Left: <\/i>Academy of Arts by Wiel Arets<\/i><\/a> built in 1993; <\/i>middle: the 2001 Maison Herm\u00e8s in Tokyo by Renzo Piano Building Workshop, via <\/i>Wikipedia<\/i><\/a>; right: <\/i>Deusto Library in Bilbao by Rafael Moneo<\/i><\/a> built in 2008<\/i><\/p>\n

The traditional glass block is not a solid block of glass, but is actually a square block with two glass faces and a mostly hollow interior. Those glass faces can be textured, patterned, frosted, colored or clear. Colored materials can also be added to the middle of the block to create more visual effects. Non-square models are available, too; rectangular blocks can be stacked like bricks, circular blocks can be embedded in a floor or ceiling and trapezoidal units create a shingle-like effect when stacked.<\/p>\n

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Optical Glass House by Hiroshi Nakamura & NAP uses glass brick with an unconventional structural system; via Inhabitat<\/a>.<\/i><\/p>\n

One of the most exciting developments in the area is the advent of the glass brick. Unlike the traditional hollow block, bricks are solid glass, usually in the shape of conventional terra-cotta bricks. The glass bricks are significantly more expensive than glass blocks, but they offer much more clarity and have a pretty dazzling effect.<\/p>\n

Blocks can also be used to create floors and ceilings, and new models in development offer the promise of glass-block roofs. Embedded solar panels in blocks mean they can potentially be used as a power source.<\/p>\n

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Details via Seves Glass Block<\/a><\/i><\/p>\n

If you\u2019re thinking about designing with glass blocks, there are a few basics to be aware of. First, block walls are not to be used as structural walls. Glass-block walls are either curtain wall fa\u00e7ades or interior partitions. They can self-support up to conventional floor-to-ceiling heights. The exact limits depend on the model. Larger-scale walls typically have some kind of external support like clips or embedded poles.<\/p>\n

Glass-block walls can be relatively easily cleaned and are impact-resistant compared to basic stick-frame construction. Certain models are also made with a high insulating value, and with a range of opacities available, glass block walls can be a cost-effective way to bring in daylight. Although the blocks themselves aren\u2019t operable, conventional windows can easily be embedded in block walls.<\/p>\n

Block walls can turn corners either through special units or corner pieces, but they can also create round corners by using tapered joints in between blocks. All in all, the future through glass block looks, well, not bright exactly, but it has a pleasing sort of diffuse glow. Very nice.<\/p>\n

Common Dimensions<\/u><\/b><\/p>\n

There is a wide variety of sizes available from various manufacturers, but below are some standards.<\/p>\n