How to use extra colors in increasingly popular glass blocks?
Let the space “lotus root” elements, glass blocks count as one. It is a ubiquitous element in life, from small cups and plates to windows, buildings and walls…. Transparent and flexible materials channel light into the house, allowing for visual segmentation while also creating a looming aesthetic of light… One of the most ingenious elements, but what do you truly understand about glass blocks?
The Development of Glass Blocks
When it comes to the history of glass block, it possibly goes back to the late 1880s. Swedish architect Gustave Falconnier designed several different shapes for glass, and these were the first glass blocks. Later, with the renewal and development of industry and machinery, glass blocks were also made more systematically, and a better presentation of the process was obtained.
@Bertrand Benoit La Maison de Verre
Pierre Chareau’s only architectural design, the Maison de Verre, holds an important place in the history of modern architecture. As the earliest steel structure in the entire Paris area, it is not only a high-quality renovation of an older building, but also an outstanding example of early Modernist architecture. Its peripheral protection material is mainly 20 cm* 20 cm* 4 cm translucent glass block, which seems to be out of the previous architectural common sense. But the eye-popping effect also formalizes industrial glass block into architectural design.
Since then, luxury brands that have picked up on the trend have invited designers to link the glass block element to fashion.
@Daria Scagliola & Stijn Brakkee
Chanel, for example, built its flagship store in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, in an ancient block building called the Crystal House. MVRDV was invited to design the exterior, which is made of glass blocks. The clear, bright layer of block runs upward, gradually blending with the red block. In order to better show the sense of permeability, the binder is specially selected transparent color, so that the whole wall seems to be a “seamless connection”. With its distinctive European architecture, it seems to have stepped into the world of secret crystals and become a distinctive presence on the entire street.
@arquitecturaviva
There’s also the Hermes House in Tokyo. More than 13,000 glass blocks were used throughout the building’s facade, creating a lean, translucent structure. More pretty and grand in the light of the evening setting, extremely in keeping with the luxury brand’s style.
@archdaily
The PORTS flagship store in Shanghai consists of two glass blocks rather than a flat surface. The three-dimensional feel is complemented by LED lights placed behind the blocks, which glow from the inside out and are visually tense and textured.
@architizer
In addition, glass tiles are commonly used in some public spaces. For example, the exterior of Le Prisme Concert Hall in France, designed by Brisac Gonzalez Architects in 2007, was also completed by placing specially shaped glass blocks inside concrete walls. By day, you feel only the heavy layers of texture, but at night you are rewarded with a building that can radiate brilliance, fantasy and shock.
The Use of Glass blocks in Interior Design
How could such a beloved element of architecture be absent from interior design?
Now, with the retro trend, the clear, light texture of glass blocks is back in our lives. In the form of walls, partitions, interior windows, and other forms, a distinct hazy beauty is brought out.
Spatial Use of Glass Blocks
As a public space, the living room tends to be a collection of entertaining, social, leisure and other functions, and the design is more personal and open. In this house, glass tiles of different textures complete a 2200 mm X 800 mm art wall on the living room wall. Each block is different, as if it could alter at any moment, looking retro and special. With its green block walls and stainless steel elements in various sections, it makes the eyes sparkle.
For small house sizes, the partition walls of the two functional spaces can be replaced with glass blocks. For example, between the kitchen and the laundry room, the effect of glass tiles flowing like crystal lights and shades will add to the natural brightness of the laundry room in the form of diffuse reflections through the kitchen light.
Most of the bathrooms in the master bedroom are windowless and dark, adding a fresh wrinkle to an already damp area. Glass blocks are a healthy choice. The calculated size is a whole wall spliced together, and the hazy artistic beauty breaks up the monotony of the space, adding lighting and privacy with intricate patterns. In addition, the glass blocks meet six levels of sound insulation requirements, so there’s no need to worry about disrupting sleep.
For a tiny apartment, the bathroom is frequently the one thing missing. If there is no light itself crowded and cramped, it is too dark, you can pass through the glass block “light into the house”. Glass shingles are better for waterproofing and do not have to worry about moisture problems.
Different Grain of Glass Block
@Studio Rhonda
London-based consulting firm Zetteler invited Studio Rhonda to renovate its studio. Get rid of the old rigid office model and adapt to the flexible and aesthetically pleasing design of open office areas. In addition to the multiple colors, the most striking feature is the horizontal glass-block walls. Clear elements enter the space. Not only does it meet the need for separation and privacy in the office area, but it also achieves the overall effect of separation and continuity in the space.
@Luigi Rosselli
On the Pacific coast in Sydney’s eastern suburbs, Luigi Rosselli Architects has designed a modern home for an ocean enthusiast. Centered on the elevator, an immersive stairway space is created with mosaic-patterned glass-block walls surrounding it. The mottled glass lines turn this place into a complete “art corridor”, and each step up the stairs is like a shuttle in light and shadow.
Glass blocks in the shape of circles are visually higher modelled. A layer of retro-modern visuals was added by splicing together metal materials. Circles are regularly arranged, also a playful personal element for a space heavy on color.
How do the colored glass blocks form? In this space, for example, semi-open colored blocks are incorporated into the walls, not only in keeping with the overall atmosphere of the moment, but also to avoid a sense of visual pressure. The flowery brickwork lights up the art here, bringing a vibrant aesthetic to the monochrome space.
Splice Play
Popular on screen, it can be used as a separation, beautification, wind effect, and as home decor. Today, the design could be replaced with a full glass block wall. Echoing the ensemble, amber glass blocks are stacked in an arc that conforms to the fluidity of the space, creating a harmonious yet intriguing original screen.
@seven
With the proliferation of tiny apartments, how to expand the space and bring reasonable light into the house has become a concern for every resident. In addition to intuitive glass windows, this can be done with glass-block windows. The combination of soft reflected light and wood elements creates a Zen-like space with a Chinese flair. And the distinctive pattern has become a distinctive wall decoration, not taking up an area but doubling the effect.
The glass-block is joined to the half-wall, and has the support of the wall at the bottom, so that there is no need to worry about stability. Regular brick textures are juxtaposed, and in color, more elements of the space are cleaner and more transparent, with minimal presence to enhance the quality of the space.
