The modern offices are excellent research fields for trends with new materials, but also for the recovery of coatings and products that have fallen into disuse. Today we are going to talk about one of those very 70s materials, which is reappearing in work environments: glass brick or paving.

What is glass brick?

The paving bricks are molded glass blocks which have an air chamber inside. They are manufactured in various standard sizesry are assembled one on top of the other in the same way as a prefabricated brick wall would be assembled.

La original patent of glass brick, presented in 1907, describes it as the result of a process of fusing two sections of glass into a single block with a hollow interior. This unique combination makes the material translucent, and therefore, provide luminosity at the same time privacy. It also has qualities insulators, cushions , energetically isolates and is resistant to the fire.

Glass blocks were originally manufactured in the late 70th century to allow natural light into industrial factories. However, in the XNUMXs they began to gain acceptance among industrialists. architects in buildings and homes, since it turned out to be a material economical, translucent, resistant and decorative.

After a brief but widespread use, already in the new century, it stopped being used massively because it was associated with an aesthetic seventies outdated. Nothing could be further from the truth! As we will see, architects top-of-the-line companies continue to use it in their constructions with surprising results. 

These blocks can be of a wide variety of sizes, but they are generally between 5 and 8 centimeters thick. During the manufacturing process, the blocks can be modified in various ways, generating different aesthetic or visual effects. levels of transparency, varying the texture or color of the blocks, creating different ways (such as hexagons), and even curving the blocks to form a predetermined design.

Similarly, it is possible to add enamels or inserts to each block, and patterns can be printed on the interior space or on the exterior surface while it cools.

Although they are always translucent, that luminosity can lead nuances of color that add color to the result. The color is obtained by directly coloring the glass or stamping the tonality on the surface of the piece.

Although the smooth finish is the most common, you can find other finishes on the market. textures: wavy, with bubbles, forming geometric patterns… These do not affect the resistance of the block, but they can modify its translucent characteristics.

Easy assembly

Usually a Wall or glass brick window is made up of a sum of identical blocks. They are assembled with relative ease and can be fixed with different methods, the most common being: mortar Portland cement based, with reinforcing steel rods, the most commonly used.

The endings of straight corners They are the traditional ones and the easiest to manipulate from a technical point of view. But there are also options of paving stones with curved or finished corners in a quarter circle. This allows for the construction of partitions supported by a single wall, such as those often used in showers.

Likewise, manufacturers have developed different types of glass bricks with different thermal insulation densities, acoustic insulation, fire resistance, walkable or safety.

- Resistance: Glass blocks are highly resistant and can withstand extreme temperature changes. They do not crack or split.

- Ttransmission of light: Glass brick walls have a high light permeability which can reach up to 79% in the case of transparent bricks. The opacity can also be directed, depending on the use, from the most opaque due to the surface treatment, up to the fully transparentThere are many degrees of transparency.

– Fire resistance: Fire protection glazing prevents the spread of fire and smoke for a given period (from 30 minutes to 3 hours).

– Acoustic qualities: Glass bricks also have acoustic properties.

- Security: The paving stone offers a high anti-theft protection. This feature can be significantly improved by the brick format, the width of the joint and the reinforcement of these by placing reinforcing cross iron.

– Energy efficiency: The gap in the brick not only has thermal properties, similar to double-pane windows, but the mortar that binds the blocks together blocks air infiltration even better than traditional window frames. Therefore, save energy not only by diffusing natural light and reducing the need for artificial lighting, but also by being hermetic and therefore reducing air currents or heat transfer.

– Aesthetic qualities: In addition to bring luminosity to any space, provide privacy and serve to divide spaces, without blocking the passage of light. It is a decorative resource versatile, both for indoor and outdoor use, which requires little work, is easy to assemble and is easy to maintain.

The history of glass bricks goes back a long way, long before they were patented in 1907. The structures of the boats They already used prisms to bring light to the rooms below deck. Following this invention, during the first half of the 19th century, in some cities they began to incorporate prisms on the sidewalk so that the light could reach the basements.

At the end of the 19th century, Gustave Falconnier patented the first hollow glass block, called Falconnier Hollow Glass Bricks. Unlike modern glass bricks, which are made by combining two pieces of glass, Falconnier bricks were hollow only on the part where the glass was blown, making them less resistant. These bricks were mainly used for the construction of greenhouses and as a filling material for buildings.

The glass brick was by no means an isolated invention, but is the sum of a series of pre-existing innovations. As glass blocks were being perfected in the early 20th century, some pioneering architects began to use them more and more. new material. At that time, glass blocks symbolized for many a kind of utopian vision for the architectural futureWhile this novelty may have faded away nearly a century later, the properties of glass bricks remain just as useful today.

Photos: OfficeSnapsShots

To illustrate the importance that glass brick has had in the constructions of the 20th and 21st centuries, we have chosen three examples of iconic buildings made with glass brick

The Glass House (The Glass House) was built between 1928 and 1932 in Paris (France). Designed in a style modern architectural Early house design emphasized three main features: the nobility of the materials, the transparency variable shapes and the juxtaposition of "industrial" materials and accessories with a more traditional style of home decoration. The main materials used were steel, glass and glass blocks. Among the "industrial" elements, the following stand out: rubber tiles, exposed steel beams, perforated sheets, industrial lighting and mechanical installations.

The design was the result of collaboration between Pierre Chareau (furniture and interior designer), Bernard Bijvoet (Dutch architect working in Paris since 1927) and Louis Dalbet (metal craftsman), commissioned by Dr.  Dalsace. The house was designed inside another old house, since the owner of the third floor did not want to do the renovation or leave. So it was emptied the entire structure of the ground, first and second floors, and the new home was “inserted” with glass walls. Much of the structure of the house was designed on site as the project was developed.

The exterior shape is defined by walls of translucent glass blocks, with glazing zones. Inside, the spatial division varies thanks to the use of sliding screens, folding or rotating glass, sheet metal or perforated metal, or combined with each other. Other mechanical components include an overhead trolley from the kitchen to the dining room, a retractable ladder from the private lounge to Mme Dalsace's bedroom and intricate wardrobes and bathroom fixtures.

Prada Building in Aoyama, Tokyo

Between 2000 and 2003, the prestigious study Herzog & de Meuron  undertook this amazing store project Prada in Tokyo. In terms of structure, enclosures and fire installations, the building ended up being one of the most most complex in Japan.

The architects summarise the project as follows: “The rhomboidal grid of the façade is covered on all sides with a combination of convex, concave or flat glass panels. These different geometries generate faceted reflections, allowing viewers, both inside and outside the building, to see constantly changing images and almost cinematic perspectives of Prada products, the city and themselves.”

Photos: Christian Richters Nacasa & Partners 

El Canadian study UUfie redesigned the facade of the fashion store building Ports 1961, on a central street in Shanghai. The design illustrates the fusion of traditional elements with contemporary interpretations.

Inspired by organic undulations of an iceberg, A geological formation shaped by its surroundings as it juts out into the ocean, the façade serves as a metaphor for the dynamic interplay between heritage and progress.

Made of two different types of glass blocks -a standard 300mm x 300mm block and a custom 300mm x 300mm x 300mm corner block-, challenges traditional glass block masonry constructions.

Instead, assemble a three-dimensional facade with sculpted cantilevered structures, showcasing innovative structural engineering and a pioneering joining system. This intricate architectural composition gives rise to a ornamental canopy which leans towards pedestrian traffic, while presenting four arched windows visible from all directions.

The choice of materials further contributes to the aesthetic appeal of the façade. The glass block Satin and stainless steel not only offer muted reflections during the day, but also subtly capture sunlight, creating a play of light and shadow. When daylight fades, the integration of LED lights into the masonry joints gives the façade a crisp, icy appearance, fostering a captivating atmosphere.

Photos: Shengliang Su