The Measurable and Immeasurable
Glass in Architecture Sebastian Lubczynski
GLASS Over time, architecture’s quest for transparency, a relationship between glass and buildings, has transformed the design world by concurring the technical limitations and presenting today’s architects with a wide range design palette enriching the formal and material possibilities for the designer. Glass has not only been used as a visual connector but also as a structural element. The Royal Conservatory of Music, Four Seasons Performing Arts Centre, and the Centre for Cellular and Biomedical Research each have used glass in an structural manner and have resolved the connection system quite differently.
Sebastian Lubczynski • ASC 857 Glass in Architecture • October 2010 • 1
Royal Conservatory of Music Curtain Wall
Spider Connection
Fig.2 - spider connection to vertical fin
Fig.3 - complete transparency with exterior
Fig.4 - no visual obstruction to interior
Royal Conservatory of Music Travelling west down Bloor Street, you pass by the Royal Conservatory of Music, a mixture of old and new architecture. The use of glass in the new portion of the building has been used in a very interesting way. When observing the building, the glass looks as if it isn’t there, and the top portion of the building is cantilevering. This kind of illusion is successfully achieved by the way the glass was detailed. The glass has been made more transparent because there is no aluminium frame holding the glass together and there is a low iron content in the glass itself making it have less of a green colour. Since there isn’t a frame around the glass that would then tie back to a structural element, the architects instead used spider connections and glass fins as the support system. This allowed the architects to achieve a completely transparent entrance into the building by not obscuring the view with unnecessary elements. The vertical fins are hung from the top, eliminating the need to have the fins continue to the bottom of the floor. This clears the visual perception in the inside of the space and from the outside. The spider connections are essentially the only physical element that can be seen when looking up inside of the space because they have been eliminated at eye level, allowing for a completely clear view.
Fig.1 - Exterior of Royal Conservatory of Music Entrance Sebastian Lubczynski • ASC 857 Glass in Architecture • October 2010 • 2
Royal Conservatory of Music Curtain Wall
Spider Connection
Elevation Detail Connection
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Axonometric Detail Connection
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Plan Detail Connection
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Section Detail Connection
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Sebastian Lubczynski • ASC 857 Glass in Architecture • October 2010 • 3
Centre for Cellular and Biomedical Research Vestibule Bolt Connection
Fig.2 - vestibule detail connections
Fig.3 - bolt connections to vertical glass fin
Fig.4 - connection detail
Centre For Cellular and Biomedical Research The Centre for Cellular and Biomedical Research entrance vestibule from College Street is composed of a glass box in contrast with its facade. The facade of the building uses steel as the supporting structure whereas the vestibule utilizes glass fins as the structural element. When observing the facade of the building, the steel curtain wall itself is not as evident at first glance. Painted white, the steel dissolves and fades away into the background. Instead of continuing the larger pieces of steel into the vestibule, the architects choose to use glass fins as the structure. The glass fins are connected to both the roof assembly and the walls of the vestibule, allowing for maximum view. When engaging with the vestibule there is a sense of lightness to it due to the use of the glass as a structure. The lightness of the structure also is epitomized in the connections being used. Using a clamped glazing technique allows for the connections to be small in size and not over power the smaller structure with larger support systems. This method is more economical because clamped glazing does not require the drilling of glass since glass is fixed with clamps that pass through the joint between the glass sheets. This approach in detailing made the most sense since it was a small part of the overall project of the building.
Fig.1 - Entrance vestibule of CCBR building Sebastian Lubczynski • ASC 857 Glass in Architecture • October 2010 • 4
Centre for Cellular and Biomedical Research Vestibule Bolt Connection
Elevation Detail Connection
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Axonometric Detail Connection
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Plan Detail Connection
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Sebastian Lubczynski • ASC 857 Glass in Architecture • October 2010 • 5
Four Seasons Performing Arts Centre Curtain Wall
Horizontal Fin Connection
Fig.2 - view of horizontal fins connecting to column
Fig.3 - connection detail
Fig.4 - horizontal glass fins
Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts Centre When approaching the Four Season Centre for the Performing Arts Centre on the west side, the 4-story curtain wall assembly gives the notion of lightness and horizontality. The perception of structure is completely eliminated with the way the curtain wall has been put together. The curtain wall is offset from the interior columns allowing for it to have an illusion that it’s not fastened to anything. This concept is achieved by the panes of glass being held together with a specific type of spider connection. This spider connection is then connected to a horizontal glass beam, composed of three layers, which in the end becomes its structure. This glass beam then is attached to the columns in behind. With this type of assembly the curtain wall is not only braced horizontally but also vertically without compromising the design intent of the facade. When observing the building from the interior or from the exterior, the spider connections are completely unnoticeable. The use of glass as a structural element allows for the visual dialogue to be uninterrupted between the occupant of the space and the outside environment.
Fig.1 - Exterior of Four Seasons Performing Arts Centre Sebastian Lubczynski • ASC 857 Glass in Architecture • October 2010 • 6
Four Seasons Performing Arts Centre Curtain Wall
Horizontal Fin Connection
Elevation Detail Connection
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Axonometric Detail Connection
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Plan Detail Connection
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Section Detail Connection
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Sebastian Lubczynski • ASC 857 Glass in Architecture • October 2010 • 7
GLASS Glass in essential as a weather barrier, keeping rain, snow, wind, etc. out of the building. That doesn’t mean it should be under utilized as an architectural component but to be celebrated in a manner that makes the use of glass intriguing. Either as a structural element, or a play on transparencies, glass is a highly used element in today’s buildings and has transformed the design market tremendously. With all the physical property improvements glass is not only used as a visual simulate but also a structural element that enhances the visual realm.
Sebastian Lubczynski • ASC 857 Glass in Architecture • October 2010 • 8