Art Portfolio Two:Materials

Today, I'm looking for materials that will be used for my design. My idea is to do a fully glass building. However, I will combine different types of glass for visual effects and stability.

I need to research materials for this category:

-Waterfall Facade

-Main Facade

-Roof

-Water Tank

-Water Pipes

For the Waterfall Facade, the best idea is to use laminated and tempered glass. This type is usually used for high-quality fountains. According to Leeglass, "Laminated glass is constructed of two plies of glass which are bonded together with interlayers to form a permanent bond. The interlayers work to support and hold the glass to create a strong, uniformed layer even when broken."( See Fig1, to see the construction of glass) This material gives a good safety quality; even if it breaks, glass shards will cause less damage. The tempered glass is old school and sustainable(see Fig3). This type of glass is a strong and time-tested material that I used in my previous projects because of its price, availability and unbreakability.

Fig1, Laminated glass (Guardian Glass, 2022)

For the main facade, I want to use a glass with temperature control. So in summer, when it's hot, the building would not get outside temperature influence, and in winter would not lose heat. For this effect, the best option is insulated glass. This material is made from 3 panels with space between that is filled with air or insulating gas, which helps to control temperature imbalance. However, the new technology is a Low-E(Low-emissivity) glass that creates a safe effect but is more efficient (Brick,2024). This type of glass has a thin metal coating and is usually made from 1 panel (Look at Fig2). This made it safer and stronger. The coating is invisible and thinner than hair, so it does not create a tinted-window effect. Also, this type of glass is suitable for a roof.

Fig2, Low-E glass (Stanek Windows, 2017)

A water tank needs a strong glass because of water pressure and weight. I have two options: laminated or tempered glass. Laminated glass can be 19 mm thick, and it is clearer than tempered glass. However, temperated glass is safer because it breaks into small and more safe pieces. As this is a design of a luxury shop, safety is important because of the large number of possible customers. The temperated glass(see Fig3) is more suitable for the water tank. For pipes, I want clear glass, but it must be temperature resistant because the water temperature will change inside them. For this, suitable material is Borosilicate glass, which is "resistant to thermal shock more so than any other common glass," according to Hasanuzzaman (2011). Also, it is more transparent than any other material.

Fig3, Temperature glass (Fink, 2020)

References:

Falls, O. (2024). Indoor Waterfalls and Water Features: Origin Falls. [online] Origin Falls. Available at: https://www.originfalls.com/ [Accessed 2 May 2025].

Everest (2024). Low-E (Low-emissivity) Glass Explained | Everest. [online] www.everest.co.uk. Available at: https://www.everest.co.uk/glass/low-e-glass/ [Accessed 2 May 2025].

Brick, A. (2024). Insulated glass and thermal efficiency: A comprehensive guide - Six over Six windows - Sash Windows Restoration & Double glazing. [online] Six over Six windows - Sash Windows Restoration & Double glazing. Available at: https://sixoversixwindows.co.uk/blog/insulated-glass/ [Accessed 2 May 2025].

Stanek Windows (2017). What is Low-E Glass & Does it Make Windows Energy Efficient? - ~. [online] Stanekwindows.com. Available at: https://www.stanekwindows.com/what-is-low-e-glass-and-does-it-make-windows-more-energy-efficient.aspx [Accessed 2 May 2025].

Hasanuzzaman, M. (2011). Borosilicate Glass - an overview | ScienceDirect Topics. [online] Sciencedirect.com. Available at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/chemistry/borosilicate-glass [Accessed 2 May 2025].

Image References:

Fig1. Guardian Glass (2022). Laminated glass: What is it? How is it made? Benefits & thickness. [online] Guardian Glass. Available at: https://www.guardianglass.com/gb/en/our-glass/glass-types/laminated-glass [Accessed 3 May 2025].

Fig2. Stanek Windows (2017b). What is Low-E Glass & Does it Make Windows Energy Efficient? - ~. [online] Stanekwindows.com. Available at: https://www.stanekwindows.com/what-is-low-e-glass-and-does-it-make-windows-more-energy-efficient.aspx [Accessed 3 May 2025].

Fig3. Fink, K. (2020). What is Tempered Glass and Where is it Used? [online] Ny-engineers.com. Available at: https://www.ny-engineers.com/blog/what-is-tempered-glass-and-where-is-it-used [Accessed 3 May 2025].