New vision in laminated glass with DuPont interlayer

The new headquarters of one of the world's largest fashion groups features a glass curtain wall that combines the established benefits of DuPont SentryGlas interlayer with the new architectural fabric, SEFAR Architecture Vision, for a stunning visual effect. The facade of the new building in Madrid, Spain, constitutes the first commercial application of the Vision fabric with laminated glass in Europe. Its high compatibility with SentryGlas provided a further reason for the specification of the DuPont interlayer for the project beyond its structural strength performance, transparency, edge stability and excellent post-breakage performance.

The overall visual effect of the glass curtain wall is that of a living, three dimensional checkerboard in perfect harmony with its direct environment. This has been achieved by alternating panels of clear laminated glass with panels which have SEFAR Architecture Vision embedded within them. The woven fabric mesh is decorated with a reflective aluminum metal coating on its exterior-facing side and thereby reflects the constantly changing climatic conditions around the building. From the inside, the black fabric permits an almost uninhibited view of the outside world as well as appropriate room illumination. "My idea for the project was to create a neutral, abstract facade, that at the same time comes alive with the lights and shades that change with the course of the day and the seasons of the year, " explains renowned Spanish architect Rafael de La-Hoz, who designed the facade. "There is an interplay between shades and reflections that is never equal, with the dark squares of the inner skin interspersed by mirrors that seemingly vibrate with the light of the sun yet switch off when direct sunlight is lost."