Adaptive Façades Systems made from Thin Glass

Conclusion

The aim of this research work is to find new fields of application for thin glass in buildings. One kind of new application is the field of movable and adaptive systems. Due to the high flexibility of thin glass, new design options for example of facades become feasible in comparison to regular thicknesses of glass. Based on the known theory of developable surface new kinds of “organic” facades can be designed.

With cold bend glass or curved laminated safety glass produced by laminating glass plies, very interesting elements in the facades can be achieved. Possibilities of movement, with the meaning of a permanent bending of thin glass, for example for elements of the façade which can be opened and closed, creates new tools for the design process of architects.

The research work in future will explore new fields of application for thin glass. These new applications should be categorized according to their concept, for example, the theory of developable surfaces or curved folding. Based on the two basic types of movement - translation and rotation and their combination – new “lively” systems of thin glass structures will be developed.

Acknowledgement

This paper is the result of a project by the research centre named the “Josef Ressel Centre for Thin Glass Technology for Structural for Structural Glass Applications” funded by the Austrian “Christin Doppler Research Association” and is supported by industry partners SFL Engineering GmbH and LISEC Austria GmbH

References

[1] Schumacher, Michael; Schaeffer, Oliver; Vogt, Michael-Marcus. (2010). Move architecture in motion: dynamic components and elements in architecture. Basel: Birkhäuser.
[2] Alibaba (Hrsg.): <https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/LMI10-Series-Electric-LinearActuatorsfor_50030493193.html>. 24.04.2019
[3] Novacki, Zoran: Wandelbare lineare Tragsysteme – Analyse und Neuentwicklung. [Diss. TU München, Fakultät für Architetkur 2014] S.20 ff
[4] Rabe, Christian / Frauenhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research IAP (Hrsg.): SolardimEco. High energy savings through a self-regulating solar protection glazing. <https://www.iap.fraunhofer.de/content/dam/iap/en/documents/FB2/Solardim_ECO_Fraunhofer-IAP.pdf>. 10.04.2019
[5] Bianco, Lorenza; Goia, Francesco; Serra, Valentina; Zinzi Michele (2015): Thermal and optical properties of a thermotropic glass pane: laboratory and in-field characterization. IBPC 2015.
[6] Seeboth, Arno; Lötzsch, Detlef: Thermochromic and Thermotropic Materials. [eBook] 2014. S.181
[7] Abdelmohsen, Sherif; Adriaenssens, Sigrid; Gabriele, Stefano; Olivieri, Luigi; El-Dabaa, Rana (2019): Hygroscapes: Innovative Shape Shifting Façades. In: Digital Wood Design. 2019.
[8] Poppinga, Simon; Zollfrank, Cordt; Prucker, Oswald; Rühe, Jürgen; Menges, Achim; Cheng, Tiffany; Speck, Thomas: Toward a New Generation of Smart Biomimetic Actuators for Architecture. In: Advances Materials; 1703653, 2017.
[9] Holstov, Artem; Farmer, Graham; Bridgens, Ben (2017): Sustainable Materialisation of Responsive Architecture. In: Sustainability, Volume 9, Issue 3. 2017.
[10] G.Rau GmbH & Co KG (Hrsg.): Produktbroschuere. <https://www.g-rau.de/fileadmin/gustavrau/downloads/service/downloads/produktbeschreibung/Produktbroschuere_web.pdf>.08.04.2019
[11] G.Rau GmbH & Co KG (Hrsg.): Thermische Aktuatoren. <https://www.g-rau.de/fileadmin/gustavrau/downloads/service/downloads/Thermische_Aktoren.pdf>. 08.04.2019
[12] Louter, Christian: Dünnglaskonzepte für architektonische Anwendungen. In: Weller, Bernhard; Tasche, Silke (Hrsg.): Glasbau 2019. Wilhelm Ernst & Sohn Verlag. 2019, S.242-243
[13] Stauffer, Nancy W., MIT Energy Initiative (04.06.2013): Building facades that move, textiles that illuminate. <http://energy.mit.edu/news/buildingfaçades-that-move-textiles-that-illuminate/>. 12.04.2019