One stunning example of a commercial building using glass bricks is UUfie’s Ports 1961 Shanghai Façade, made entirely of glass blocks and conferring a bold, contemporary edge to the literally glowing flagship store. Because of these generalizable advantages, glass bricks can also be used for a wide range of programs, from residential houses to commercial structures. With its unique look and ability to diffuse light, glass brick walls and windows are not only aesthetic statements unto themselves but can improve the lighting and ambiance of an entire space. Today, architects continue to use glass brick for a variety of reasons – one being, of course, its aesthetic value. Save this picture! Ports 1961 Shanghai Façade / UUfie. Similarly, glazes or inserts may be added to each block, or patterns can be pressed either into the interior space or outer surface while it is cooling. During the manufacturing process, they can be altered in a variety of ways to achieve different aesthetic effects or levels of transparency, including by varying the texture or color of the blocks, creating different shapes such as hexagons, or curving the blocks as part of a predetermined design. These blocks can be any variety of sizes, but are usually at least two to three inches thick. This unique combination facilitates the material’s translucence and thus its properties of light-giving and privacy, as well its insulating qualities such as sound deadening, energy insulation, and fireproofing. The original patent for glass brick, filed in 1907, describes it as a process of fusing two sections of glass into a single block with a hollow center. Glass brick, or alternatively glass block, is a glass architectural element that admits light while maintaining visual privacy due to its translucent properties. Image © Koji Fuji / Nacasa & Partners, Inc. Save this picture! Optical Glass House / Hiroshi Nakamura & NAP. ![]() ![]() Sustainability and Performance in Architecture The Future of Architectural Visualization
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