Glass buildings in the name of innovation
Glass buildings are constantly evolving. The possibilities of using glass in construction are almost limitless: we find it in windows, facades, partitions, barriers and fences, roofs, elevators, stairs and parapets.
The glass installed in the curtain wall, in particular, allows you to create large aesthetically pleasing surfaces, to make the most of the benefits of light and to improve the comfort of the entire building.
A wonderful "glass box"
The triumph of glass in architecture can be seen in the new glass building of the English National Ballet, an important ballet company founded in 1950. Located on City Island, east London, the building looks like a large "glass box" , structured on five floors with a load-bearing concrete skeleton, covered with large sheets of extra-white glass with a translucent effect.
The new home of London's “temple of dance”, designed by Glenn Howells Architects, focuses everything on the simplicity of lines and materials.
It covers an area of 28000 square meters, is four times larger than the previous one, which was located in South Kensington. On the façade, fixed and sliding glass plates alternate. For the ground floor, 33 full-height double-glazed panes (800 kg each) were used. In order not to interrupt the continuity of the elevations, the corner plates of the ground floor facade between glass and glass are devoid of visible vertical profiles and the vertical edges are structurally sealed with hidden profiles.
To support the 22 large double-glazed plates of floors 1-3 (weighing 1 ton each) an additional steel support was installed under each plate and special packers were placed around the perimeter of the glass.
Internally, the building houses on the ground floor the reception, the cafeteria open to the public and a production studio complete with fly tower and seating on the steps. The whole building is crossed by a large illuminated metal and wood staircase. Upstairs there are seven high-rise rooms, a stretching room, a gym and a costume workshop. Floors 4-5 were leased.
Bringing the audience closer to the creative process of dance
The new spaces give the opportunity to participate and benefit from the emotional power of dance to a greater number of people. Glass plays a crucial role in achieving this: people from the outside have the opportunity to have a complete view of the company's rehearsal studios and to watch the lectures and the creation of new shows.
ENB Artistic Director Tamara Rojo CBE, who led the design process, said: “I truly believe this is the best ballet building in the world, which will transform the way it is viewed and bring the world closer. creative process to the public ".
