A façade can convey a lot about a building. The frontage represents what the architect has to say and what the building is used for. There are various options when choosing the type of statement you’re delivering through a building’s façade, and fritted glass is one of them.
Fritted glass was used thousands of years ago in Mesopotamia and Egypt. The ancient knowledge about this kind of glass paved the way for designers to use it in contemporary facades. These sustainable frontages not only contribute to the aesthetics of the building but are also energy-efficient. The glass that can withstand thermal changes often comprises lines, dots, and many other patterns.
7 Most Popular Buildings with Fritted Glass Facades:-
Check out our mesmerizing collection of fritted glass facades on these seven well-known constructions worldwide.
1) Dazhou Public Library, Sichuan, West China
Courtesy of China Southwest Architectural Design and Research Institute – Photography: ARCH-EXIST
The library was designed by China Southwest Architectural Design and Research Institute. The reading room has a double-glassed wall to avoid the undesirable effect of too much daylight. The outer glass layer is fritted, while the inner layer is made of frosted glass. The double layer is noise-proof, providing an ideal environment for reading.
Related:-The Beauty of our Contemporary Architecture Revealed Through These Colorful Facades
2) The Temple House, Sichuan, China
Courtesy of Make Architects – Photography: John Madden
The Temple House is a hotel owned by Swire Hotels and designed by Make Architects. The two facades face the city, and the internal courtyard feature curtain walls made of fritted glass. This supplies the courtyard with the maximum reflection of daylight.
Courtesy of Make Architects – Photography: John Madden
3) John and Frances Angelos Law Center, Maryland, USA
Courtesy of Behnisch Architekten + ASG – Photography: Brad Feinknopf
This building has three facades, one of which is the library façade. This frontage mainly consists of fritted glass to protect the interior from heat. The Center is designed by Behnisch Architekten +ASG.
Related:- Introduce Colors to Your Architectural Facade Using Materials Other Than Paint
Courtesy of Behnisch Architekten + ASG – Photography: Brad Feinknopf
4) The Durham Performing Arts Center, North Carolina, USA
Designed by Szostak Design, the façade of this theater is a curtain wall that comprises both clear and fritted glass. It showcases the activity and life inside the venue.
Photography By Tom Arban
5) Glass Farm, Schijndel, Netherlands
Photography By MVRDV
The photographer Frank van der Salm proposed a collage of old buildings from which the architects composed the farm’s design. The fritted glass frontage resembles a cathedral’s stained-glass windows. The building designed by MVRDV is a venue for multiple public amenities.
Also read:-10 of the Most Iconic Buildings of Modern Architecture
6) The Diana Center at Barnard College, New York, USA
photography by © Albert Vecerka/Esto
The new student center designed by Weiss and Manfredi has a façade composed of colored panels and fritted glass. The reflectivity and hue shifts of the panels and the glass create an aesthetic feature. This makes the façade change appearance according to light and weather.
photography by © Albert Vecerka/Esto
7) Bridge for Laboratory Sciences, Vassar College, Integrated Science Commons, Poughkeepsie, New York, USA
Courtesy of The American Architecture Awards
Designed by Ennead, the Bridge building has several attractive facades, one of which is a curtain wall of fritted glass. The low reflectivity of the fritted glass reduces birds’ collision with the facade.
