Weathering
Glass Architecture and Geologic Time
Weathering can
often be a graceful evolution of a buildings form and materiality.
The design and construction phase of a building is mainly a strategic
beginning. An understanding of the environment and its effect on
the materials used allows for a conscious engagement of design with
the life and forces which will continue to shape a building. The
making of a glass architecture in situ begins with a conscious engagement
of these forces in the landscape and so a continuity of this mindset
is natural.
Abrasion
Glass is particularly susceptible to abrasion with sand driven by
wind or water. In environments where these conditions are extreme,
such as a beach or desert, this phenomenon could be capitalized
for its sculptural effect and its optical and tactile qualities.
Chemical Exposure
Water and even humid air can dissolve flux on the surface layer
of glass and this in turn reacts to carbon dioxide and other contaminating
substances in the air to form carbonates that collect on the surface
as a whitish or light gray film, softening the reflection and transmission
of light.
Light
The presence of elements such as manganese or arsenic and cerium
oxide produces glasses which absorb a portion of the ultra violet
spectrum to produce a photochemical reaction, leading to a gradual
transformation of colour in the glass. Arsenic and Cerium produce
a palette of yellows. The variation and complexity of this phenomenon
are wide-ranging. In a glass architecture containing a small proportion
of manganese the building will gradually take on a rosy blush, recording
the patterns of sunlight and shadow made on and within the walls,
roof and floor.
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