Client: Westmark Developments

Overview

The entrance to the Environment Agency Head Office was constructed as a glass box spanning 28.5’ wide x 24.4’ high. This structural glazing façade consists of safety glass panels with drilled holes in various sizes with total 775 sq. ft. including double doors.

Goals

The colour palette was intended to work in harmony with the materials used across the external façade and with the surrounding buildings. A glass box has been created to fill the entrance lobby with colored light. From the exterior the glass box cantilevers over the sidewalk welcoming residents and visitors. Artist Kate Maestri wanted to let the “hand-blown glass” speak for itself and used it in a most minimal way.

Process

Maestri collaborated with the architects to develop contemporary stained glass installations for the two main entrances to the new building. The artwork reinforces the architectural statement of the new building, giving it a clear identity and strong sense of place, and enriching the quality of what is both an office and residential space.

Additional Information

Hundreds of hand-blown glass sheets were cut to size for the façade. The sheets were laminated evenly onto safety-tempered glass with the liquid lamination technique. This approach shows at best how “traditional” materials like a centuries-old recipe for hand-blown glass can be used in a technically modern way to successfully integrate with industrial structures.