Having been working with glass for very few weeks ago, I came across a certain project on Architizer, that shows our glass construction systems in real life (in a much smaller scale though). This project is a little chapel in Riga's International Airport. Although one may discuss the whether or not it is right to have a place of worship for a certain religion in a building that is intended for use by all nationalities and cultures, design-wise, the room is a true place of serenity.
The concrete surfaces of the room may at first seem like something from a dystopian sci-fi novel, but with the natural light above and the light wooden flooring, the room seems calm and peaceful. The forms in the room, in all their simplicity hint to Japanese architecture, which somehow justifies idea of having a place of worship in an airport. But most noteworthy regarding the glass construction part, is that one side of each bench is elevated by the use of glass, as seen more clearly bellow:
These elements of glass can safely carry the load of a concrete slab with up to four people on it, once again proving the surprising strength of the material. As I have earlier mentioned in my glass post, one of the greatest issues with glass, is that it can very easily break when exposed to horizontal forces, which is most likely why only one of the sides of the benches is held up by the glass element. Besides being constructionally impressive, it is also clear to see, that the glass elements give a certain special aesthetic touch, that underlines the elegant simplicity and calmness of the room. Read more about the project and view more images at Architizer (link bellow)
Further reading:
- Andy Minchev
