The glass block

Il glass block represents the most suitable option when you need to divide a room, ensuring greater privacy but maintaining the correct lighting. In fact, unlike masonry partitions, thanks to its transparency, this material does not compromise the brightness of the room. The glass brick It is also used when you want to increase the intensity of the light in a room where there are walls that cannot be knocked down for structural reasons.

Below is a brief explanatory table regarding the main peculiarities of the glass block brick.

Glass Block, what it consists of

Glass blocks were introduced in the early 1900s for industrial use and, specifically, in factories where good lighting was essential in the face of high resistance. Later, they began to be used in other sectors, gaining considerable approval in residential buildings, thanks to their simple installation and new processes that over time have made them increasingly flexible and aesthetically pleasing.
Today, the material is produced in the factory by assembling two glass elements that contain an air chamber. For this reason, the module provides thermal and acoustic insulation performance similar to that of a double-glazed window. The two transparent layers are held together by special cement joints. The final product boasts high resistance and versatility. From the point of view of fireproofing, glass blocks prove to be highly performing, thanks to the high percentage of glass material.

However, it must be considered that, since it is a solution made of glass, concrete and steel, it is subject to the characteristics and behaviors of three different materials. In fact, unlike concrete and steel, glass does not have plastic capabilities and for this reason, the structure must be as little as possible subjected to external loads. Excessive weight could in fact weigh on the glass which would immediately fracture.
The bricks can have different sizes and shapes, so they can be chosen according to the specific need. There are standard elements that make up the “face” of the wall, square and rectangular in shape, and terminal elements studied and modeled according to the physical conformation of the wall. The thickness is around 8 cm for double glazing and 16 cm for those made up of three layers of glass.

The installation is simple and can be of three types. The first uses mortar as a binder and a steel reinforcement since the glass block is not self-supporting. In fact, the components must be laid after assembling a frame and strengthened by specific rods embedded in the mortar.
Another type is the one in which special silicones and metal profiles are used; this installation guarantees reduced joints and a minimal aesthetic with strong visual continuity. Finally, the third type of installation, the dry one, involves the interlocking of one brick on another, after positioning a wooden or metal structure. In this case, each glass brick is equipped with a click system that guarantees optimal adhesion with the other element.

As for the finish, the glass is usually wavy, to ensure the passage of light and at the same time ensure a good level of privacy. In order to satisfy the most diverse needs, the material can be worked, decorated or left smooth.

The uses of glass blocks

Glass blocks are now widely used in the construction of partitions, wall sections, semi-opaque ceilings, stairwells, windows and furnishings. This solution is able to increase the brightness of the environment and ensure resistance and durability over time. Given the ability to maximize the light intensity inside a room, it is also considered a material that allows good energy and economic savings.

Furthermore, it is a very flexible solution, designed to satisfy various needs and capable of adapting to environments with very different styles. For example, in environments with limited dimensions and a low influx of natural light, this material will be used, chosen for its transparency and aesthetic lightness. In this regard, the glass blocks in the corridors dark inside residences, offices and service buildings.
Even in the presence of very large living areas, the glass brick in the living room, to divide a single space into multiple functional areas such as the kitchen and living room. Although glass walls are not considered load-bearing, they must be reported to the municipality and the land registry as actual walls that will modify the internal distribution of the property. With the insertion of a glass block wall, visual comfort will increase due to the greater continuity between one space and another.

This type of solution is not only adopted in interior environments but sometimes also in outdoor spaces such as balconies and terraces where glass blocks can be chosen to create original flooring and parapets. Sometimes, glass bricks can form transparent inserts on roofs so as to provide greater brightness to the areas below. Even stairwells and elevator shafts can be enriched by this versatile and luminous material.
Finally, glass can be used to increase the acoustic and thermal insulation of internal walls, thanks to its high-performance properties.

Types of glass blocks

Depending on the specific need, the material can be chosen in numerous variations of finish, transparency and decoration. The first distinction concerns the degree of brightness that you want to obtain: if you want to let a lot of light flow, transparent glass will be perfect, but if you prefer a soft lighting, frosted glass will be preferable. In this case, the light intensity will vary depending on the number of faces affected by the process: it is good to remember that both frosted faces generate an almost opaque brick and therefore less filtering. Furthermore, even if you want to maintain a high level of privacy, the frosted process will be the most suitable for this purpose. An example of this are the glass block inserts positioned in shower cubicles or bathroom walls, where the need is twofold: to increase the light and maintain privacy.
Another aspect that can provide very different finished products concerns the processing of the brick surface. In fact, smooth or wavy products can be obtained depending on the need; the former are designed to be drawn and decorated, the latter already provide a surface movement by themselves that can provide a pleasant aesthetic result and a three-dimensional effect.
If you want to create a decorative partition, you can use colored and decorated bricks, depending on your personal taste. The size of the individual bricks and the thickness of the cement joint will also contribute to giving a strong personality to the architectural component.

Glass Block in Architecture

Although it is a material with great potential and high performance, glass blocks are not only used in confined spaces or on terraces and parapets. In fact, they are considered an excellent solution for the creation of large surfaces and building envelopes. Over the years, numerous examples of buildings with a strong aesthetic impact typical of glass blocks have been built. Let's look at three of the most emblematic examples.

Maison de Verre – Pierre Chareau, construction date 1927-1931

La Maison de Verre, French for “The Glass House,” was built between 1928 and 1932 in Paris, France.
Built in the early modern style of architecture, the house's design emphasized three primary traits: honesty of materials, variable transparency of forms, and the juxtaposition of "industrial" materials and furnishings with a more traditional home decor style. The primary materials used were steel, glass, and glass brick.

See the dwg project of Glass House

Maison Hermes – Renzo Piano

A representative building in Tokyo, which is modelled on the conformation of the lot that hosts it, it is one of the most famous examples of glass architecture. The envelope is the result of the multiple repetition of the same glass matrix, a square-shaped module replicated 13.000 times. The building, which houses the Hermes fashion house, was inaugurated in 2001 by Renzo Piano and soon stood out in the urban context for its high luminosity made so by day by the transparency of the material and by night by the internal lights of the Maison. In 2006, the south wing was added, built using the same type of glass brick. This is a new module that has reduced the thickness of the joint between the bricks and has allowed the perimeter bands of the single element to be painted, resulting in a light and even more luminous architecture. Today, in fact, the building is famous as the “bright lanterna” from Tokyo.

Baths of Tiberius – Moneo Brock Studio

The Tiberius Baths complex is located at the foot of the Pyrenees, was designed by Moneo Brock Studio and represents another significant example of glass block architecture. The sinuous shapes that characterize it make it a building with little impact and able to fit lightly into the surrounding natural context, favoring complete harmony with the landscape. The facade is made up of transparent glass blocks that amplify the mountain light. The peculiarity of the envelope lies in the shape of the bricks, a trapezoidal choice, with the dual purpose of maximizing the sinuous shape of the building and accentuating its reflective capabilities.

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