2003
International Solutia Design Awards -The Winners
The
winners of the 2003 International Design Awards from Solutia
– manufacturers of Saflex® and Vanceva™, the interlayers
used in laminated architectural glass – once again demonstrate the
high levels of innovation and ingenuity that exist amongst the architectural
and interior design community in their use and applications of laminated
glass.
This year’s winners in the four main categories: Civic, Residential,
Institutional and Interiors - encompass designs from Japan, Austria, the
USA and Brazil respectively. The winning architects include; the Obayashi
Corporation for Oasis 21 - the ‘glass sky’ elevated lake filled
with water and surrounded by a glass walkway at a concert and exhibition
hall in Nagoya, Japan; Architekturstudio for a breakthrough use of laminated
glass for a residential garden room in Vienna; Davis Brody Bond, LLP for
South Court Building, New York Public Library - an inspirational approach
to a public building in New York; Brunete Fraccaroli Arquitecterae Interiores
for a multi-coloured glass retail haven in San Paulo.
‘Each winner has demonstrated the capabilities of glass that most
would not consider viable or possible’ said Greg Wilson, Head of
Communications at Solutia.
The Oasis 21 project uses Saflex® interlayer glass to achieve extraordinary
strength and resistance to slipping, chemicals and earthquakes and the
combination of two transparent materials – glass and water –
was deemed by the judges to be evocative and arresting.
Likewise the Garden Room in Vienna is an adventurous exploration of the
structural capabilities of laminated glass. It represents a breakthrough
in Austria where silicon glued glass constructions are not permitted without
mechanical safety measures. Here the team defied the odds by creating
a new technique that allowed for adhesive connections between the supporting
glass beams and columns made from laminated glass with Saflex® instead
of screwed metal plates.
In New York, the South Court Building gracefully integrates a new infill
structure within the existing courtyard of the historic New York Public
Library. The meeting of the modern with the traditional works to dramatic
effect thanks largely to the use throughout of laminated glass (with Saflex®
and Vanceva™ Design interlayers). The entire structure is sky lit
with a glass staircase descending to below grade levels. The upper floors
are cantilevered from four columns with glass guardrails along the perimeter
– all adding to the feeling of transparency.
The winner of the interiors category - the Glass Store in San Paolo -
is a showcase for the use of laminated glass with colour and clear interlayers
from Vanceva™ Design and Saflex.® The showroom houses varying
configurations of glass to illustrate how doors, skylights, furniture,
floors, bathrooms and other elements can be integrated into a space. The
use of coloured laminated glass achieves a stunning array of effects.
Each winner receives an original glass sculpture designed by Laurel Fyfe,
a critically acclaimed innovator in the genre of artistic glasswork. The
2003 Solutia Design Award is a dynamic interpretation of Solutia’s
architectural glazing product with linear angles and multiple layers to
represent the structural strength of laminated glass and colourful, wandering
waves to symbolise its limitless design possibilities.
The global Awards – now in their fifth year since their conception
in 1998 -consistently produce some stunning examples of the ways in which
laminated glass can become an integral part of the design and not merely
a window or door to the world. All nominated and winning projects include
one of Solutia’s architectural glazing products – the Vanceva,
Saflex®, and KeepSafe brand families.
Judged by leading professionals in the architectural/design community
and Solutia, the criteria for success included:-.
• Degree of attention paid to safety, structural, security, and/or
noise reduction through the use of laminated glass
• Significance of the design in regards to new and developing applications
of laminated glazing
• The creative use of laminated glass
• Overall aesthetic appeal of the project
For more information on the Solutia Design Awards or Solutia architectural
glazing products, please contact mailto:films-archi@solutia.com
or contact the Vanceva™ Call Centre for general enquiries on (00
44) 01633 275110. Entry forms for the 2004 Awards are available at http://www.vanceva.com
or at http://www.saflex.com
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