~ Wassily Kandinsky
Russian-born French Expressionist Painter, 1866-1944

Architect: Frits van Dongen, de Architekten Cie.
Designers: Christa Rinzema, Adriaan Mout, Dick Scholten and Alejandro Hernandez, Stephan Oehlers

Which city does not need to combat urban depopulation? City centres are gradually emptying, resulting in deserted streets and abandoned dwellings, with office buildings replacing homes, taking away any feeling of warmth.

Amsterdam wanted to reverse this trend and so, close to the narrow canals that are characteristic of the Dutch capital, rises the Funen. It’s not just an architectural project, it’s a hybrid concept – a combination of homes, workplaces and nature in the centre of Amsterdam. Frits van Dongen, a partner with the architects, Architekten Cie., has created an astonishing location.

Around a central park, various styles of houses and apartments are hidden away amongst the greenery, like “Secret Treasures”. The architect’s influences are numerous and varied. He has taken his inspiration from traditional closed urban blocks, more open developments including courtyard layouts, as well as from German “Siedlungen” and English “Garden Cities”. His imagination has created a countryside area right in the densely packed city centre of Amsterdam: an absolute delight for future residents!

In order to protect this parkland residential area, Frits van Dongen has envisaged a block of apartments separating the Funen from the railway line, to the East of the site. And to dress its façade, the architect has used laminated glass with Vanceva^® interlayers covering the whole length of the block. For a full 5000 m2, Vanceva^® becomes the coloured shell of the Funen, as well as its most recognizable feature!  In fact, train passengers can read the word “Funenpark” on the facade. To achieve this effect, Vanceva^® coloured films have been integrated into the short sections of the saw-tooth laminated glass, allowing the facade to constantly change its appearance thanks to the palette of shades, that can be seen from both the inside and outside of the building – colouring the 5000 m2 surface yellow, green, pink, blue and orange. The East facing facade is bathed in light when the Sun is in the South, reaching right into the building – delighting and astonishing train passengers on every journey!

Vanceva^® has become the building’s second skin and its distinguishing feature to the outside world.

The Vanceva^® interlayers also provide soundproofing, since the railway line is very busy and therefore noisy. The laminated glass incorporating Vanceva^® films is more effective in reducing noise than all conventional glazing systems and limits the surge effects of frequency ranges of between 1000 and 2000 Hertz. The sound-proofing properties of laminated glass thereby reduce the nuisance caused by nearby rail traffic.

The Funen is a complex comprising 312 homes, a business area (offices) of 3000 m2, an underground car-park with 235 spaces, as well as shops and restaurants.  It’s a complete way of “urban” life which is gradually being recreated on this former industrial site.

The Funen is a truly groundbreaking project, a new concept in town planning, which encourages residents not to leave the city but to come back and live here without losing all the benefits of other devolved districts. While many other cities are suffering from depopulation, Amsterdam is winning the battle to repopulate its city centre.

Entries are still being accepted for the Solutia World of Color Awards™  Inspired by Vanceva®.  Launched in 2010, the international design awards program was created to honor architects, interior designers, and glass fabricators around the world for their innovative use of colored laminated safety glass in building design and interior spaces.  There is no cost to enter and every laminator can enter multiple projects!!!  Log onto to www.worldofcolorawards.com by March 16, 2012 and be recognized for the amazing work you do with Vanceva!

Why Enter?
It is easy, free and can help grow new projects using Vanceva.  It also can increase business by showcasing your capabilities with Vanceva color interlayers.

What Do You Win?
In both the Exterior and Interior categories, there will be a winner and a honorable mention award given.  Winners and Honorable Mention recipients of each division receive:

• A custom glass award made with Vanceva®color interlayers

• Global recognition in all media relations efforts associated with the competition (press releases, e-newsletters, etc.)

• The winning designs will be featured in our booth during Glasstec 2012 in Düsseldorf, Germany.  Winners will also be featured on contest websites, and across the World of Color Awards social media networks including Twitter, and Facebook!

• Free entrance ticket to Glasstec Tradeshow

• 500 Printed Project Profiles of their winning entry for their own use

• Appearance in our next edition of the Vanceva Dream book!

Architect: HKS, Inc.
Window Manufacturer: Accurate Glass Works, Inc.
Glazing Contractor: Viracon

A daring curved design by architect Morris Lapidus helped make Miami’s Fontainebleau resort an architectural icon when it opened in 1954.  Indeed, it w as a leading social and cultural hotspot for decades before falling into disrepair. In early 2005, new ownership embarked on a project to revitalize the property and restore it to its former glory. Plans called for the addition of a world-class spa – a freestanding building on the property that would serve as a soothing oasis for guests.

A renowned lighting artist originally created the concept for the spa: a pristine vibrant, crystalline structure that would glimmer and sparkle in the night lights by the pool area. It was the job of architects at Dallas-based HKS, Inc. to turn this concept into a design.

Their design was a contemporary jewel box, a striking glass structure with canted walls. The two-story, 40,000 square-foot building would house the Lapis Spa, along with a sleek rooftop restaurant.

Glass selection was critical.  From an aesthetic perspective, architects were searching for a blue glass that would complement the colors of the surroundings and offer reflections of the historic Lapidus architecture. From a performance standpoint, the glass needed to meet Miami’s tough large missile impact requirements and hurricane codes while also providing energy efficiency.

The first challenge was engineering the 10-degree lean-out insulating glass curtainwall to meet Miami’s stringent building code requirements. The team at Accurate Glass Works Inc. developed a solution by modifying a YKK curtainwall system to lean out with horizontal members parallel to the ground.

With the unusual cant and greater spans, glass performance was critical. Viracon worked closely with Accurate Glass Works to find the glass and interlayer combination that would meet stringent Miami-Dade building codes for hurricane resistance. The solution was a 1-5/16” insulating laminated glass with a .075 Vanceva^® Storm interlayer.

Due to the complexity of the design, the system h ad to be tested with a full-scale mock-up. However, with a very tight time frame, Accurate Glass Works and Viracon knew the design needed to pass on the first attempt.

“We were brought into this project later in the process than usual, so we knew we had to get everything right and pass all testing the first time around. There was no room for failure,” says Rob Parker, president of Accurate Glass Works. “We worked closely with Viracon to select a glass and interlayer that would provide the strength and durability necessary to meet all requirements. With their help, we met all requirements on our first test.”

Meanwhile, Viracon also worked closely with the architects to select a glass substrate and coatings that would meet aesthetic and performance demands. To create a structure that would fit with its surroundings and provide a soothing environment befitting a world-class spa, architects selected Versalux^® Blue 2000 glass substrate with Viracon’s VRE-46 coating.

Viracon’s VRE coatings provide a neutral exterior color and allow two-way vision under varying light conditions.  It allows increased light transmittance while also reducing solar heat gain. “We chose a VRE coating for a number of reasons. Energy efficiency was important. Because the spa would have varying temperatures inside for its various treatments, we wanted a glass and coating that wouldn’t allow heat gain or heat loss,” says Rick Lee, AIA, LEED^® AP, principal at HKS. “We also wanted the exterior of the building to have a consistent look, top to bottom, and we wanted a surface that would reflect its surroundings.”

The building’s design incorporates three different “bands” of glass – vision glass, spandrel glass and translucent glass – glass that would let light in while protecting the privacy of spa guests enjoying their treatments.

The glass, adds Lee, turned out exactly as envisioned. “We got color, appearance, energy efficiency and impact resistance,” he says. “The result is a unique piece of contemporary architecture that is respectful of its historic surroundings.”

RED – Don’t use red as the main color in your home, because it is a power color and full of passion. Use it sparingly, as an accent only, and you’ll get a lot of drama from it. A close companion to brown, red represents the core of earthy tonality and rustic textures. If your home is rooted in the landscape, shades of red like terra cotta or coral can be wonderful decorating colors. For a really vibrant pop look, mix red with primary yellows, greens and blues. For instance, paint it on your doors, window frames or other trim in the room. In a formal room, use a deep, dark red, such as burgundy, to compliment the dark woods in the room. Source

~ Julie Schimmelpenningh

View Toyota Showroom Project Profile

Selecting a blue-themed color palette for the design of Toyota’s showroom in Bangkok, Thailand was an easy choice for the architects and designers. Not only does the design emphasize different parts of the showroom with a singular, stunning color, but it also reinforces customers’ trademark recognition of the Toyota brand. The electrifying blue elements of the space, such as the bent wall and the curved staircase, come together            to create a sleek, modern style that instantly impresses everyone from the shoppers to the showroom staff.

Designing the showroom with the comfort of Toyota’s clients in mind, the architect included the sky blue hues to ground the project’s lofty dimensions. In the relaxed, yet elegant atmosphere, customers feel completely at-ease when shopping for a Toyota vehicle.

Laminated glass was also vital to the creation of the showroom’s most noticeable feature, the curved glass staircase. The architect of the project remarked that laminated glass “can handle the huge weight [of the staircase] effectively, so we are more confident in using it in the staircase construction.” Curving the staircase also added dimension to the space, producing a showroom that is surprising and innovative at every turn.

Project Category: Interior

Project Name: Toyota Showroom Project

Location: Ladkrabang, Bangkok, Thailand

Glass Laminator: Thai Techno Glass Company (Brand: BSG)

Photographer Credit: Thai Techno Glass

Architect: Thulnicha Designer

Architect: Wingårdh Arkitektkontor AB
Glazing Manufacturer: Gemax Glas AB

Knutpunkten in Mölndal is, next to the Nils Ericsson-terminal in Gothenburg, the most important bus and railway station in the region.

The process of renewing the station and turning it in to an attractive part of the city begun with a competition for architects in year 2000. The winning entry from Wingårdh Arkitektkontor AB, used laminated glass with Vanceva^® interlayers to give the station building its characteristic and vibrant look that catches peoples eyes. The building’s design resembles the terminals you see in today’s modern airports.

The laminated glass especially comes to its right during nighttime, when the glass is illuminated from the inside and makes the building a beautiful, glowing experience.

Furthermore, the building has a shape and structure that makes it appear as if it was floating above the tracks and connects two parts of the community, which are divided by one of the main highways of Gothenburg. The unique shape in combination with the laminated glass in many colours has made the building a central and important part of Mölndal.

The architects at Wingårdh Arkitektkontor AB wanted to create a positive and cheerful attitude that would become an eye catching experience, and to do this they used the laminated glass with Vanceva^® interlayers. They also chose the laminated glass for the building because of its ability to withstand weather and sound.

Bengt Odlöw, local government commissioner, Mölndal, has expressed his positive and proud feelings on the project stating, “Knutpunkten has become a welcoming and positive passing place both for the city’s inhabitants and for travelers passing by. Today it is a natural centre for public transport and a beautiful asset to Mölndal’s inhabitants”.

The new bus and railway station not only connects the public transport in an effective way, but also contributes to a more beautiful townscape.  The accessibility to the central parts of Mölndal has also increased considerably through Knutpunkten.

Architects: Rearquitectura / Antonio Menéndez Ferrer – Cristian Barrientos Vera
Location: Cerro Yungay, Valparaiso, Chile

Lofts Yungay II is a collective housing building located in the outskirts of the World Heritage Area of Valparaíso, Chile. This city is one of the largest Chilean ports in the Pacific Ocean. Valparaiso’s landscape is very characteristic due to its many hills packed with colorful houses almost falling out of the cliffs.  Each house is different from one another, but together they create a harmonic landscape.

Read more

~ Morgan Russell