Innovationcod1
2021-02-09
Selecting the right glass for large-scale building projects is not easy, as the range of coated glass on the market is not unlimited and rarely fits the project’s exact needs in terms of colour and performance specs. What if architects could create their own custom glass, tailor-made for the building of their dreams? Your Dreams, Our Challenge! That’s AGC’s baseline, and we always relish the challenge!
Virtual prototyping made easy 

AGC first needed to develop a process to allow architects to define their exact glazing needs. The Technovation Centre partnered with Eclat Digital, a specialist in realistic virtual prototyping, to bring this to life. Their intensive collaboration resulted in virtual prototyping software capable of creating and defining the new glazing based on the architect’s precise requirements. This powerful software can display a true representation of a custom-specified coated glass on the building in its environment and under various weather conditions.

Innovationcod2
Real time sampling

AGC then needed to be able to produce a prototype of the glass so the architect could validate its appearance and so AGC could prepare for later large-scale production. This challenge was taken up by AGC Interpane in Plattling, Germany. The plant was able to both apply the newly designed coating to the glass and assemble the freshly coated glass into an insulating glazing unit – all in the same facility.

Custom service at your fingertips 

The result? A custom service allowing architects to define the physical properties and appearance of their project’s glazing, view it on screen under various weather conditions, validate the colour on a sample and leave with a sample of their unique creation. And this can all be done in just a single day during a Coating On Demand session at the Plattling site in Germany. AGC also rolled out the service at its Lodelinsart plant in Belgium, where the coating can be produced in a thermally toughened version.

See Also

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OverSized Glass sets out to conquer the market

Do you want 9 m, 12 m, 16 m or bigger? While glass was once confined to the traditional limit of 6 m x 3.21 m, today it is continuously beating old records in terms of length. There is very strong international demand from high-profile projects seeking to deliver sweeping, seamless panoramic views.

A Czech landmark showcasing Imagin patterned glass

The Tomáš Baťa Memorial, designed by prominent Zlín architect F. L. Gahura and built in 1933, is a high point of Zlín functionalism. Severely damaged during the bombing of Zlín in 1944, the Memorial was rebuilt and repurposed in 1954 as the House of Arts, a concert hall and gallery. Decades later, the project to renovate the Memorial and restore it to its original form began in 2016 and finally, in 2019, the Tomáš Baťa Memorial was reopened to the public. The interior features a model of the Junkers airplane in which Tomáš Baťa met his tragic end in 1932.