The Future of the All Transparent Pavilion Concept

Gerrit van Noordenne & Ton Romein, van Noordenne groep
Fred Veer, Delft University of Technology

The van Noordenne groep and the ZAPPI research group of Delft University of Technology have been cooperating for 10 years. From the beginning of this cooperation it was clear to both parties that this would be a long term investment with no short term gains. After 10 years a unique concept for glass structures has evolved that we think will in several years be commercially viable.

Our experience with glass over the last decades has seen incredible growth in the architectural market. Modern buildings typically use twice as much glass as three decades ago, while the increased quality of the glass due to coatings and large scale use of i.g. units has more than quadrupled the value.

Large glass structures have also developed over this period. The main problem is the lack of certified components making each project an expensive individual engineering project. By developing a system of certified components a significant cost reduction can be made by eliminating most of the engineering. Thus although the components will be expensive, the resulting structure will be competitive. It is our feeling that through cost effective design and high architectural appeal a significant market can be created for this system.

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The Authors

Dr. Frederic Veer Dr. Delft University of Technology Frederic Veer has been involved in glass research since 1995, developing new combinations and structures which use glass as a structural material in innovative ways. Currently the author is head of a ... Read more