Decorative Glass - MayJuneJuly 2009

May/June/July 2009

Decorative News

Architects Find Numerous Decorative Glass Products Displayed at 2009 AIA Expo

From color, to patterns, textures and even a combination of all three, those attending the American Institute of Architects Annual Convention, which took place April 30-May 2 in San Francisco, found plenty of new decorative glass products.

Digitally printed glass products were among some of the newest developments at the show. NGI Designer Glass showcased its brand new booth constructed to feature its brand new product: SubliStyle, which involves the reproduction of digital, high-definition photography and artwork onto glass. It was co-developed with VanDijken Glas out of Amsterdam and together they are partnering with Peter Sterling, a photographer, also out of Amsterdam, who has contracts with many worldwide museums to photograph a number of paintings.

“There has been tremendous interest in this product because the technology allows architects and designers to have anything at all printed onto glass,” said Martin Miles, vice president of sales and marketing.

General Glass International was promoting its new direct-to-glass digitally printing capabilities. Brand-named Alice, Richard Balik, vice president of sales, said they had seen a lot of interest in the product.

“Architects are excited about all of the applications in which this can be used,” he said. “The process involves ink-jet printing a permanent ceramic frit image onto glass, which will not fade. It’s also possible to print large formats onto glass.”

Oldcastle Glass® also introduced its digital printed glass, i-Glass™. The process also involves printing the images directly onto glass. The company says it can even replicate the look of wood or marble.

Other companies offered decorative laminated glass products that involve printing imagery onto interlayer materials, such as PVB. Both J.E. Berkowitz and Standard Bent Glass are licensed fabricators of DuPont’s SentryGlas® Expressions™ technology, which they displayed during the show.

In addition to printing onto PVB, companies also offer decorative products that involve printing on different types of materials. Arch Deco, the decorative branch of Arch Aluminum & Glass, has a product called Visual™, a decorative, laminated safety glass constructed of PET.

Acid-etched products were also well represented. For Walker Glass its patterned acid-etched glass and mirrors were a key focus. The company, which began as a mirror producer, has expanded to offer acid-etched clear glass and mirror.

“By etching mirror we can turn a traditionally functional product into a decorative, visual product,” said Marc Deschamps, business development manager. “We are trying to educate the architects and the design community on the products and ways that they can be used, both interior and exterior.”

Likewise, Guardian Industries introduced SunGuard SatinDeco glass, which combines the energy-saving properties of SunGuard architectural glass with the acid-etched quality and aesthetics of SatinDeco.

“Architects and designers have been interested in SatinDeco because it does not diminish the light transmitted but rather diffuses or softens it,” said Chris Dolan, director, commercial glass program, for Guardian. “This allows higher light transmission without glare in interior space.”

Likewise, Goldray displayed an array of decorative options, from printed glass for walls and partitions; products for floors and stairs; and even its new marker boards (turn to page 10 to read more).

Other companies, including Meltdown Glass and Gordon Huether Studios brought more of an artistic approach to their architectural decorative glasswork. To see DG magazine’s video news coverage from the AIA Show, be sure and visit The Studio at www.decorativeglassmag.com.