The use of non-traditional building materials is always a test of the architect's knowledge of material use in the real world, and the trust of those funding the project. In an age of tower glass building and cold interiors, is there still room for the more eccentric and braver architecture we have seen in centuries past? One example of such bravery is a project, located in the Ginza District of Chūō, Japan. It is a spectacular show of architectural and structural expressionism. Mansion Hermès is a 65,000 sq ft structure designed by Italian architect Renzo Piano to house the French luxury design brand Hermès corporate offices, workshops and showroom in 2001. The building was a true show of late 90s high-tech architecture. Piano was also on the team responsible for the high-tech architectural masterpiece that is the Centre Pompidou in Paris, France and the new Whitney Museum in New York City.
The Mansion Hermès is quite unique in its design specifically for the choice of material for the building's facade. The 10 story high building was wrapped in custom made 45cm square glass blocks. First introduced as an architectural material in the early 1900s, these glass lenses (glass blocks) were primarily used in factories, schools and commercial buildings. They weren’t made popular till the 1930s when French architect Pierre Chareau used them to cover the facade of his Maison de Verre house in the seventh district of Paris, France.
Piano's use for the building material provided multiple positive advantages for the Hermes project. Serving as soundproofing, insulation, and a facade that allows light to flow in and out as the day and city changes around it. In order to guarantee its integrity in case of earthquakes, a metal frame was designed around a large center mast from where slabs were suspended to allow the building to move along with any seismic activity.
The use of non-traditional building materials can break a project (when done incorrectly), but it can also change the course of building design for the future. As I walk around my city of New York and see all the large influx of generic new developments. A question continue to reoccur within me, In an age of the glass cladded facade with cold, cheap interiors, is there still room for a more eccentric, braver architecture? One that pushes the envelope of what a building can look like and how a building can find its place within a cities landscape. I’m not asking for more building, I’m looking for better buildings. Both aesthetically and environmentally.
Images from Renzo Piano Building Workshop
Inspiring to see glass blocks used in such a beautiful way, and put front and center of a massive project. I tend to associate glass blocks with schools, or community centers as a element in the background of a pool or basement classroom.