Architecture

Contemporary art glass design for architecture has great potential.  Blown and cast glass elements designed specifically for architectural inclusion is a concept not fully realized today. Don Gonzalez studied art and architecture and has designed and built his home to accommodate blown and cast glass elements. Don's current work is primarily casting glass in sand, a process that adapts well to architectural applications as evidenced in LOTUS,  the sand cast glass studio window below.  The commission of blown glass rondelle windows in the former carriage house of a 14th century palazzo in Florence, Italy, is an excellent example of contemporary glass art in architecture.  The Stoller Mobile illustrates this glass artist's ability to design and build a kinetic sculpture for a specific location.  Below are a few examples of  architectural glass installations.

 Don welcomes inquiries from architects and private sources: gonzalez_6007@msn.com


 

FLORENCE, ITALY

Large blown and cut glass rondelles are installed in the windows of the former carriage house of a palazzo built in the 14th century. The palazzo faces a sumptuous river view, but the carriage house is  on the backstreet. There is a building across the street that the owner wanted to camouflage as well as provide an element of privacy for the apartment. While the use of small blown glass elements in windows is common in the centuries old structures of Italy, this installation is unique with its large cut rondelles engineered for maximum kinetic effect. The varying thickness of the rondelles provides an element of privacy and lends a visually exciting element to the interior, especially in the evening when Florence turns on the lights. I created the rondelles in my studio and shipped them to the prestigious Florentine stained glass atelier, POLONI, for assembly and installation. The owner is pleased with the altered view in addition to the aesthetic value that this installation adds to the property. This application can be easily applied to an interior or exterior contemporary environment of unlimited size.


 

STOLLER MOBILE

This  kinetic sculpture was commissioned by Barbara and David Stoller for their home on the Delaware River near New Hope, Pennsylvania. The 200 year old structure was restored and a two story family room addition is surrounded by hundreds of panes of authentic divided light windows, abundant foliage and sparkling reflections from the river.  The Mobile is suspended from a braided steel cable in the center of this wonderful environment.  The sculpture rotates 300 degrees very slowly in each direction, facilitating the kinetic interaction of the glass with its environment.  The glass rondelle, engineered to maximize kinetic effect,  reflect the linears of the windows and the environment, providing a truly exciting experience of Kinetic Art.  


 

LOTUS: Sand cast glass studio window

This sand cast glass tile window was influenced by my study of Venetian Art and Architecture.  Some of the structures in Venice are over 1000 years old and through the centuries the painters and sculptors and glassblowers were engaged to augment them with artwork.  Many of these historic structures are still standing and much of the artwork installed there endures.

The concept of using sand cast glass tiles in grid format for larger architectural applications today has tremendous potential.  The flexibility of inserting an infinite variety of design elements and textures in the sand enables unlimited theme potential, and the grid format for installing the cast glass tiles can accommodate just about any size interior or exterior architectural project.  See "Peacocks" below.

The studio window is comprised of six sand cast tiles, each 10"x10"x3/4" thick.  There is a 1/2" recess at the perimeter of each tile to accommodate installation in a metal frame which allows for a clean appearance and  permanent,  durable installation.  Dimensions: 21" x 31"


 

LOTUS II

Architectural installation : The interior wall in this private residence was framed to house these three identical sets of  sand cast tiles.   Each individual set of four tiles is 8"w x 42"h.  The overall dimension including  all three sets of four tiles is 38"w x 42"h.

(see LOTUS above for design and inspirational details)

 

 


 

PEACOCKS AND OLIVE TREE

My daughter Monica designed this tile in clay as a gift for me to be cast in glass.  Evoking a peaceful mood, the imagery is an ancient motif from Byzantine times and can be found in many places in Venice.  This piece is one of my treasures and is an excellent example of  transferring imagery to the sand to be cast in glass.  Imagery of any theme, figural or abstract, can be built or transferred to the sand and cast in tile format for architectural installations.

 

 


 

LURE OF THE SIREN

Casting for architectural installation:

 

This casting is a variation of the  LURE OF THE SIREN in the Graff collection (see portfolio).  Cast in an ultra light shade of blue, the thin edge of the perimeter appears clear. The blue tint becomes more apparent as the glass thickens at the center. The grid design is ground and polished providing a window through the piece as well as imparting an interesting contrast between the textured sand cast glass surface and the crisply polished design. This piece can be mounted and installed in an interior or exterior wall.