1st Place
transparent illuminated glass artwork 450 x 250 cm (177.17 x 98.43 in)
design “Art in Architecture” for the construction project New Building Technology Center West Saxon University of Applied Sciences Zwickau
non-public Single-Phase Competition with Preceding Application Procedure
Client: State Enterprise Saxon Real Estate and Construction Management (SIB)
2021 (Implementation Summer 2024)
Financial Framework: € 75,861
Partner: Peters Glass Studio Paderborn
The architecture of the Technology Center is harmonized both internally and externally with the needs of the university and the residents of Zwickau. The building adapts to the location and creates a unique presence while simultaneously embracing its primary theme – science and technical textiles – and projecting it outward into the city. It was a personal imperative for me not to compete with this thoughtful and impressive presence. My proposal should embed itself, communicate, and capture the materiality and texture. Thus, a transparent glass artwork – MeshVeda – with dimensions of 450 x 200 cm (177.17 x 98.43 in) was created, positioned on the wall opposite the foyer entrance. The illumination of the artwork emanates from its frame at the top behind the actual image. The concrete surface behind the artwork remains largely visible.
“MeshVeda” is intended to be unobtrusive, delicately accentuating the architecture of the space. In the depicted motif, one can observe an abstract machine in which many gears interlock, akin to a clockwork. It symbolizes the working process of a university engaged in research and teaching. No one alone can develop and advance future innovations. It requires collaboration, the interlocking of diverse resources and abilities. Only in this way can a future be shaped for the community. Transparency along these paths brings together people – educators and students alike. It showcases new avenues of development, emphasizes creativity, and also highlights errors that can be identified and resolved by others.
Glass comes alive through light, and this light signifies future and innovation. Light flows into a space, thereby serving as a symbol for the vitality and progress of research and teaching at Zwickau University.
The color palette of the glass artwork is simple and multifaceted. First, there’s a contour etched into the depth of the glass: frosted glass that refracts light yet allows it to pass through. The applied technique is deep sandblasting. It allows the image, the gears, to traverse the space and is tactile for the viewer. On the inside, there’s a subtle application of color. Black and brown fired ceramic colors. The warm brown tone is meant to pick up on and accentuate the wooden tones used in the building.
Furthermore, the various refractions and reflections of the glass colors in the foyer create an engaging atmosphere that seeks an intriguing contrast with the building’s architecture, gently integrating itself into the space.