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If you think that modern glass is only used for practical residential and commercial applications, then you might be pleasantly surprised to find out it’s also used as an art form. We scouted around the globe in search of some of the best glass sculptures, so sit back and let us take you through our favourites!

Glass Microbiology - Luke Jerram

One of the most interesting pieces of glass art comes from Luke Jerram. Since 2004, the artist has been turning viruses and minuscule pathogens into unique and otherworldly glass sculptures. His concept of sculpting something that is usually invisible to the naked eye has brought an entirely new dimension to the layman’s understanding of your average bacteriophage. It’s one thing to read about these types of viruses, but it’s another thing entirely to see what they actually look like! Who knew these deadly bacteria had unnatural shapes with sharp, weapon-like edges. From representations of swine flu to Ebola, Jerram’s made-to-scale glass sculptures are spine-tingling, yet very original!

Cascade - Sergio Redegalli

Sergio Redegalli is the creative mind behind Cascade – a glass sculpture displayed in the Adelaide Botanic Garden. In 1988 he was commissioned to provide a piece for the World Expo being held in Brisbane at the time, with the theme of “Leisure in the Age of Technology”. Taking an interesting view of this theme, Redegalli produced a sculpture that would have been nearly impossible without the aid of technology, which symbolises the leisurely fall of a wave. The astonishing 12-ton glass sculpture has 500 precision-cut pieces of 6mm clear glass, all glued together to create the illusion of a cascading wave.

Cold Glass - Jack Storms

Jack Storms is one of the more contemporary artists who has already made his mark in the history books of glass artistry. Inspired by the Fibonacci principle, he has developed an incredibly rare type of glass artwork that takes 24 labour-intensive weeks to complete. The process includes cutting a core of lead crystal, then polishing and laminating it to create reflective mirrors. It is then wrapped in optical glass to create a rainbow-colour effect when light passes through. It then goes through hours and hours of repetitive grinding, cutting, and polishing to create the smooth end result you see above. Because of his incredibly unique work, his glass art has been commissioned for the President of Nigeria, while two of his glass artworks also appeared in the hit Marvel franchise film “Guardians of the Galaxy”.

Knitted Glasswork - Carol Milne

Carol Milne is famous for her unique and intricate Knitted Glasswork. It was in 2006 that she discovered her fascination for knitting, mould-making, and kiln-casting, and by combining these she created the award-winning Knitted Glass. Her work claimed the Silver Award at the 2010 International Exhibition of Glass in Kanazawa, Japan. Her work is absolutely fascinating; by creating the traditional looping patterns of a knitted piece with melting glass, she has created something entirely unseen in the modern world of glass work. She has said that her work is inspired by the image of society. “I see my knitted work as a metaphor for social structure. Individual strands are weak and brittle on their own, but deceptively strong when bound together.”

Kolonihavehus - Tom Fruin

Not exactly an entirely glass sculpture, but this work deserves a spot on our list: Kolonihavehus by Brooklyn-based artist, Tom Fruin. The work is an installation made from 1000 pieces of salvaged plexiglass and scrap metal, which have been reworked into a colourful glass house with indoor lighting. As a “3D evolution” of his previous work with salvaged drug-bags, his work proves that you can still make something great and beautiful even from scrap. Truly, one man’s trash is treasure to another. Tom Fruin’s work is now exhibiting in Brooklyn Bridge Park in New York.

Stained glass windows of Sainte-Chapelle

One of the best-preserved medieval masterpieces in Europe is the Sainte-Chapelle. It’s located in the Palais de la Cité, the old royal palace of the kings and queens of France. The chapel’s window design is one of the city’s highlights, and is regarded as a glorious masterwork that transcends time. You wouldn’t have guessed that it was made in the 1240s, as its stained-glass windows are intricately made to depict biblical, local, and political stories. With 15 panes standing at 15 metres high each, these beloved moments in history are truly a sight to behold. There are 1,130 biblical figures depicted in the glass spread over its huge windows, and one large rose window. It is a true testament to the beauty that will result from dedicated time, energy, and belief in a greater idea.

The art of great windows

Glass windows are a versatile instrument that can be used for religious ornamentation, an art form, or your home’s ventilation and insulation! At Atlas Glass, we make sure to provide only the best glazing services to complete your stunning home. We are experiencedAuckland glaziers who can take care of your home’s retrofit double glazing and timber joinery glazing for a home you can call your functional piece of art. Contact us to learn more.

With the warmer months approaching, it’s time for your annual spring cleaning, and what better way to start on this project with your double glazed windows? They provide so much help with your home’s thermal insulation that they truly deserve a good scrubbing. Window cleaning may not be your favourite task, but there are ways to make it simple, easy, and fun with some window-cleaning hacks. We share some useful tips to start on this important housework project!

Go All Natural

Skip the harmful cleaning chemicals that can be too harsh for you and your windows. Cleaning agents with chemicals can create an electrical charge that will attract more dust that sticks to your windows, creating that infuriating, filmy effect. Plus, it’s easy to DIY a window cleaner that you know is safe and gentle. It’s cheaper, natural, and does a better job as a cleaning agent.

Making Natural Cleaning Spray

Mix ¼ cup rubbing alcohol with 1/3 cup of vinegar in a spray bottle and fill to top with distilled water. If your windows are covered in hard stains, you can concoct a hard water solution made with vinegar, dish soap, and lemon juice. Spritz and let it sit for 10 minutes. You can then scrub the hard stains away!

Using natural products can also be extra helpful if you have timber joinery, as natural formulas and a soft cloth won’t damage paintwork or glazing when you're cleaning the dirt, dust, insects, and grime off of them.

Use Microfibre Cloth

Microfiber cloths are great to partner with your DIY cleaning solution when you’re cleaning your windows. They are made from synthetic fibres, which are not treated with chemicals, and the way they are constructed means they glide any dust off of the window without gripping the surface. Surface friction is what creates the streaks you sometimes get from paper towels, so you can neatly avoid this frustration and leave your window dust-free.

Clean When it’s Overcast

When it’s possible, time your window cleaning for when it’s cloudy or shady outside. If you clean your windows on a hot sunny day, the sun’s heat may dry your cleaning solution to your window’s glass too quickly. That will leave behind stains and residue that may be harder to scrub away.

Use Tongs for Your Blinds

Dusty blinds can undo all of the hard work you just exerted cleaning your windows to perfection, but how do you dust blinds easily? You can do this with the help of your kitchen tongs. Just wrap rags around the pair of tongs and secure them with rubber bands. Clamp them onto the blinds and drag left and right to pick up excess dust. Hey presto, clean blinds!

Use a Lint Roller

Window screens seem like an impossible cleaning task when you don’t approach it with the right tools; there’s an easier way to do it than beating them with a rag. Use your trusty lint roller—that’s right, a lint roller—to clean off any dust and lint that clings to the wire mesh. You’ll save yourself a lot of time and frustration, trust us.

Use an Air Compressor for the Harder Spots

Cleaning windows can be daunting, especially when you have many tall windows in your home. But if you have an air compressor stored away, it can make all the difference. Don’t stress about those hard-to-reach, hard-to-clean places. Instead, blast away the dust and debris with a handheld air compressor!

Keep your modern windows sparkling clean.

Putting in an effort to making them sparkling clean can go a long way when it comes to extending the lifespan of your double-glazed windows and wooden frames, and it’s not too hard once you get the hang of it.

 The team at Atlas Glass are experts in glazing and double-glazed windows with timber joinery. Our Auckland glaziers can provide you with beautiful windows that you’ll be proud to keep shining, so call us today to give your home a modern touch.

A commonly overlooked element of window design is tinting. This is fairly understandable, as there are more important aspects to consider first; joinery, glazing, materials, among others.

But for those of us who want to fully explore the options we have around installing or restoring windows, tinting is well worth looking into, as it has a number of advantages. These benefits include security, reducing glare, and of course, increasing privacy. For more details, read on!

Boosted strength

It’s not going to make your windows bulletproof, or even completely shatterproof, but window films do help keep windows together in the event that they do break. Loose glass can be a major safety hazard, so if there’s a chance that a stray football or heavy storm is going to break your windows, a window tint does go that little bit toward better safety for you and your family.

Improved home security

Securing a home against theft is near the top of all homeowner’s priorities, and there are a number of ways to do it. You may already have a good security system and are thinking of more ways to bolster your home security. A one-way window tint film could do just the trick.

Essentially, if a burglar can’t see into your home easily, the chances of them attempting a break-in drop dramatically. Imagine it from their perspective; they have no idea what they’re going to grab—they don’t even know if you have anything worth taking at all. Being able to see inside a home is a prime motivator for robbery, since most theft is opportunistic, not planned. If someone can’t glance in your home and plan their entry and exit in a moment, they won’t bother, as there’s too much risk involved.

This also applies to commercial settings, like offices. If the windows are tinted, people are less likely to smash and grab, as they have no information on whether or not the office is empty.

Better privacy

Sometimes you have a view so good that it seems a shame to cover it up in favour of privacy. One-way window tinting allows you keep your windows open, and let the sunshine in to warm and brighten your home without putting you in a position where you feel like you’re on display for passers-by to see.

Manageable ambient temperature

Another point for both home and commercial locations—window tints can help you manage the heat in a space. Whether you’re at home or at the office, you could have concerns about your power bill, especially through the summer, when you’re more prone to running air conditioning as often as you can.

Window tint films can help keep your space cool by deflecting some of the heat from outside and shave off a portion of the price of air conditioning. You might be surprised by how much you can save depending on the size and shape of your windows.

This also means you can more effectively manage hot spots, as these can help you get hot spots under control. Hot spots are typically more of an issue for residential homes, where you might find that certain locations build up heat much faster than anywhere else.

Better screen time

Ever tried to use a computer during the day with the sun behind you? Screen glare can be one of the most frustrating issues to deal with when you move into a new space, and suddenly realise your windows bounce light right off your TV or computer screen. Glare can cause eye strain, and even lead to headaches.

Window tints can mitigate this issue, and this can be a way to keep large windows as a design element in your office, without jeopardising all of the staff who sit facing away from them.

Want to know more? Talk to Atlas Glass

The team here at Atlas Glass has been designing and installing windows for over four decades. If you have any questions at all, don’t hesitate to reach out and contact us—we’ll be happy to help!

Timber frames offer many advantages for home builders and renovation projects alike. They can be erected quickly, cheaply, and easily, yet still maintain the durability to keep your home safe and structurally sound for years to come.

Due to its strength, timber framing gives you a wealth of freedom when designing your space. With fewer load-bearing walls necessary to support your structure, timber frames make possible large, open spaces, and even vaulted ceilings. Their attractive appearance also makes them eligible for outdoor exposure. Whatever your reason for choosing timber framing, be it their natural and sustainable materials, insulation benefits, their simplicity, or their rapid build time, here’s what you need to know before you get started.

Basic construct of timber framing

Timber framing is commonly confused with post-and-beam style structures, which use metal fasteners to secure the joinery. Timber framing, however, is a bit more elegant. Wooden pegs (or tenons) are used to secure the timberjoinery (with slots called mortises). Timber framing is made up of four principle elements:

Ideal woods for timber frames

The type of wood matters when crafting your timber framing. Different types of timber will have different advantages and disadvantages, such as cost, appearance, and durability. Consider these wood types for your timber frames:

Tips and Tricks for your timber frames

When it comes to your timber framing, always sweat the small stuff. You’re going to ask a lot of your frames, so take care that they’re assembled correctly, with an eye for quality and endurance.

Take your timber joinery to the next level

Timber framing is a great look for any doorway or window frame, which is why Atlas Glass offers the finest glazing options for timber joinery NZ has to offer! Give your home the touch of class it deserves. Contact Atlas Glass today to learn more.


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