The over 7,000 handmade glass blocks of the facade of Amsterdam‘s Channel Store are held together by glue from adhesives supplier Delo. Thanks to the specific properties of the Photobond adhesives, the bonding remains permanently transparent.
With the Crystal Houses Amsterdam, the architects of MVRDV have created something unique. The facade of the traditional Dutch brick building was removed and replaced by new, transparent glass blocks. The door and window frames are also completely made of glass components.
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Especially in the luxury goods segment, optics play a major role. The MVRDV architects have more than succeeded in making the facade of the Crystal House stand out from the other shops. Especially when it is dark, the glass facade comes into its own and shines brightly.
Brick but no mortar
The Delo-Photobond adhesives are characterised above all by their wide range of elasticity and that they are tension-equalising. This is an important property, especially in the different weather conditions, such as rain and heat, to which a facade is exposed. In addition, the adhesives do not yellow even after years and remain optically clear, which is also very important when bonding decorative elements such as perfume flasks. Thanks to the reliable adhesives, it was thus possible to dispense with mortar completely.
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Compared to conventional construction adhesives, which usually cure at room temperature, this special adhesive achieves its full strength through UV light. For curing the flat bonding of the glass blocks, Delo's floodlights Delolux 20 emitting light at a wavelength of 400 nm were used.
