Materiality...
and making building materials perform un-natural acts (as a client so aptly put it) seems to be an increasing part of the challenge of producing insanely great places to live.
Glass is one material that is increasingly being used in unique, un-natural ways. On a recent home, I used it in the main stair. We had a few precedents to go on. This application was a little more conventional than the glass staircases you see in the Apple stores. Jobs patented the stair's design, you can download a copy here. Dupont's Sentry Glass Plus interlayer plays a role in the structure, as did Depp Glass' embossed finish--we used the microdot on our job. Wesley Depp was a great help in getting this design figured out. Another installation that was instructive was on Seattle's City Hall, a glass bridge.
Building codes and liability issues have to be closely managed. The math is actually pretty simple, and the Dupont SGP gives you a boost in strength if you need it. We had to perform an IBC equivalency, and I worked closely with the chief building official to make sure we understood how this product met codes. You have to dial in the strength with one of the layers broken, so you need to understand how the laminations work together. Edge supporting helps a lot, but diminishes the cool factor. And your fabrication drawings need to be exact.
One alternative we looked at but ended up not doing anything with was Schott's LightPoints LED equipped laminated glass product. Maybe on my next project...
