Distorted view

The University of Texas at Austin has created a new landmark with the glass installation C-010106 from the American artist Sarah Oppenheimer. The glass for this work of art was supplied by sedak: 8 quadratic glass laminates (up to 4.85 m x 3.17 m) provide reflections and mirroring to create unusual visual connections between above and below that distort reality visually through their unusual arrangement – the glass thus enables the effect desired by the artist.

In accordance with the constructional strength requirements, the glass panels are made from quadruple laminates (HSG/FTG, SG Interlayer). The fascinating effect of the artwork is created by the slanted positioning of the panes, the sophisticated combination of transparent and reflective surfaces and the high quality of the glass and manufacturing: the transparent surfaces provide maximum clearness with high-quality low-iron glass; the reflections are provided by panes with a special mirror coating (ipachrome). The slanted laminates are held in place by 16 x 2 and 14 x 2 TriPyramid titanium fittings, which sedak laminated into the construction.

Assembly & virtual customer approval
The approval procedure for the laminates, some of which measure almost 15sqm and are 40mm thick, was performed in an unusual way: they were put together according to the instructions of the New York artist and then inspected and accepted by video.

Now the 8 laminates have been assembled as two installations on the University campus. Each structure consists of four glass panes – 2 reflective, diagonally positioned panes placed between 2 vertical panes. This special positioning enables the pedestrians on the bridge to see the situation under the bridge. People underneath are also able to see what is happening on the bridge. The artist thus distorts the spatial relationship and reverses our sense of near and far. In this way, Oppenheimer increases awareness of the shared environment and creates unexpected approaches for social interaction