The water spectacle continues inside the enclosed walkway, which features water flowing down over the outside of the side walls. Their exterior surfaces are unique: the 18 laminated safety glass panels have a specially produced surface texture with a grooved finish that creates an unmistakable play of light and colour. The multifaceted optical effects vary depending on one’s viewing angle and how the light falls. Moreover, the milled finish, which was precisely calculated in the planning phase, regulates the water’s flow velocity and affects the structural behaviour of the glass panels under the site’s extreme climatic conditions. The walkway leads into the cube-like retail store, whose all-glass façade was also the responsibility of seele. The façade consists of 36 laminated safety glass panels, each measuring 3 × 6.2m.
Along with the exacting fabrication of the glass panels, their installation – done within a confined space and during uninterrupted operation of the neighbouring shops and restaurants – was a challenge that seele mastered with excellence.
Header image: © Nigel Young / Foster + Partners
