ThinkGlass
As SuperyachtDesign discovered back in Q3, the potential structural applications of glass are impressively wide. But glass can also be used for unique detailing. Canadian glass design and manufacturing studio ThinkGlass, creators of striking glass counter tops, talk about the unique strength and durability of glass...…
Glass is strong in fact, it can be stronger than many metals or stone. It is also versatile, hardwearing and aesthetically pleasing. As SuperyachtDesign discovered back in Q3, the potential structural applications of glass are impressively wide. But glass can also be used for unique detailing. Bertrand Charest, president and co-founder of Canadian glass design and manufacturing studio ThinkGlass, has made it his mission to educate the public about the strength and durability of glass.
“When most people think of glass, they think of the glass in their windows, which is indeed very fragile,” explains Charest. “But when glass is crafted to the proper thickness – a minimum of 1.5 inches – it becomes as hard as stone. Glass offers design options in terms of color, texture and lighting that far exceed anything that can be accomplished with granite or marble.”
Charest began his career in glass 11 years ago when he and business partner Michel Mailhot launched ThinkGlass, which quickly became a leader in the thermoforming industry by pioneering a useful technique that allows the creation of new or repetitive textures at a very low molding cost. This process allowed ThinkGlass to create glass slabs without thickness constraints and opened the door to all kinds of design possibilities. ThinkGlass’ first big project was back in 2004, when the company was commissioned to create the now-famous chocolate fountain at the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas. While the company can do glass flooring, walls and art pieces, it is the glass countertops that stand out.
“There is a definite ‘wow’ factor with glass countertops,” says Charest. “Glass is a noble material, very pure. Even under natural sunlight, it has a luminescent quality that is stunning all on its own.” For Charest, glass is not simply a trend it is a material that can make a lasting and effective design statement.
The design options are almost limitless and the countertops can be customised to match any interior style, with an array of unique colour, texture, edge treatment, thickness, shape and even integrated LED lighting options available. Additionally, since glass is a solid surface cast in a single piece, it has no cracks or weakness, unlike natural stone. It is also an extremely sanitary surface material, as its non-porous surface has no crevices to harbor bacteria, mould or mildew. Glass requires no annual sealants, can be easily cleaned by crew with any commercial glass cleaner or with simple soap and water, and has a textured finish that hides fingerprints and smudges, making it an ideal choice for everything from galley counters, islands or bar tops.
To manufacture each piece, ThinkGlass begin with half-inch thick pieces of glass in large 8ft by 11ft sheets, before cutting he glass to size, according to project specifications. The sheets are stacked to the appropriate thickness and then carefully placed on a bed of sand inside an oven. If a texture is desired, the pattern is drawn on the sand before the glass is laid down. The glass is then baked one day per each half-inch of thickness. The finished product is cooled and polished by hand. There are no moulds and the sand is reused, so there is no waste in the production process.
For Charest, sustainability is extremely important and the company uses sustainable practices in its manufacturing processes, such as a using a rooftop cistern to collect rainwater for washing the glass and powering its ovens with hydro-electricity. All the glass used contains 25 per cent recycled materials and the finished glass products are 100 per cent recyclable with no additives, glue, resin or laminates.
“Our process is not just about manufacturing – it is an artisan process that includes doing things by hand and the combination of technical and artistic skills,” concludes Charest.
For more on the topic of glass, check out Materialist in Q3.
Related Links:
ThinkGlass – company profile | company website
“When most people think of glass, they think of the glass in their windows, which is indeed very fragile,” explains Charest. “But when glass is crafted to the proper thickness – a minimum of 1.5 inches – it becomes as hard as stone. Glass offers design options in terms of color, texture and lighting that far exceed anything that can be accomplished with granite or marble.”
Charest began his career in glass 11 years ago when he and business partner Michel Mailhot launched ThinkGlass, which quickly became a leader in the thermoforming industry by pioneering a useful technique that allows the creation of new or repetitive textures at a very low molding cost. This process allowed ThinkGlass to create glass slabs without thickness constraints and opened the door to all kinds of design possibilities. ThinkGlass’ first big project was back in 2004, when the company was commissioned to create the now-famous chocolate fountain at the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas. While the company can do glass flooring, walls and art pieces, it is the glass countertops that stand out.
“There is a definite ‘wow’ factor with glass countertops,” says Charest. “Glass is a noble material, very pure. Even under natural sunlight, it has a luminescent quality that is stunning all on its own.” For Charest, glass is not simply a trend it is a material that can make a lasting and effective design statement.
The design options are almost limitless and the countertops can be customised to match any interior style, with an array of unique colour, texture, edge treatment, thickness, shape and even integrated LED lighting options available. Additionally, since glass is a solid surface cast in a single piece, it has no cracks or weakness, unlike natural stone. It is also an extremely sanitary surface material, as its non-porous surface has no crevices to harbor bacteria, mould or mildew. Glass requires no annual sealants, can be easily cleaned by crew with any commercial glass cleaner or with simple soap and water, and has a textured finish that hides fingerprints and smudges, making it an ideal choice for everything from galley counters, islands or bar tops.
To manufacture each piece, ThinkGlass begin with half-inch thick pieces of glass in large 8ft by 11ft sheets, before cutting he glass to size, according to project specifications. The sheets are stacked to the appropriate thickness and then carefully placed on a bed of sand inside an oven. If a texture is desired, the pattern is drawn on the sand before the glass is laid down. The glass is then baked one day per each half-inch of thickness. The finished product is cooled and polished by hand. There are no moulds and the sand is reused, so there is no waste in the production process.
For Charest, sustainability is extremely important and the company uses sustainable practices in its manufacturing processes, such as a using a rooftop cistern to collect rainwater for washing the glass and powering its ovens with hydro-electricity. All the glass used contains 25 per cent recycled materials and the finished glass products are 100 per cent recyclable with no additives, glue, resin or laminates.
“Our process is not just about manufacturing – it is an artisan process that includes doing things by hand and the combination of technical and artistic skills,” concludes Charest.
For more on the topic of glass, check out Materialist in Q3.
Related Links:
ThinkGlass – company profile | company website
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