High-Performance Glass Bridge Designed by Weitzman-Led Team Goes on View at Corning Museum

Glass Bridge, a prototype of an ultra-thin high-performance glass structure designed by a team led by Masoud Akbarzadeh, assistant professor of architecture and the director of the Polyhedral Structures Laboratory at Weitzman, will be exhibited at The Corning Museum of Glass beginning November 30, 2024.

A proposition for future manufacturing that minimizes construction impact and carbon emissions, Glass Bridge features ultra-thin, high-performance, double-layered glass sheets. Inspired by design forms found in nature, the team used geometry-based structural design methods, known as Polyhedral Graphic Statics, to create three-dimensional hollow glass units that form an arch and can be easily assembled and disassembled. In 2016, Akbarzadeh was among the first to develop Polyhedral Graphic Statics methods based on a 150-year-old publication by J.C. Maxwell and W.J.M. Rankine in Philosophical Magazine. He has been applying this method to design architectural structures with minimal use of material ever since.

The hollow glass units of the structure carry the external loads as pure compressive forces thanks to the bridge's precise arch form. These compression-dominant structures are among the most efficient forms found in nature and in the history of building construction and architecture—an important feature that significantly reduces unnecessary weight and mass. The system can also be easily disassembled, recycled, and repurposed—making it a sustainable alternative to existing architectural design methods due to the reduced amount of carbon required. The dynamic, asymmetric design of the bridge results in a visually compelling form while improving the structural soundness of the bridge under an uneven load. The transparency of the bridge reduces obstructions to viewing or receiving natural light.

“The project's primary goal is to show how a challenging construction material such as glass can be designed for use as a primary structural system, intending to inspire architects, engineers, and researchers to question conventional design and explore strategies to minimize material use and maximize efficiency,” says Akbarzadeh. “Moreover, the same construction method can be applied to other sheet-based materials such as steel, aluminum, and wood to reduce material use and carbon emissions.”

The prototype is meant “to inspire architects, engineers, and researchers to question conventional design and explore strategies to minimize material use and maximize efficiency.” 

He goes on, “Metaphorically, the transparency of this bridge symbolizes the essential values of honesty and peace within our community. Though each sheet of glass may seem fragile, their collective arrangement in a specific geometry provides robust support capable of efficiently transferring substantial forces to the ground. The bridge's resilience is derived from the arch's geometry, symbolically bridging gaps between differing opinions. The innovative ideas of working with minimum material to reduce carbon emission represents Penn’s progressive approach in research and a brighter and carbon-neutral future. Thus, we also call Glass Bridge the Penn Monument for Hope.” 

The prototype of the glass bridge was realized over four years by a team of specialists assembled by Akbarzadeh. His collaborators include Damon Bolhassani, The City College of New York, Joseph Yost, Villanova University, and Jens Schneider, the president of Technical University of Vienna, alongside a team of PhD students and graduate research assistants.

“The Corning Museum of Glass celebrates the artistry, history, and science of glass, so it’s very meaningful to welcome the work of Penn professors and students into the galleries to demonstrate new possibilities for this medium,” says Karol Wight, the museum's president and executive director.

Glass Bridge will also feature a contemporary work of art by Romain Crelier (French, born 1962). Comprised of two offset semi circles made of smooth reflective surfaces, the contours of the form evoke a sense of fluidity akin to a tranquil pool of water. Its surface will serve as a reflective mirror, capturing the bridge's underside and the gallery's surrounding environment. The interactive essence of the sculpture and the bridge constitutes a pivotal aspect of the installation, fostering a dynamic interplay between the two structures.

To accompany the exhibition, the museum will produce a small booklet that highlights the impressive technical achievements of the bridge and celebrates it as a symbol of cooperation and sustainability.

Project collaborators include: Polyhedral Structures Lab, Department of Architecture, Weitzman School of Design; Villanova University College of Engineering; City College of New York Spitzer School of Architecture; Technische Universität; Technical University of Vienna; Office of the Vice Provost for Research at Penn; and National Science Foundation.

This installation is made possible through a generous gift from an anonymous donor at Penn. The scientific research behind this project is funded by the National Science Foundation CAREER Award (NSF CAREER-1944691 CMMI).