University of Iowa | Visual Arts Building

Channel glass by Bendheim soars at 20-foot heights at the new University of Iowa Visual Arts Building by Steven Holl Architects. The concave channel glass openings are carved into the rectilinear building form, creating multiple “centers of light.”

The combination of Bendheim’s 504 Rough Cast™ channel glass texture with translucent insulation inserts delivers ideal daylight, as if filtered through a translucent cloud. With no glare requiring shades or other window treatments to block it, classrooms, studios, and lounge spaces are flooded with natural light that appears to have no direct source. The evenly dispersed light creates the best possible atmosphere in which to work and create.

In addition to the impressive glare reduction and a high Visible Light Transmission (VLT) of approximately 40%, the insulated channel glass walls offer improved thermal performance, achieving a U-value of 0.25.