This cladding system for buildings uses glass as the envelope (glass panes), and as the main structure (glass fibre reinforced plastic). GFRP sandwich panels are arranged in space to hold the glass envelope. This arrangement presents particular advantages in three different ways: structurally speaking, it replaces the traditional frame, environmentally speaking, the GFRP panels provide insulation and glare control, while with the glass envelope, a gap is created that makes it possible for the use of dynamic ventilation systems. Thirdly, and probably most importantly, it offers new architectural and visual possibilities due to the translucency of glass in both forms (fibres and panes).

The concept is very simple, yet offers great flexibility, as the geometry and configuration of the GFRP panels can vary considerably. With a few basic constraints, it should be up to the architect to design the system for its use in a specific building.

The dome in the pictures, which could be an extension to an existing building, demonstrates the possibilities of the proposed system. The pentagonal GFRP sandwich panels are arranged as a dodecahedron. Using steel struts and spider fixings, they hold the glass panes (in a geodesic configuration)

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