Glass from Klaipėda for the Sochi’s main Olympic arena

The international architectural glass processing and insulating glass unit production group Glassbel that has one of its companies located in Klaipëda’s FEZ, became a major supplier of glass products for construction of the major object of Sochi Winter Olympics 2011 – the Grand Ice Arena.

It was reported that custom-made architectural glass processed by the Klaipėda’s company Glassbel Baltic is already being supplied to the project contractors and will be used in the stained glass windows of the main building. The Grand Ice Arena is planned to complete this fall.

The complex glass architecture solutions are a key element helping to implement the architectural design idea. The Grand Ice Arena that is about to become the trademark of the future Olympic Games, is to remind of a frozen water drop.

Such symbolism was chosen not only because it has something to do with the winter. The arena will have an egg-shaped form and a seven thousand square meter dome, which includes stained glass gradually turning into the main facade.

In this way it will also remind of Faberge’s famous creations – Easter eggs – which made Russia famous in the 19th century.

Unlike Faberge’s jewelry miniatures, the Great Ice Arena, having the area of as much as 54 thousand square meters, will be able to accommodate twelve thousand viewers.

The arena’s total glazed area will be over eight thousand square meters. For this project, Glassbel undertook to create a colour composition as well as provide a special glass type that could help to implement the building concept developed by architects.

A multi-functional, energy-efficient glass has been selected at the final stage to secure a high light transmission and thermal insulation level in the cold time of the year and protection from direct sunlight in summer. In addition, a special glass formula has been selected to ensure another, equally important, customer requirement, i.e. particular attention to the building safety.

It was reported that glass selected by the Glassbel specialists, lately been widely used around the world to implement complex projects notable for their architectural ambition. The most difficult part of the project are non-rectangular shaped glass used, having the structural profile insertions on every side.