These are the top 5 constraints that exist for my glass writing boards:

  1. Permission/requirements from Housing & Dining and/or Facilities Management
    1. I have been trying for several days now to set up a meeting with the hall director in my building. This is a necessary step in order to understand the requirements/constraints imposed by my higher-ups.
    2. For example, I need to know if there are specific rules that facilities will require I follow before something can be hung on the walls.
  2. Safety & Durability
    1. Tempered glass will be used
      1. It is REALLY strong, and glass “pebbles” are produced instead of dangerous shards
      2. Boards must survive impacts and pressure from passer-bys and users
    2. Adequate wall anchors will be used: Snaptoggle
    3. The frame itself must survive expected and unexpected forces
  3. Low-profile
    1. Boards must protrude from the hallway walls as short a distance as possible.
      1. They will pose a snagging hazard to people carrying bags or items being moved through hallways, which needs to be minimized.
  4. Size & weight
    1. The board(s) can obviously not be so big that it acts as a hindrance in the hallways, and the weight needs to be reasonable so that assembly is not overly hard or the walls can support it.
    2. Currently, the main contribution to weight is the glass pane:
      1. A 3’x6′ pane will weight 50-60lbs
  5. Aesthetics should not be permanent
    1. A driving goal of this project is for the boards to be dynamic, which means that they must change with time. These boards will provide each floor in Andrews Hall the opportunity to create their own identity through their own twist on the aesthetic design of the boards in the future. At the beginning of each new year, groups of freshmen will hopefully team up to come up with their own unique designs and work on bringing them to life throughout their time in the hall.
    2. Changes must be made without ruining the boards

2 Comments. Leave new

  • They make tempered glass, eg auto glass, which is absurdly strong. There are videos of people smacking car windows with hammers and them bouncing off. They also break into very small piece.

    Regarding #5, this is a strong motivation to aim for a minimalist and timeless appearance. One that will age well and not detract from any content created on it.

    Reply
  • Samantha Maierhofer
    March 10, 2016 8:54 am

    Definitely a lot to think about for the project with respect to constraints, but it sounds like you have thought through a lot of it. Good luck with meeting with your hall director, hope it goes well! Have you come up with any initial front panel designs to demonstrate different aesthetics?

    Reply

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