Project Description
Following a material investigation that juror Gordon Gill called “valuable and interesting,” the concept for Thermometric Façade then took shape—literally. The project uses the thermal and volume-expansion behavior of wax-based phase-change materials to create a modular, structural glass block that becomes clear or opaque depending on the ambient temperature. Stacked together, the blocks can create dynamic walls that react to programmatic or environmental conditions. “It turns something discreet and hidden into an element of design,” juror Martina Decker said.