A Blooming Jade Façade Made From Recycled Glass Bottles in Shanghai

Dec 29, 2021 by Kashish Bhardwaj in Recycling

An eye-catching exterior crafted for Bulgari's flagship store using recycled glass bottles by MVRDV

MVRDV, a Netherlands-based architecture and urban design practice has made an exquisite jade façade for one of the largest and most popular shopping malls in Shanghai – the new Bulgari Shanghai flagship store. The blooming green exterior has been made using recycled glass bottles, which means that the stunning exterior is not only glamorous but is also sustainable.

Sustainability does not mean choosing environment over technology but it is about using those technologies that prioritize environmental standards while retaining the required efficiency. The design was inspired by Bulgari’s original store in Rome and the Art Deco design.

The façade looks a lot like jade gemstone. The frontage was made with the variety of green, white, and transparent champagne bottles. These bottles were pressed through panels and were cut accurately with the help of a specialist factory in Germany. The transported material was then mounted onto the exterior of the Bulgari.

Image: MVRDV

The jade’s lookalike has been installed with a backlight that makes it radiant at night time and highlights its unique textural quality. Moreover, the backlight is engineered to minimize the footprint of the installation as it uses less than half the energy than a typical similar project.

The firm said;

The glass is completely recycled, produced at the Magna factory in Teutschenthal, Germany, which specializes in glass treatment. The project demonstrates the potential of sustainable recycled materials, even in luxury contexts, and takes one step towards MVRDV and Bulgari’s goal of store designs that are built using 100 percent circular economy materials.

The façade sets a great example for all those people who still doubts the implacability of recycled materials. The firm has taken an inspirational step towards promoting sustainability. Glass has no hazardous impact on environment as it do not contain harmful chemicals, rather this pseudo solid can be easily reused or recycled.