A new type of glass has been specially designed for the Wales Millennium Centre and is currently being installed in the building. The Architectural Glass Department at Swansea Institute of Higher Education has patented the unique glass, which will create lighting effects at the centre. The Department has created solid glass strips of 10cm thickness, which will be sandwiched between slates on the outer walls of the building. Multiple sheets of the green soda lime glass are heat fused to form solid blocks. These blocks will allow natural light to penetrate the building during the day and at night will emit artificial light from within the Centre to create an effect outside the building. The Wales Millennium Centre is scheduled to open in November 2004 in Cardiff, and will be a venue for the arts. (whole item)
