anjabache  GLAZED CONCRETE 

GLAZED CONCRETE ART FACADES 1998-2015

TEXTILE QUALITIES –ART FACADE PANELS – 160 x 50 x 1-3 cm – (THE SIZE OF THE KILN)

 

 

A FACADE PART OF AN URBAN TELLING

In architecture, a façade is never just a surface—it is an essential part of a larger architectural and urban narrative. It must
speak to the building, the city, and the life that unfolds around it. A façade is more than decoration; it holds meaning,
interacts with light and shadow, and shapes how we experience a space.

GLAZED CONCRETE TECHNOLOGY

Between 2009 and 2015, I developed specific ceramic
glazed concrete technology for large-scale, thin ceramic façades at the Technical University of Denmark—an idea that
took root during my Ph.D. research at the School of Architecture, Aarhus in 1998. This project was not just about material
innovation; it was an interdisciplinary exploration at the intersection of architecture, material science, and artistic
expression.

CURTAIN WALLS

I was particularly inspired by the architectural concept of the curtain wall, a non-loadbearing façade that, in its most minimal
form, can be just a textile—a flowing, flexible skin over the structure. This idea led me to rethink concrete—not as a rigid,
heavy material but as something more delicate, poetic, and dynamic. I wanted to infuse concrete with the qualities of
ceramics, allowing it to reflect light, absorb depth, and create patterns that shift with time and weather.

GLAZED CONCRETE FACADE

The result was glazed concrete façade panels, thin and strong, yet expressive—introducing a new material language that
merges the structural resilience of concrete with the tactile beauty and depth of ceramic glazing. These panels
interact with their environment, catching light, casting shadows, and transforming buildings into living, breathing surfaces.

FACADES CREATING ATMOSPHERES

Façades are more than aesthetic surfaces; they mediate between architecture and the urban space. A well-designed
façade must respond to the building’s architectural concept while also acknowledging its surroundings, contributing to the
spatial dialogue of the city.A well-designed façade must respond to the building’s architectural concept while also acknowledging
its surroundings, contributing to the spatial dialogue of the city. As architects like Peter Zumthor and Rem Koolhaas have
explored in different ways, architecture is about more than static objects—it is about creating atmospheres, layering meaning,
and reflecting the life that takes place within and around it.

INTEGRATED DISCIPLINE

In my work, I see façade design as an integrated discipline—one that must balance technique, function, and aesthetics,
as Vitruvius described over two thousand years ago. A façade is not just an external shell; it is a component of the building’s
identity, shaping how we experience space and time. With glazed concrete, I have sought to push the boundaries of
materiality and expression, proving that even one of the most utilitarian materials—concrete—can be transformed
into something rich in texture, depth, and light-play. In doing so, I hope to contribute to an architectural language
where structure and poetry, technology and art, function and expression are not opposing forces but rather
interwoven elements of the same vision.

SCALING UP COMPONENTS – NEED FRACTURE MECHANICAL DESIGN

When scaling up ceramic components, their mechanical behavior changes significantly,
making them far more susceptible to cracks and impact loads.That’s why material design
must account for scale, form, and context.
This understanding led me to develop Specific Glazed Concrete technology—
a fusion of fracture-mechanical principles, material science, architectural design
and artistic expression.

LARGE SCALE GLAZED CONCRETE FACADES

I translated it into large-scale, thin and bendable facades, as well as site-specific art and sculptures
some of which I showcase here.

 

FUNDED BY

The Realdania Foundation
The Danish Government Art Fund
J. L. Foghts Fond (foundation)
Danmarks Nationalbanks Jubilæumsfond
Dreyers Foundation 2014

THE DANISH ART WORKSHOPS

DOWNLOAD BOOK FOR FREE–
or buy it as hardcover at POLYTECHNICAL PUBLISHER

 

Glazed Concrete Components – No. 1. Scaled-up, thin, bendable facades blending art and science.
Glazed Concrete panels each 160 x 50 x 1 cm – In studio 

Glazed Concrete Components – No. 2. Scaled-up, thin, bendable facades blending art and science.       Glazed Concrete Components – No. 3. Scaled-up, thin, bendable facades blending art and science.       Glazed Concrete Components – No. 4-D. Detail Scaled-up, thin, bendable facades blending art and science.
Glazed Concrete panel 160 x 50 x 1-3 cm, 3 times 160 cm x 15 cm x 1 cm and detail from a panel
measuring 160 cm x 50 cm – 1-2 cm.   

Glazed Concrete Art – No. 2. At Clay Museum blending art and science in a sitespecific ceramic installation.
Glazed Concrete Art – presented under the title “Displacement” at the Ceramic Art Museum –
Clay. Here components 120 cm long. 

Glazed Concrete Components – No. 4. Scaled-up, thin, bendable facades blending art and science.       Glazed Concrete Components – No. 5. Scaled-up, thin, bendable facades blending art and science.      Glazed Concrete Components – No. 5 Detail. Scaled-up, thin, bendable facades blending art and science.
Glazed Concrete panel 160 x 50 x 1-2 cm, another 160 cm x 50 cm x 1-2 cm and a detail.   

Glazed Concrete Art – No. 3. Marsden woo Gallery. blending art and science.
Glazed Concrete Art – presented under the title “Signs and the Signed” at
Marsden Woo Gallery – London.  Here the panel is 160 cm x 50 cm x 1-2 cm.

Glazed Concrete Components – No. 6. Scaled-up, thin, bendable facades blending art and science.        Glazed Concrete Components – No. 3 A. Scaled-up, thin, bendable facades blending art and science.        Glazed Concrete Components – No. 3 B. Scaled-up, thin, bendable facades blending art and science.
Glazed Concrete panel 160 x 50 x 1-2 cm and three panels 160 cm x 15 cm x 1 cm. 

Glazed Concrete Components – No. 2 F. Scaled-up, thin, bendable facades blending art and science.      Glazed Concrete Components – No. 7. Scaled-up, thin, bendable facades blending art and science.       Glazed Concrete Components – No. 8 Scaled-up, thin, bendable facades blending art and science.
Glazed Concrete panels 160 x 50 x 1-3 cm.

Glazed Concrete Art – No. 4. Gallery Oxholm. Blending art and science.
Glazed Concrete Art – presented under the title “Ornamental Play” at Gallery Oxholm.
Some panels are 120 cm long. 

Glazed Concrete Art – No. 5. At Clay Museum blending art and science in a sitespecific ceramic installation.
Glazed Concrete Art – presented under the title “Displacement” at the Ceramic Art Museum –
Clay. Here components 120 cm long. 

Glazed Concrete Art – No. 6. At Clay Museum blending art and science in a sitespecific ceramic installation.
Glazed Concrete Art – presented under the title “Displacement” at the Ceramic Art Museum –
Clay. Here components with diameter of 60 cm each.

Glazed Concrete Components – No. 1 A. Scaled-up, thin, bendable facades blending art and science.
Glazed Concrete panels each 160 x 50 x 1 cm – In studio – showing play with light.

Glazed Concrete Components – No. 7. Clay Museum. Blending art and science.
Glazed Concrete Art – presented at Museum of Ceramic Art Clay under the title –
Dream of Flowerland – 60 pieces each measuring 40 x 40 cm. 

Glazed Concrete Art – No. 8. Clay Art Museum. Blending art and science.

Glazed Concrete Art – No. 7. At Clay Museum blending art and science in a sitespecific ceramic installation.

Glazed Concrete Art – No. 8. At Clay Museum blending art and science in a sitespecific ceramic installation.

Glazed Concrete Art – No. 9. At Clay Museum blending art and science in a sitespecific ceramic installation.

Glazed Concrete Panels– No. 18 Scaled-up, thin, bendable facades blending art and science.        Glazed Concrete Panels – No. 19 Scaled-up, thin, bendable facades blending art and science.

Glazed Concrete Art – No. 10. At Clay Museum blending art and science in a sitespecific ceramic installation.

Glazed Concrete Panels – No. 20 Scaled-up, thin, facades blending art and science.

Glazed Concrete Glazes – No. 21 for bendable facades blending art and science.
Different glazes.

 

Me in studio preparing for production of Glazed Concrete Panels – for Scaled-up, thin, bendable facades blending art and science. 1

Me at the Danish Art Workshops creating Glazed Concrete Panels – for Scaled-up, thin, bendable facades blending art and science. 1

Me at the Danish Art Workshops creating Glazed Concrete Panels – for Scaled-up, thin, bendable facades blending art and science. SVFK 2012     Me at the Danish Art Workshops creating Glazed Concrete Panels – for Scaled-up, thin, bendable facades blending art and science. 2
From the workshop at The Technical University of Denmark and from the Danish Art Workshops
Creating large scale facades – Panels just as big as the kiln allowed. Photos Anja

PROCES

I began the project in my Ph.d. at ÅRHUS SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE  1998
Continued in a BOLIGFONDENKUBEN2005-2007 funded project
at the DANISH ARTWORKSHOPS
and continued in a REALDANIA2009-2014 Funded project at the TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY OF DENMARK.
also amongst others funded by THE DANISH ART FOUNDATION
In 2015 I published a book – Questioning materialdesign – describing the designmethod I
used as well the glazed concrete.

SEE ARTPROJECTS

  1. CLAYMUSEUM – A dream of a flowerbed 2018-2019
  2. MARSDEN WOO GALLERY – SIGNS AND THE SIGNED – LONDON  2013
  3. ORNAMENTAL PLAY 2 – OFFICINET  2014 COPENHAGEN

SEE ALSO

CONFERENCE TEXT IN BOOK
THE DANISH ARCHITECTURE MAGAZINE ARKITEKTEN
ARTICLE RELATIONEL SCULPTURES
BUILDING SUPPLY
THE MAGAZINE CONCRETE(BETON)
BYGTEK.DK
UGENS ERHVERV

OTHERS IN THE FIELD

Professor David Binns and Ph.d. Alasdair Bremner –
University of Central Lancashire, School of Art, Design and Performance
Investigating in large EU-funded projects a sustainable approach. Which is needed for Glazed Concrete being highly engineered.
Former Director of the Glass and Ceramics workshop at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts, John Gibson, Bornholm.