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HBO/WO

MBO

May 6, 2026

WindowMappr©

The WindowMappr© was developed to make spatial challenges connected to landscape and land use tangible, visible and easier to discuss in a low‑threshold way that stimulates interaction, reflection and co‑creation, both in educational settings and in practice, where digital participatory mapping tools are often too technical or distant for quick, collaborative use. Its simple and consistent setup makes it broadly applicable across contexts, supporting spatial thinking in education and facilitating the exchange of knowledge, experiences and perspectives in participatory processes without requiring technical expertise. This document provides a practical guide for constructing the WindowMappr© and outlines its basic principles of use.

Document

Franziska Komossa

April 15, 2026

Curved Glass: An Industry Perspective

In this video, Ferran Figuerola, a third-generation leader of the nearly century-old family business Cricursa, traces curved glass from its traditional flat origins to its role in ambitious architectural facades. Curved glass is unique because it adapts to complex geometries, becoming exceptionally stiff and capable of resisting wind loads while offering dynamic light effects that change with the angle of light. Key challenges center on both manufacturing and logistics. The process requires specialized ovens, careful heat treatment choices, and precise molding or quenching techniques. Installing curved glass is trickier than flat glass because its three-dimensional shape demands specialized equipment and careful prediction of how the glass will behave when lifted or inclined. Beyond production, storing and shipping these unstable curved forms adds further difficulty. Figuerola emphasizes that despite nearly a century of shared experience, every day brings new learning opportunities and challenges. He explains how to anticipate unpredictable costs by accounting for risks and uncertainties in production. In extreme cases, five production attempts may yield solely one success. Yet surprises can go both ways: a complex glass ladder and slide created for Glasstec in Düsseldorf succeeded on the very first try, defying his own cautious expectations. The video was produced by the Open GLASSroom project. Special thanks to Ferran Figuerola and Cricursa for contributing to the Open GLASSroom OER collection. The creation of these resources has been (partially) funded by the ERASMUS+ grant program of the European Union under grant no. 2022-1-DE01-KA220-HED-000089750. Neither the European Commission nor the project's national funding agency DAAD are responsible for the content or liable for any losses or damage resulting of the use of these resources.

Video

Ferran Figuerola

December 15, 2025

Systems Thinking Pressure Cooker

What – This pressure cooker is an introduction to systems thinking. This pressure cooker can be used to quickly familiarize a group of people with what the characteristics of a system are and have them experience various examples of using systems thinking to explore a topic or question. For whom – The format can be used (and adjusted) for a team of teachers that are not yet familiar with systems thinking, as well as a group of students (all levels; any group size). Why – Guided training in integration of systems thinking in a research project. How long – Approximately 2-2,5 hours in class and a 10 minutes pre-class video.

Presentation

Programma Interdisciplinair Onderwijs

October 29, 2025

A Novel Approach to Artificial Fracture Pattern Generation

In this recorded presentation from glasstec 2024, Leon Bohmann, from TU Darmstadt, focuses on the problem of spontaneously broken glass, specifically how it fractures into numerous fragments, a process which is not yet fully understood and currently requires expensive physical testing for safety validation. The speaker proposes a numerical simulation approach to predict these fracture patterns. By analyzing over 130 experiments, key data on fragment orientation and intensity relative to the impact point was gathered. The simulation method involves randomly distributing points based on this data, placing ellipses on them, and then using a watershed algorithm to generate realistic fracture patterns. The results show a promising visual and statistical match to actual broken glass, offering a potential alternative to costly physical tests. Special thanks to Messe Düsseldorf GmbH for providing the footage, and to Leon Bohmann for contributing to the Open GLASSroom OER collection. The creation of these resources has been (partially) funded by the ERASMUS+ grant program of the European Union under grant no. 2022-1-DE01-KA220-HED-000089750. Neither the European Commission nor the project's national funding agency DAAD are responsible for the content or liable for any losses or damage resulting of the use of these resources.

Video

Leon Bohmann

October 26, 2025

Comparative Analysis of the Glass Plate Design

In this video, Ivana Rakić presents a comparative analysis of the economic impact of designing glass elements according to different standards, focusing on the new European draft standard FprEN 19100-1(2,3):2023, the existing EN 16612:2019, and the American ASTM E1300-16. The study examines common double-glazed insulating units under wind load, using the minimal required glass thickness for loadbearing resistance as the key comparison criterion. The results indicate that for annealed glass, all three standards yield similar economic outcomes. However, for heat-treated glass like heat-strengthened and thermally toughened glass, the new FprEN 19100 standard leads to a lower capacity utilisation factor, making it the most economical design choice, while the ASTM standard is the least economical. The analysis concludes that the choice of standard significantly influences design economy and highlights the need for further research incorporating factors like safety and long-term performance for a more comprehensive understanding. The video was produced by the Open GLASSroom project. Special thanks to Ivana Rakić and Nebojša Buljan for contributing to the Open GLASSroom OER collection. The creation of these resources has been (partially) funded by the ERASMUS+ grant program of the European Union under grant no. 2022-1-DE01-KA220-HED-000089750. Neither the European Commission nor the project's national funding agency DAAD are responsible for the content or liable for any losses or damage resulting of the use of these resources.

Video

Ivana Rakić, Nebojša Buljan

October 25, 2025

Fracture Mechanics Fundamentals

In this video, Daniel Trias Mansilla explains the core principles of fracture mechanics, which provides an alternative to traditional stress analysis by accounting for the inherent cracks and defects in real materials. The field introduces two main criteria for predicting failure. The first is an energy-based approach, using the energy release rate (G), which measures the energy available to propagate a crack. The second is a stress-based approach, using the stress intensity factor (K), which characterizes the intense stress field near a crack tip. Fracture occurs when either of these values reaches a critical threshold (Gc or Kc), which are material properties known as fracture toughness. These concepts allow engineers to predict failure in flawed components more accurately than traditional methods. The video was produced by the Open GLASSroom project. Special thanks to Daniel Trias Mansilla for contributing to the Open GLASSroom OER collection. The creation of these resources has been (partially) funded by the ERASMUS+ grant program of the European Union under grant no. 2022-1-DE01-KA220-HED-000089750. Neither the European Commission nor the project's national funding agency DAAD are responsible for the content or liable for any losses or damage resulting of the use of these resources.

Video

Daniel Trias

September 23, 2025

Cast Glass

In this video, Telesilla Bristogianni and Faidra Oikonomopoulou explain the process and potential of glass casting as a method for creating three-dimensional architectural components. This technique allows for the creation of complex, solid glass shapes that fully utilize the material's high compressive strength. The process is divided into two main types based on the starting state of the glass. Primary casting involves founding glass from raw ingredients and includes methods like hot pouring. Secondary casting, or kiln casting, involves reheating pre-made solid glass pieces in a single kiln. A critical step is annealing, the controlled cooling to relieve internal stresses, a process that becomes lengthier for thicker pieces. The molds that are used are either disposable (for unique shapes, rough finish) or permanent (for series production, smooth finish). The main architectural limitation is the immense annealing time for large components, confining most applications to brick-sized units. However, topology optimization (reducing mass while maintaining stiffness) can drastically cut cooling times, enabling future large-scale, monolithic glass structures. The video was produced by the Open GLASSroom project. Special thanks to Telesilla Bristogianni and Faidra Oikonomopoulou for contributing to the Open GLASSroom OER collection. The creation of these resources has been (partially) funded by the ERASMUS+ grant program of the European Union under grant no. 2022-1-DE01-KA220-HED-000089750. Neither the European Commission nor the project's national funding agency DAAD are responsible for the content or liable for any losses or damage resulting of the use of these resources.

Video

Faidra Oikonomopoulou, Telesilla Bristogianni

September 20, 2025

Glass in Facade Systems

In this video, Francesco Carlucci outlines the primary glass facade systems for buildings. The video distinguishes between traditional windows, set within opaque walls, and larger curtain walls. Curtain walls are categorized into three types: stick systems (built on-site from a metal grid), unitized systems (prefabricated modules assembled on-site), and structural glass facades (which use point fixings to create a seamless, all-glass appearance by hiding the load-bearing structure). Each system offers different advantages in cost, aesthetics, installation speed, and performance, allowing designers to choose the best solution for a project's specific architectural and technical needs. The video was produced by the Open GLASSroom project. Special thanks to Francesco Carlucci for contributing to the Open GLASSroom OER collection. The creation of these resources has been (partially) funded by the ERASMUS+ grant program of the European Union under grant no. 2022-1-DE01-KA220-HED-000089750. Neither the European Commission nor the project's national funding agency DAAD are responsible for the content or liable for any losses or damage resulting of the use of these resources.

Video

Francesco Carlucci

May 21, 2025

AI special with Pim Haselager (part 2) | In a Nutshell

AI seems to have come to stay, but what does the future of artificial intelligence hold? And why is it perhaps one of the most penetrating technologies since the development of language? In the second part of the AI special, we take a look at the future of AI. Together with Pim Haselager, Antonia talks about how AI might change as a technology – and how humans will likely too. Will reading lose its importance? Can (and should) you generate ideas with the help of artificial intelligence? And how is AI changing the relationship we have to ourselves? Pim Haselager is a professor of artificial intelligence and a principal investigator at the Donder’s Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour. This episode is part of a two-part special on Artificial Intelligence. Make sure to also have a look at the first episode of the series about the past and present of AI – and the next Vox magazine on Artificial Intelligence, featuring an interview with Pim Haselager. Edit: Jara Majerus Cover: Antonia Leise

Audio

Jara Majerus, Antonia Leise, Pim Haselager

January 28, 2025

Combating Crises From Below

Through an exploration of multiple types of crises in a variety of geographical settings in Europe, the chapters compiled in this book offer fresh insight into how particular groups of people work to combat polycrises ‘from below’. How can the convergence of multiple cascading crises create a broader disruptive reality of ‘polycrisis’ in society? How do specific social groups and communities develop purposeful responses to the distinctive forms of insecurity and suffering generated by an enduring polycrisis? Through an exploration of multiple types of crises in a variety of geographical settings in Europe and the United Kingdom, the chapters compiled in this book offer fresh insight into how particular groups of people work to combat polycrises ‘from below’. Cumulatively, the chapters offer an interdisciplinary look at the notion of ‘crisis’ by considering how multiple kinds of crisis (ecology, health, economy, democracy, spirituality, etc.) intersect in concrete social settings to produce localized situations of polycrisis characterized by distinctive ‘geometries’ of crises within crises. The book’s first segment offers some novel conceptual approaches to the inter-disciplinary study of crisis politics ‘from below’. The second part offers a thematically cohesive series of case studies that shed light on the question of how different sets of actors in particular settings across Europe and the United Kingdom have engaged with entrenched polycrisis. The cases range from single mothers, migrants and gentrifying neighbourhoods on the one hand to social movement activists and new age spiritualist groups on the other. Maastricht, June 2023 Kai Heidemann (editor) is an Assistant Professor of Sociology at University College Maastricht in the Netherlands.

Open (Access) Text Book

Kai Heidemann