GlassFloor WORLD-GLASS FACILITIES
Sports venues and glass floors may sound like an unlikely match, but this is exactly what ASB GlassFloor’s technology combines to create a clever, versatile surface for multi-use sports facilities.
In most sports, coloured markings on a court are a crucial part of the game to determine the playing area. The markings for different sports do alter, however, and can therefore cause confusion for athletes who use multi- use sports facilities which display a maze of coloured lines.
To solve this problem, German-based company, ASB, has created GlassFloor technology to enable the court markings on the floor to be changed with a simple tap of a screen.
Founded in 1965, ASB is a world- recognised installer of squash courts and, with over 25 innovations within its portfolio, the company has had a major influence on the sport of squash for both athletes and spectators. This rich sporting heritage provided them with the foundations they needed for the creation of a glass sports floor.
The back walls of a squash court have always been made from glass but, using their expert knowledge and experience, ASB decided to adapt this technology to develop a glass sports floor.
After several years of a trial and error development process and overcoming a lot of hurdles, ASB installed the world’s first GlassFloor in a 500m² sports hall
36 | SPORTS VENUES
in Stein, Germany. The glass panels for the floor are made from two specially treated 2x3m safety glass plates, held together by a 1.5mm PVB layer and are laid on top of the LED channels and a shock-absorbent substructure.
Every 500mm, the glass panels are attached to the aluminium substructure, meaning that just a simple suction cup can be used to lift the panel. This allows for quick and easy access to the LEDs, which can be installed in many different colours. On the underside of the glass panels, a special foil is applied to achieve a clear light lining, without seeing single LEDs and to give the floor the chosen colour.
Goal and net post sockets can be integrated easily and the ASB GlassFloor fulfils all requirements of the International Standard EN 14904 for area elastic sport floors.
The patented surface of the ASB GlassFloor consists of speciality etched safety glass to prevent reflection of the lights, with burned-in ceramic dots for the right grip. These anti-slip properties reduce the risk of injury from sliding and falling. It makes the surface so strong that it is almost impossible to damage. Thus, other events such as exams, exhibitions
or dance performances may be held on the floor without any protection.
German badminton champion, Nicole Grether, has shared her praise of the system: “The floor is unbelievably elastic, the grip is perfect and every movement feels incredibly smooth.”
The unique appearance, low- maintenance characteristics and long life of the floor make the product also very appealing for commercial or residential buildings. A bespoke LED design, such as hidden guidance systems, customized RGB colour logos, full colour digital print or even a full LED screen (ASB LumiFlex), allow for a unique and interactive design as well as creative methods of advertising.
The grip of the glass surface can be adjusted to offer the ideal, easy-to- clean surface for spa areas in addition to installed mood lighting and LED design elements which enables the architect to create contemporary new methods of illumination in spa areas.
The ASB GlassFloor represents creative technology, and a resourceful idea which will pave the way for sports floors of the future.
www.ASBGlassFloor.com
www.tomorrowscontractfloors.com
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