A Chanel store in Amsterdam was built with beautiful glass blocks that are are stronger than concrete

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Crystal House

Daria Scagliola & Stijn Brakkee

This building in Amsterdam is, technically, a brick house, but not one like you've ever seen.

The magnificent "crystal" facade is the front of Chanel's flagship store in the city, and it's made out of hundreds of solid glass bricks. 

Crystal House

Daria Scagliola & Stijn Brakkee

The unique storefront is the work of the Dutch architecture firm MVRDV, who completed the project in 2016.

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To build it, they tore down the existing storefront and replaced it with specially made glass bricks in the same style of the original and in line with the neighboring shops' Dutch heritage.

Crystal House

Daria Scagliola & Stijn Brakkee

In addition to being beautiful, the glass bricks are tough. They're stronger than concrete, and are capable of withstanding the force of a car crash.

Crystal House

Poesia

The glass bricks are potentially an eco-friendly construction innovation too. They're totally reusable, and can be melted down to make new materials. According to MVRDV, during construction they re-melted any defective or warped bricks to make new, perfect ones without any trouble or waste.

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Crystal House

Daria Scagliola & Stijn Brakkee

The building is located on P.C. Hooftstraat, a major shopping street in Amsterdam, should you ever want to visit.

 

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