PENADES

Look Mum, No UV is a construction system that joins glass panels through metal ratchets and leather straps – any glue or other type of adhesive has been used for the assembly of the piece.

Originally conceived in 2018 as part of the ‘Manifesto’ show curated by Jana Zielinski and Jiri Macek in Prague, this 3rd iteration adds a new layer into the project by enhancing the texture of the main material.

The panels consists of a three-layer laminated tempered glass, with the middle layer shattered, in order to generate an uncontrolled pattern. These fractures are safely encapsulated between the top and bottom layers, maintaining full structural properties. Beyond its visual impact, the fractured glass introduces a unique interaction with light. As it passes through the broken inner layer, light refracts, bends, and scatters, creating shimmering distortions, shadows, and surface textures impossible to achieve with smooth glass.

The coffee table is held together with industrial metal ratchets, typically used for securing cargo in transit. This joining system forms a sharp contrast with the glass’s delicacy and results in a piece that is simultaneously refined and robust.

The title is a playful nod to the childhood phrase “Look, Mum! No hands!” — recast here as a proud declaration of a non-synthetic construction vocabulary.

*Disclaimer: this text has been partially written with the help of a non-human assistant aka Chat GPT.