Experimental glass seesaw engineered in collaboration with glass manufacturer Sedak. All of the Wippe’s components are fully transparent, including its bearing mechanism.

The Glass Wippe continues a theme that began with Vidre-Slide, a nine-metre long slide, that uses playfulness to explore the practical applications of emerging glass technologies.

Spanning 10 metres, the seesaw features a beam that weighs 1.3 tonnes yet moves weightlessly on its central pivot. Both components of the seesaw’s assembly consist of multi-ply laminates bonded with SentryGlas, with the beam tapering from a thickness of 11 layers to just two at each end.

Acrylic blocks machined to form bearings are fixed into the laminated glass assembly with a clear adhesive, while silicone oil reduces friction within the bearing. The result is a fully transparent mechanism that allows the seesaw to gently dip and rise.

Collaborator
Sedak

Exhibited
GlassTec 2018, Messe Dusseldorf