DIRTYGLASS by Jan Čihák as the ESDW award for UJEP

The ETUR Prize for Jan Evangelista Purkyně University in Ústí nad Labem is made from fritted clear glass waste of various origins, with the brown and green “veil” in the block processed from crushed packaging glass powder. 

DIRTYGLASS is a project based on the experiment of processing and reusing waste glass, which is intended for recycling and undergoes extensive sorting. A significant portion of this glass is essentially non-recycable and ends up in landfills. The DIRTYGLASS project primarily focuses on utilizing this waste material.

The original version of the DRITYGLASS project was not only presented at the FUD Winter Harvest 23 exhibition but also at the inaugural edition of the Ústí Design Festival at Ústí nad Labem House of Arts, where it was showcased alongside several other objects created using this technique as a material design of a new generation.

“In my experimentation with waste glass, I discovered its unique advantage. Compared to regular glass, it has very low levels of fluxes, which I eventually turned into its advantage. Several blocks and slabs have a very distinct and rough surface after melting because this type of glass doesn’t fully melt, creating its unique structure and appearance. People who see my projects for the first time are often surprised that glass can look different than they know. I enjoy uncovering more and more hidden facets and properties of this thousand-year-old material, both for myself and for others.” (Jan Čihák)

Learn more about ESDW at UJEP and the sustainability: https://www.ujep.cz/cs/udrzitelnost 

Photo: Jan Čihák, Šimon Roubal