Building

Abstract

A building panel and a building formed therefrom, where the building includes a plurality of building panels arranged to form a cylindrical shape, where each panel comprises a single, or monolithic, glass piece, where each glass piece is substantially rectangular and includes two opposing long sides extending in a height direction and two opposing short sides extending substantially in a width direction, and where each glass piece forms an identical circular arc when viewed from either of the two opposing short sides.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A building panel, comprising:
 a monolithic glass piece,   wherein the glass piece is substantially rectangular and comprises two opposing long sides extending in a height direction and two opposing short sides extending substantially in a width direction, and   wherein the glass piece forms a circular arc when viewed from either of the two opposing short sides.   
     
     
         2 . The panel of  claim 1 , wherein the two opposing long sides each have a height greater than approximately 26′. 
     
     
         3 . The panel of  claim 1 , wherein the two opposing long sides each have a height of approximately 41′2 19/32″. 
     
     
         4 . The panel of  claim 2 , wherein the circular arc has an arc length of between approximately 8′ and 9′. 
     
     
         5 . The panel of  claim 4 , wherein the circular arc has a radius of between approximately 15′ and 17′. 
     
     
         6 . The panel of  claim 3 , wherein the circular arc has a radius of between approximately 16′1 13/16″ and 16′3″. 
     
     
         7 . The panel of  claim 1 , wherein the glass piece has a thickness of between approximately 0.5″ and 4″. 
     
     
         8 . The panel of  claim 1 , wherein the glass piece has a thickness of approximately 1 3/16″. 
     
     
         9 . The panel of  claim 1 , wherein the glass piece is comprised of a plurality of laminated glass layers. 
     
     
         10 . The panel of  claim 9 , wherein the glass piece is further comprised of at least one adhesive layer, and wherein the at least one adhesive layer is disposed between adjacent glass layers. 
     
     
         11 . The panel of  claim 10 , wherein the glass layers each have a thickness of approximately 9/16″ and wherein the at least one adhesive layer has a thickness of approximately 1/16″. 
     
     
         12 . The panel of  claim 11 , further comprising anchor points for mounting the panel, wherein the anchor points are laminated integrally with the glass layers. 
     
     
         13 . A glass building, comprising:
 a plurality of curved glass panels placed adjacent to each other to form a cylinder,   wherein each panel comprises a monolithic glass piece,   wherein each glass piece is substantially rectangular and comprises two opposing long sides extending in a height direction and two opposing short sides extending substantially in a width direction, and   wherein each glass piece forms an identical circular arc when viewed from either of the two opposing short sides.   
     
     
         14 . The building of  claim 13 , wherein the plurality of panels are disposed such that the circular arc of the glass piece of each panel shares a center point with the circular arcs of the glass pieces of the other panels when viewed from either of the two opposing short sides of each glass piece. 
     
     
         15 . The building of  claim 13 , wherein each of the plurality of panels is disposed adjacent to two other panels of the plurality of panels so as to together form a building having a substantially cylindrical shape. 
     
     
         16 . The building of  claim 13 , further comprising a plurality of fins for supporting the panels, the fins being formed of glass and positioned to correspond to regions where adjacent panels meet. 
     
     
         17 . The building of  claim 16 , wherein the fins have the same length as the panels and are formed of a monolithic glass piece. 
     
     
         18 . The building of  claim 17 , farther comprising:
 a cylindrical support positioned about a central longitudinal axis of the building;   a plurality of first beams formed of glass, each extending from the panels to the cylindrical support member;   a plurality of second beams formed of glass, each extending from the panels to the central longitudinal axis of the building; and   a third beam fonned of glass, extending across the building through the central longitudinal axis of the building.   
     
     
         19 . The building of  claim 18 , further comprising a roof, wherein the roof comprises:
 a plurality of first glass roof panels; and   a plurality of second glass roof panels,   wherein each of the first glass roof panels has a planar shape defined by an outer first circular arc, an inner first circular arc, and two straight first sides connecting the ends of the outer first circular arc to the ends of the inner first circular arc,   wherein each of the second glass roof panels has a planar shape defined by a second circular arc and two straight second sides, each of the two second sides connecting to one end of the second circular arc and to the other second side, and   wherein the plurality of first glass roof panels and the plurality of second glass roof panels are disposed in a plane such that each outer first circular arc, each inner first circular arc, and each second circular arc share a center point.   
     
     
         20 . The building of  claim 19 , wherein the roof further comprises twelve first glass roof panels and four second glass roof panels.