Façade Idea #8 | Rethinking the Glass Node
Rethinking the Smallest Component of a Glass Façade
Sometimes, the biggest innovations begin with the smallest details.
At OpenFace Day 2026, Esra Yağdır ÇELİKER presented an innovative structural glass node designed for cable-net façades.
A new approach to structural glazing
Cable-net façades are valued for their transparency, but conventional point-fixing systems introduce visible metal components that interrupt the visual continuity of the glass.
Esra’s project proposes a glass point-fixing node that increases transparency while maintaining structural integrity.
The research combines computational design, structural analysis, prototyping, and experimental testing to develop a component that can be integrated into full-scale façade systems.
The project demonstrates how improving a single connection detail can influence the performance and appearance of an entire façade.
Small improvements in structural details can significantly improve architectural quality while maintaining safety and performance.
About the author
Esra Yağdır ÇELİKER is a lecturer at Özyeğin University and a PhD candidate at Istanbul Technical University. Her research focuses on structural glass façades, computational design, and performance-based building envelope design.