This Glass Company Is Shattering The Status Quo

If pedigree ensures quality, Meltdown Glass Art & Design is at the top of its game. Once owned by artist BJ Katz, the Tempe-based art and architectural glass company is helmed by a 25-year veteran of the company, Peter Hayes. Hayes has shepherded the business into a multitude of specializations, including custom textures, color effects and now digital imagery. Here, he reflects on the evolution and future of architectural glass.

What kinds of projects do you work on? Most of our projects are site-specific applications using decorative architectural glass. Our view is that glass can be anything, so we love working with clients who have a vision for it.

Tell us about the most unusual installation your company has ever done. There have been many! We have produced glass gazebos in the Caribbean, staircases out of glass and glass ceilings.

Can you share some use cases for architectural glass that readers may not know about? Many clients using glass in homes think of kitchen and bath applications. Beyond that, we have been commissioned to produce furniture pieces like structural tabletops and seating, hanging glass sculptures, specialty lighting (such as sconces and chandeliers), and oversize tile and backsplashes.

What residential glass trends are you seeing today? Landscape and outdoor glass are an emerging trend as the design industry and clients become more comfortable putting glass outside. If you ask us, it’s a myth that glass is inherently fragile. It works well and is extremely durable as outdoor countertops, pool swim-up bars, and landscape fencing and balustrades.