You might remember this wonderful innovation from Litracon® – translucent concrete – from its days as a prototype with small (paid) samples available to interested architects. Now, however, it has begun to be deployed in real-life buildings.

Prefabricated into a single suspended panel, the individual blocks for this particular wall were rotated into place. The result is a semi-transparent facade that lets in limited light and shadow but also provides some privacy for this prominent street-front location during the day (as light trickles inside, and visual interest outside on the sidewalk at night (when the light primarily passes back out).

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But this is just the beginning – from little table lamps with Litracon shades to pavers and sidewalk squares that transmit light down into (or up from) tunnels below your feet, well, the options are a bit mind boggling. For now, the delicate process required to create each unit is somewhat time- and cost-prohibitive, but as the technology evolves, anything could be possible.