History of Basketball Digitally-Printed Glass Mural, Kansas University

The glass mural, measuring 66’ 1” wide x 12’ 4” tall, with a digitally-printed depiction of the history of Kansas University Basketball is comprised of 13 panels.The wall serves both function and esthetic as a decorative guardrail.



AGNORA was contracted to laminate the panels and to print a series of high-resolution images. The combined images appear seamless as one long mural. As images carried across the panels, alignment was critical to the fabrication process as was ensuring the accuracy of KU’s proprietary team colours. With the use of AGNORA’s CNC machines, all panels were accurately sized to 1/16”. To ensure a spotless surface on which to print and enhance quality, proprietary pre-washing was employed.



Success of the project hinged on AGNORA’s technical ability to take the client’s raw working files and manipulate them to produce the imagery with accuracy and precision. Extensive testing helped create the opaque, dark rich colours and white text. Printing specific creative zones on each of the 13 panels separately, ensured that we achieved a superior final result.



The history of basketball was being presented with text that needed to be as legible as any other print medium. AGNORA owns the largest digital ceramic printer in North & South America and pushed the limit of its Dip-Tech printer’s resolution in concert with file modifications to achieve the desired clarity. Printing both spot ink and mixed ink color together presented its own challenges. White ink for the text had to remain sharp even though it was within the bold red and blue KU colors. We also went to great lengths preparing the glass to ensure a superior result when printing the ceramic frit.



The final product was met with accolades from the university, glazier and designer.



“AGNORA is by far the most professional group of people I have had the pleasure of working with in my 43 years in the glass business.” – Jerry Townsend, Kennedy Glass



Glass Supplier: Pilkington



Interlayer: Kuraray America



Glazier: Kennedy Glass Conceptual



Planning & Design: Ralph Appelbaum Associates