Published on 10/30/2026 · by Leandro Caldas, glazier, founder of Routeck and creator of the Arena
Arena do Vidro challenges: all 4 from season 1, rule by rule
The Arena do Vidro challenges were built to pull glaziers out of their comfort zone. In season 1 I invited the two best glaziers I know, Janael Hipólito and Rômulo, to compete for a R$ 10,000 prize. There were four challenges, one per episode, each with a different kind of difficulty. Here I put all four in one place: the rule, the time limit, what each one tested and how the score ended up. The full season is in the video above.
Challenge 1: the Hello Kitty mirror
In episode 1 both of them had to make exactly the same design, a Hello Kitty mirror, in 1 hour and 30 minutes. The mirror came already cut on the Router Glass. The machine can also cut the sandblasting stencil with its laser, but in this challenge the stencil had to be cut by hand. At the end the mirror went up on the wall, and the rule was simple: if it falls, you are out.
It was a test of patience and a steady hand with the utility knife. The judges gave Rômulo 7.5 and Janael 6, after he lost time on a problem under pressure. The episode winner got a prize of sorts: a hammer to break his opponent's mirror. Janael felt it, and so did everyone watching.
Challenge 2: make a mirror in 10 minutes and sell it on the street
Challenge 2 had two parts. First, each of them had 10 minutes to make a mirror. One went with a leather frame with EVA foam behind it. The other went with a flexible frame. Then came the part nobody expected: 15 minutes to sell that mirror on the street, to people walking by, in a place where nobody knew them. Each could pick two judges to help, and whoever made a sale got 5 points plus the judges' scores.
Both of them sold. One sale went for R$ 2, about 35 seconds after getting out of the car. The other went for R$ 20, in 3 minutes and 7 seconds. Nobody had said anything about price, and that became part of the strategy. The challenge measured something many glaziers forget: knowing how to make it is not enough, you have to know how to sell it.
Challenge 3: cut the template shape without touching it
Episode 3 had two organic-shape templates. Each contestant picked one and had 20 minutes to cut exactly that shape in a mirror. Just the cut, no edging. The tough rule: they could not touch the template or lay it on top of the mirror. The hard part was transferring the drawing to the glass, and 10 minutes in, neither of them had it right.
During judging, one judge pulled a caliper out of his pocket to measure. The judges called it a tie. That sent them to the final with Janael at 21 points and Rômulo at 19.5.
Challenge 4: a free-standing mirror with a metal frame
The final was all about metal. They had 2 minutes to draw whatever they wanted, any shape, any size. The rule: the mirror had to have a metal frame and stand on its own. Total time was 60 minutes. Ten minutes in, help arrived: from then on each could call Rui or Peterson, two metalwork specialists, for 10 minutes of hands-on work, sanding, welding or whatever they needed.
The final score was 29.37 to 27.12, and Janael took home the R$ 10,000. Rômulo did not leave empty-handed: he won a R$ 2,000 supply kit from LED Glass. And he said on the spot that with those 2,000 he would make 10,000.
All 4 challenges at a glance
| Episode | Challenge | Time | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hello Kitty mirror with a hand-cut stencil | 1h30 | Rômulo 7.5 x Janael 6 |
| 2 | Mirror in 10 min, then a street sale | 10 min + 15 min | Both sold |
| 3 | Cut the template shape without touching it | 20 min | Tie |
| 4 | Free-standing metal frame, with 10 min of help | 60 min | Janael 29.37 x Rômulo 27.12 |
What the challenges measure
- Finish and patience: cutting the stencil by hand on the Hello Kitty mirror.
- Speed and sales: making a mirror in 10 minutes and getting a stranger to buy it.
- Cutting accuracy: copying an organic shape on a mirror without resting the template on it.
- Planning: drawing in 2 minutes and making good use of 10 minutes of metalwork help.
Notice that only one of the four challenges is pure cutting. The Arena shows the whole glazier: hands, head and sales. If you want to see how shapes are cut on a machine, the Routeck blog has a step-by-step guide.
- How many challenges were in Arena do Vidro season 1?
- Four, one per episode, for a R$ 10,000 prize.
- Who won season 1?
- Janael Hipólito, with 29.37 points to Rômulo's 27.12 in the final.
- How can I join the next season?
- You apply here on the Arena do Vidro site, on the application page.
Want to talk about Arena do Vidro? Message me on WhatsApp at +55 31 9095-8383.
Full episode 1 · Episode 1: the Hello Kitty mirror · Episode 2: selling a mirror on the street in 35 seconds · The season 1 final · How to apply for Arena do Vidro · How to cut a mirror into shapes
