Glass in Today’s Architecture
-a Seminar-
Expanding the Role of Glass in Architecture
Abstract
• In the last decade, we have seen a dramatic increase in the
use of structural glass in buildings, due to increasing interest
from architects and improvements in glass technology.
• The obvious reason to choose glass is because
o It is a transparent yet durable material.
o Resistant to the effects of weathering.
o By using supporting glass structures and frames, like beams
and fins, this increases the transparency even further.
Introduction
First created over 4,000 years ago, glass
has played an integral part in construction
since Syrians, back in the seventh century,
spun molten glass into a flat shape.
Technology advanced, and, in the early
twentieth century, molten glass was drawn
vertically into sheets, creating“ sheet
glass.”
The later-developed plate glass process
featured molten glass poured onto at able,
rolled flat, then ground and polished into a
plate.
Glass, being a brittle material, fails
abruptly without first yielding or
permanent deformation. Although strong,
glass is sensitive to surface imperfections.
The main ingredient is silica sand, accounting for 60 percent (by weight)
of the materials, which are called the batch.
Limestone and dolomite are added to assist in the weathering properties
of the finished glass.
Soda ash and sulfate lower the temperature at which sand will melt.
Broken glass, called cullet, is recovered from the manufacturing process
and crushed before being recycled and added to the batch.
Types of Glass
Annealed Glass
It is glass without
internal stresses.
Glass becomes annealed
if it is heated above a
transition point then
allowed to cool slowly,
without being quenched.
It breaks into large,
jagged shards that can
cause serious injury, and
thus, it is considered a
hazard in architectural
applications. Used in:-
Shopping mall
Greenhouse
shop fronts
Laminated Glass
Manufactured by bonding two
or more layers of glass together
with layers of PVB, under heat
and pressure, to create a single
sheet of glass.
It is used when safety is a
concern.
Windshields are typically
laminated glasses.
Used in:-
Airport terminals
Banks
Tempered Glass
It is a type of safety glass
that has increased strength.
Usually shatter in small,
square pieces when broken.
It is used when strength,
thermal resistance and
safety are important
considerations.
Used in:-
frameless doors
door lites
vision lites adjacent to doors
Heat –Strengthened
Glass
It is glass that has been heat
treated to induce surface
compression, but not to the
extent of causing it to "dice"
on breaking in the manner of
tempered glass.
It is intermediate in
strength between annealed
and toughened glasses.
Used in:-
larger window panes
windows of buildings in high wind area
Chemically
strengthened Glass
It is a type of glass that
has increased strength.
When broken it still
shatters in long pointed
splinters similar to annealed
glass.
For this reason, it is not
considered a safety glass and
must be laminated if a safety
glass is required.
It is typically six to eight
times the strength of
annealed glass.
Used in:-
fighter aircraft canopies.
Low emissivity Glass
Glass coated with a low-
emissivity substance can
reflect radiant infrared
energy, while letting
visible light pass.
It results in more
efficient windows.
Radiant heat originating
from indoors in winter is
reflected back inside, while
infrared heat radiation
from the sun during
summer is reflected away,
keeping it cooler inside.
Used in:-
windows
Heatable Glass
It is based on usage
of energy efficient low
emissive glass.
It is generally
simple silicate glass with
special metallic oxides
covering.
Low-emissive covering
decreases the loss of heat
approximately by 30 %.
Used in:-
standard glazing systems, made of wood,
plastic, aluminum or steel.
Self Cleaning Glass
A nanometre-scale coating
of titanium dioxide on the outer
surface of glass introduces two
mechanisms which lead to the self-
cleaning property.
The first is a photo-catalytic effect,
in which ultra-violet rays catalyse the
breakdown of organic compounds on
the window surface;
the second is a hydrophilic effect
in which water is attracted to the
surface of the glass, forming a thin
sheet which washes away the
broken-down organic compounds.
Used in:-
multi-storey buildings
Advantages of glass
1. Use of glass in construction work adds beauty to the building.
2. Its use fulfills the architectural view for external decoration.
3. By using glass in interior, it saves the space inside the building.
4. Glass cladding in building fulfill functional requirement of lighting,
heat retention and energy saving.
5. Its use appear a sense of openness and harmonious.
6. As toughened glass is available, one can have good interior design with
the use of glass in transparent staircase, etc
7. Glass is an excellent material for thermal insulation, water proofing and
energy conservation.
8. Glass is bad conductor of heat; it saves energy in air conditioning of
building.
Disadvantages of glass
1. As glass is very costly material, it may increase the budgeted cost of
construction work.
2. Use of glass also enhances the cost of security.
3. Its use in hilly area and desert may cause more maintenance cost.
4. Glass is also unsafe for earthquake proven area.
Conclusion
Glass production has changed substantially over the past 4,000 years.
From small batch operations that produced small sizes of glass on a
limited basis, today’s float technology is characterized by continuous
production and the capability of producing a wide range of glass
thicknesses, sizes, and colors. Fabricated glass products further expand
the use of glass for a variety of purposes, including safety, security,
sound control, and energy efficiency.
Glass is a dynamic and important part of residential and commercial
building design.
Its increased use in windows, doors, skylights, curtain walls and double
glass facades illustrates the importance of glass in today’s construction
environment as a medium for natural lighting and energy conservation.
Examples
North Carolina Nations Bank
Laminated Art Glass
Colored glass laminated to solid white opalescent glass
Architect: Cesar Pelli
Charlotte, NC
Mountain View City Hall
Laminated Art Glass - Skylight
Leaded Glass & Fired Ceramic Fit - Atrium Walls
Architect: William Turnbull & Associates
Mountain View City, CA
Napa River Grill
Cast Glass and Fiber Optics
Interior Design: Swope Design Group
Louisville, Kentucky
Indianapolis Power & Light
Prismalite
Laminated beveled and dichroic glass Plat
Architect: Rowland and Associates
Indianapolis, Indiana
Othello’s Jazz Club
Prismalite
Laminated, beveled, sandblasted glass
Barry & Associates Architects
Louisville, Kentucky
Aperture
Cast Glass
Louisville, Kentucky
First Union Corporate Headquarters
Laminated Art Glass
Heat strengthened laminated glass with holographic film
Architect: Thompson Ventulett Stainback & Associates
Charlotte, North Carolina
Southwest Bank
Leaded glass
Architect: Lighthouse Architects
Belleville, Illinois
Cedco
Cast Glass
With fused glass tiles & custom door pulls
Interior Design: Swope Design Group
Louisville, Kentucky
Home of the Innocents
Cast Glass with Fused Glass Frit
Architect: Michael Koch
Louisville, Kentucky
Kentucky Museum of Arts + Design
Prismalite
With hand blown glass gesture elements
Architect: Chu Gooding Architects
Louisville, Kentucky
Hillsborough Gov’t Center
Dichroic glass with stainless steel truss
Architect: HOK Architects
Tampa, Florida
Main Street Pedway
to be completed 11/03
Dichroic glass and stainless steel
Architect of record: Noland & Noland
Louisville, Kentucky
University of Toledo
Prismalite
Laminated beveled and dichroic glass
Architect: Richard Fleischman Architects
Toledo, Ohio
Paul Schultz Company
Bent dichroic & etched glass
Interior Design: Swope Design Group
Louisville, Kentucky
Glassworks Hot Shop
Cast Glass with Hand Blow Balls and Tongues of Fire
Architect: QK4
Louisville, Kentucky
Siteman Cancer Center
Laminated Art Glass with Prismalite
Architect: HOK
St. Louis, Missouri
Ronald Reagan National Airport
Hand painted, silk-screened and fused glass
Architect: Cesar Pelli
Washington, DC
Orlando Airport
Leaded Glass
Architect: ZHA
Orlando, FL
Jewish Hospital
Bent dichroic glass with laminated holographic film
Architect: META Associates
Louisville, KY
