Abstract:
Since the invention of glass, it has been used for openings in buildings primarily
light and ventilation regulator. However, this function has been transformed to various
other purposes with the time. During this transformation glass became a material used
irrationally. It is most commonly observed that either unsuitable material is used or right
material is used in an incorrect manner.
In 1900s, the usage of glass in constructing an average house, was restricted to
windows. Today glass is used for nearly every kind of building where the external
surfaces consisting up to 90% glass is fairly common. Architects of the modem
movement were the first to move towards the extensive use of glass. Architects like
Ludwig Mies Van Der Rohe, Philip Johnson, Frank Lloyd Wright, Walter Gropius
employed glass extensively in their work. Since then during the last five decades glass
had become one of the mostly used material in buildings almost all over the world
despite the differences in culture, climate and other functional requirements.
Some buildings even use “structural glazing systems” where only glass (not even frames
or other fixtures) is visible from outside. In other words glass becoming neat envelopes
for buildings, especially for high rises. Also it has a high potential to be exploited to
derive different qualities of spaces and expressions such as prestige, lightweight,
softness etc. Regardless of climate, culture, purposes/functions of the building, glass is
used in high percentages mainly because of its sleek elegant out look,
irrational use causes unavoidable practical problems such as glare, heat buildup, loss of
privacy, safety, rising cost in application, maintenance and energy management etc., on
user comfort in Sri Lankan context.
Though glass is a material that can be successfully used to achieve expressive qualities,
much care has to be taken in employing design decisions. Creating a user-friendly
environment while keeping in touch with new trends is a challenge in front of architects
and designers. Therefore, it is important to know how to make use of this exciting
material in correct proportions and alternative ways to get the required expression. This
study is an attempt to find out how to balance the utilitarian and expressive uses of
glass.
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