Urbano Gutierrez, R., 2026.

Glass and Light. The Evolution of the Architectural Envelope

The evolution of the glass façade accompanies the evolution of architecture as one of the most representative components of modernity. The glass envelope has been the architectural element that most significantly has captured architects' imagination, not only embodying idealism and cultural expression, but also being the element in which the sophistication of new technologies was most visibly displayed. The ascension of glass architecture has been described from different perspectives, but it has never focused its narrative on the main and most immediate contribution of glass to architecture: light.

The exploration of different forms of glass that brought light to our buildings in new spectacular ways started its trajectory in mid-19th century, and took unprecedented resonance after the oil crisis of 1973, where glass technology also played an active role in the quest for energy efficient facades. This book documents this fascinating exploration, revealing how architects, engineers and industry invested their skills and imagination to create pioneering projects and experiments.

The book's chapters focus on critical moments of this period, when glass came to the forefront of architectural thought, and which illustrate how the use of glass was driven as much by changing cultural interests in the manipulation of luminous environments as it was by technological developments.