Application of Glass Structures in Architectural Shaping of All-Glass Pavilions, Extensions, and Links

Abstract

This article covers the issues of applying structural glass in shaping all-glass architectural objects. Glass, as a transparent material, is a source of inspiration for new architectural solutions. With the development of technology and the increasing knowledge of glass’s mechanical and strength properties, the possibility of using the material for construction purposes has also been acknowledged. Structural elements and building envelope elements can create a uniform material structure of all-glass objects. This observation contributed to the analysis presented in the article. The research was mainly aimed at investigating the architectural and structural-related conditions in shaping all-glass structures in buildings. In this paper, we specify criteria and typology in terms of the applied design solutions. The criteria investigated in the study included functional-spatial aspects, the form, and the structure. All-glass objects were divided into pavilions, extensions, and links in terms of functional and spatial aspects. Architectural forms were specified and characterised as cubic, cuboid, cylindrical, and free-forms. Regarding structural solutions, frames, grillages, beam-wall, and plate-wall systems were indicated as the main load-bearing structures implemented in the buildings under study. The results have been obtained to describe the architectural and structural shaping of all-glass objects. One of the main results of the work is the indication between functional-spatial aspects, the form, and the structure. This correlation confirms the close relationship in architecture between art and engineering.