Glass commercial curtain wall building

In early 20th century, a groundbreaking architectural experiment in the United States and Europe laid the stylistic foundation for glass skyscrapers we see today. Spurred on by the development of steel frames and structural glass curtain wall, a group of pioneering architects envisioned and created structures with glazed exteriors.

In the past few years, the demand for high-rise buildings grew as urbanization gathered pace and cities became denser. Glass buildings rose to the challenge as advances in technology meant they could be built to great heights. The stunning views they offered also added value to properties, while increased natural lighting from transparent exteriors enhanced working environments. And then glass skyscrapers’ popularity exploded around the world. But to fully appreciate the epochal rise of glass skyscrapers, we need to understand the engineering breakthrough which forms its backbone–curtain wall construction.

In traditional masonry buildings, the outer walls supported the weight of the entire structure, which meant that only dense and thick materials could be used. By contrast, an independent frame carries the load of the building in a curtain wall, allowing lightweight materials to form the exterior. There are two ways to build curtain walls. The stick system (knock-down) requires highly skilled construction workers to assemble the wall piece by piece on site. This method is only suitable for building low-rises and small-scale projects as it is costly and time consuming. The go-to method for constructing skyscrapers is the unitized curtain wall system. Large units of the curtain wall are assembled and glazed in the factory before they are shipped to the building site where cranes lift them into position. The unitized system is fast and efficient as the parts are pre-fabricated.

Nowadays, glass commercial buildings have evolved as energy efficiency and sustainability rise in global prominence. A new generation of glass structures, which integrates a wide-range of green innovations in their designs, is emerging. An adjustable window shade system, for example, regulates the temperature inside the New Seoul City Hall, saving energy from air-conditioning and heating. What’s more, a team of scientists has recently developed glass blocks that convert solar energy into electricity, opening the possibility for self-sustainable skyscrapers in the future. Meanwhile, architects are forging new ground in the aesthetics of glass buildings. Soon, we may even see the first invisible skyscraper in the world. Amidst all these exciting developments, one thing is for certain: curtain wall buildings will remain significant in our daily lives.