Glass in Architecture from the Pre- to the Post-industrial Era: Production, Use and Conservation

The history of sheet glass is long and intrinsically linked to developments in architecture. The material and its potential has always inspired architects, engineers and artists. History is rich with examples of sheet glass use on a monumental scale: the stained glass windows of the Gothic cathedrals, the ‘Galeries de glaces’ and glazings of 17th-century castles, the glass roofs of mainline railway stations and large display windows of department stores of the 19th century, and the glass façades of skyscrapers of today’s cities. Throughout the centuries, the growing demand for sheet glass has fuelled production and led to technological innovations in its manufacture.
The symposium is dedicated to the fascinating history of production and use of sheet glass. The aim of the conference is to highlight the interactions between technological innovations in the fields of sheet glass production and architecture and to elucidate the highly diverse properties and qualities of plate glass, which vary according to the manufacturing process used. Another objective will be to discuss the challenges presented by the preservation of historical architectural glass, particularly in the context of the trend towards thermal insulation of buildings, which often results in the replacement of the original windows.

Der Sammelband Glas in der Architektur von der vor- bis zur postindustriellen Ära: Herstellung, Verwendung und Erhaltung basiert auf einer Tagung vom 5. - 6. November 2021, die gemeinsam vom Centre Vitrail, Romont (Sophie Wolf, Francine Giese), der Universität Bern, Kunsthistorisches Institut (Laura Hindelang) und der HKB, IMIKUK (Anne Krauter) organisiert wurde. Neben historischen Aspekten interessieren hier ausdrücklich auch konservatorische Aspekte im Umgang mit historischem Flachglas im architektonischen Zusammenhang.