Architectural Glass Trends and New Products

Thousands of years ago, craftsmen discovered the art of turning sand and soda ash into objects of beauty. Glass is as beautiful as it is versatile because of its ability to retract and diffuse light. Since that time, glass has become part of our daily life and was often overlooked for its architectural and decorative uses as other new mediums were developed. Only recently has the decorative glass market begun to shape the way we think about and use glass.

Driving the architectural glass trends is an architectural design community looking for creative, yet energy efficient decorative glass products. High-end designers search for unique ideas that have never been used before. Customers are looking to make an impact using custom glass work or to create unique solutions to design problems. Designers are also featuring decorative glass in high-impact design areas in lobbies, entrances, and are even using glass to feature client logos and branding elements.

Some of the top architectural glass trends for 2024 that we are keeping an eye on include:

Hidden Technology using Glass

The age old dilemma of where to hang the TV has been settled. With glass technology from companies like Seura, vanishing mirror displays provide a crisp television display when on and a fashionable mirror when the TV is off! Seurra has also pioneered outdoor and weatherproof TV screens.

Incorporating Glass to Create Artful Offices

Gone are the days of boring cubicles that inspire no one. Designers are turning to glass to take advantage of natural light and to add architectural interest through color and texture. Haworth developed a unique frameless glass wall system that can be used in offices and storefronts. The frameless glass walls are demountable and can be moved around to accommodate always changing office environments.

Smart Glass Gets Smarter

Smart glass technology continues to gain momentum and the year ahead looks to poised to take an even bigger leap forward. Nanocrystalline glass, thermochromic glass, and suspended particle devices (SPDs) are a few of the most exciting new technologies. From applications in offices to automobiles, the glass industry is pushing the limits on form and function.

Sustainability

What was once a buzzword is now a way of life. Glass manufacturers are focuing on incorporating recycled glass and repurposed glass by spearheading innovative methods to collect, process, and reuse glass, reducing the environmental impact of production.

Find out more about how Wakefield’s glass cutting and glass handling equipment helps keep glass manufacturers on the cutting edge.