Structural Glass PROs and CONs

Glass advantages

✓ Great aesthetics

✓ Envelops the building

✓ Nice compartimentat walls solution (shops, showrooms etc.)

✓ Generates spacious and harmonious environment

✓ Any structural element can be created (beams, columns, floors, walls etc.)

✓ Absorbs, reflects, refracts and transmits light

✓ Easy to polish

✓ Can be blown, laminated and pressed

✓ Has no degradation from atmosferic air

✓ Available in many colors

✓ With special treatment it can exceed steel tensile strength

✓ Electric izolator

✓ Thermal izolator

✓ Good chemical strength (most laboratory flasks are made of glass)

✓ Easy to clean

✓ Lightweight material with a good strength to weight ratio

X Expensive material

X Non-ductile behavior

X Security costs will rise

X High maintenance costs

X Semic vulnerability

X Vandalism vulnerability

X Strict execution measures

X Requires glass expertise

X Complex analysis (Non-liniar large displacement analysis)

X Requires specialized design software

But then again, relaxing in something like this is worth the investment.