A New Phase in the Architecture of Glass Constructions: The Use of Glass in the Protection and Restoration of Historic Buildings

Styliani Lefaki

Glass plays an important role in the restoration projects. As it materializes the "contemporary stamp" of inventions to old settings and structures, it is used for their preservation, for functional adjustments, new extensions and annexes, even for interventions and actions aiming to enhance the energy performance of the monuments. It can be seen in restorations concerning individual monuments or entities, as well as restorations concerning a historic urban fabric or pertaining to historic landscapes or areas under protection. Reflecting the contemporary "restoration philosophy", by following the articles of Charters and international Conventions, glass constructions offer new ways of interpreting the past and create a continuum between old and new. The limits of the material and its ways of construction added to the limits being set by historical structures, have been many times expanded by inventiveness, "pilot" design and innovative applications. This argument is emphasized by the fact, that in restoration projects the cost of money is sometimes not the main decisive factor: The meanings of the architectural heritage are of such a great value, that the goals and targets of design, very highly posed, must be usually reached by all means.

Full-Text Article [265 KB]