So let us now consider the second of the five new resources: glass.

This second
resource is new and a "super-material" only because it holds such amazing means in
modern life for awakened sensibilities. Itamounts to a new qualification of life in itself.
If known in ancient times glass would then and there have abolished the ancient
architecture we know, and completely. This super-material glass as we nowuse itis
a miracle. Air inair tokeepairout or keep itin. Light itselfinlight, todiffuseor reflect,
or refract light itself.
By means of glass, then, the first great integrity may find prime means of
realization. Open reaches of the ground mayenter as the building and the building
interior may reach out and associate with these vistas of the ground. Ground and
building will thus become moreandmoreobvious as directly relatedtoeachother in
opennessandintimacy;notonlyasenvironmentbutalsoasagoodpatternforthegood
life lived in the building. Realizing the benefits to human life of the far-reaching
implications and effects of the first great integrity: let us call it the interior-space
concept. This space interior realizationis possible and it is desirable in all the vast
varietyof characteristic buildings needed by civilized lifeinour complex age.
Bymeansof glasssomethingof thefreedomofourarborealancestorslivingintheir
treesbecomesa likelyprecedentforfreedomintwentiethcenturylife,thanthecave.
Savageanimals "holing in" for protectionwere morecharacteristic of lifebased
uponthemightof feudal timesor based upontheso-called"classical" inarchitecture
whichwereinturnbased uponthelaborof thechattel slave. Inafreecountry, werewe
ourselvesfreebywayoforganic thoughtbuildings mightcomeoutintothelightwithout
moreanimal fear;come entirelyawayfromthepagan ideals of formwe dote uponas
"Classic." Or what Freedomhavewe?
Perhapsmoreimportantthanall beside, itis bywayof glass thatthesunlitspace
as arealitybecomes themostuseful servantof ahigher order of thehumanspirit. Itis
firstaidtothesenseof cleanlinessof formandideawhendirectly relatedtofreeliving
inairandsunlight. Itisthisthatiscoming inthenewarchitecture. Andwiththeintegral
character of extended vistas gained by marrying buildings with ground levels, or
blending themwithslopes andgardens; yes, itis inthis newsenseof earthas agreat
human good that we will move forward in the building of our newhomes and great
public buildings.
I amcertainwewill desirethesun, spaciousness, andintegrityof means-to-ends
moreyear byyearas we become awareof thepossibilities I haveoutlined. Themore
we desire the sun, the morewe will desire the freedomof the good ground and the
soonerwe will learnto understand it. Themorewe value integrity, themoresecurely
wewill findand keepaworthwhilecivilizationtosetagainst prevalentabuseandruin.
Congestion will no longer encourage the "space-makers for rent."The "space-
maker for rent"will himself be "for rent"or letus hope "vacant." Give himtenyears.
Thesenewspace values areentering intoour ideas of life. All areappropriate to
the ideal that is our own, the ideal we call Democracy.
Anew reality: glass
Aresourcetoliberatethisnewsenseof interiorspaceas realityisthisnewqualification
called glass: asuper-material qualifiedtoqualifyus; qualifyusnotonlytoescape from
theprettifiedcavernof our presentdomestic lifeas alsofromthecave of our past, but
competent actuallytoawakeninus thedesireforsuch far-reachingsimplicities of life
as we mayseeintheclear countenance of nature. Good building mustever be seen
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