Architectural glass is glass that is used as a building material.

It is most typically used as

transparent glazing material in the building envelope, including windows in the external walls. Glass is
also used for internal partitions and as an architectural feature. When used in buildings, glass is often of
a safety type, which include reinforced, toughened and laminated glasses.

Glass is a magical material which has so many different properties and uses, that it has presented
Architects with many new possibilities and designs. Glass is most typically used as transparent glazing
material in construction and also used in architectural features like doors, windows, partition. Glass is a
transparent hard substance created by the application of heat to sand or quartz. Glass is an inorganic,
transparent or translucent material which can be molded into any shape. Glass is a mixture of raw
materials like Silica, sodium potassium carbonate, lime or lead oxide, Manganese oxide which is ground,
sieved and mixed in specific proportion and melted in furnace.

Glass has been a fascinating material to humankind since it was first made in about 500 BC. At first
thought to possess magical properties, glass has come a long way. It is one of the most versatile and
oldest materials in the building industry. From its humble beginnings as a window pane in luxury houses
of Pompeii to sophisticated structural members in new age buildings, its role in architecture has evolved
over the years.

HOW GLASS IS USED IN CONSTRUCTION

Curtain wall is a form of vertical building enclosure which supports no load other than its own weight,
that of ancillary components and the environmental forces that act upon it

COMPONENTS OF A CURTAIN WALL

The complete unit consist of the following structural elements

1. Transom
2. Mullions
3. Vision Glass
4. Anchor

TYPES OF CURTAIN WALL SYSTEM

Curtain wall systems are factory pre casted systems. They are bought to the site and assembled. These
are of two types based on the way each component is assembled.

1. Stick Curtain Wall System

2. Unitized Curtain Wall System