Looking Out My Window

By Jordan Scott

It’s been a crazy year, but you don’t need me to tell you that. As I’ve been writing the words of this issue from my dining room table instead of my office desk, I’ve found myself looking out my window. There’s a dog park and several flowering trees just outside. Watching the dogs play and petals fly through the air on a windy day have been uplifting sights during this troubling time.

Glass doesn’t just divide us from the outside world; it’s a source of connection and one of the only building materials to offer that. While video conferencing software has done wonders to bring us together during the COVID-19 pandemic, glass also is doing its part. I see news stories every day about families celebrating birthdays, anniversaries, engagements and more … all through a window.

All of these examples just go to show how important glass is to people. Glass can be used as a medium for art, branding or graphic design. In “The Function of Design” on page 12 you can learn about some of the methods architects and fabricators use to create decorative glass showpieces.

Glass also is used increasingly in structural applications such as the refurbishment of Place Ville Marie in Montreal, which includes the largest all-glass structure in Canada. Read about it in “Let There Be Light: Structural Glazing Brightens Place Ville Marie in Montreal” on page 10.

One of the best ways to discover the latest in glass and glazing is to attend trade shows. COVID-19 has cleared most people’s schedules through June as uncertainty looms. That includes the cancellation of the AIA Conference on Architecture, which was scheduled to take place in Los Angeles in May. While you may not be able to attend the conference, we’ve provided you with a look at some of the glass products that would have been featured on the expo floor. Read about them in “The Show Can’t Go On” on page 18.

While it’s been strange having to miss out on events, it’s been encouraging to see the ways the glass industry has been able to adapt. I hope that as you’re reading this issue we’re in a better place than we were when I was writing it.

To view the laid-in version of this article in our digital edition, CLICK HERE.