GLASS ARCHITECTURE by
Paul Scheerbart
Synopsis of Chapters
2
The veranda
3
The Botanical Gardens at Dahlem
5
6
7
8 9
10
Garden houses and pavilions
The functional style
33
21
Glass, enamel, majolica and porcelain
22
The effects of Tiffany
44
Vanquishing
vermin
48
Stone mosaic as paving
26
The door
49
Models for glass architecture
27
The chair
50
Mountain
51
Park illumination
52
Ghostly illumination
56
Nature in another light
57
Reinforced concrete in water
58
Floating architecture
60
Aircraft with coloured lights
62
Terraces
63
View-points
illumination
(the so-called 'glass-brick')
31
Glass mosaic and reinforced concrete
elements, etc.
fittings in the room)
37
Direction-finding
39
Wired glass
34
~,
for aeronautics
35
64 .Glass in factory buildings
66
Churches and temples 91
Railway stations and glass architecture
68
Militarism and brick architecture
69
Parliament buildings
93
Present-day travel
70
Restaurants, cafes, hotels and sanatoria
94
Future travel
71
Transportable
buildings 96
75
Experimental site for glass architecture
97
Heavy industry
98
The chemical dye industry
99
The glass industry
101
Art in bridge building
103
The transformation
80
Soft lighting
81
Twilight effects
82
Lighthouses and shipping
106
More coloured light!
83
Airports as glass palaces
107
The main entrance
108
The monumental
111
Glass culture
ofthe officialarchitect
~,
87 36
The transformation
offireworks
37
Dedicated to
B R U N O TA U T
1
Environment and its influence on the development of culture
;chitecture.
r'
...
41
centigrade, will
be
That,
conceded,
with
double
glass
,
walls,
111 the impermanent wood was used, Instead be found Iron is certainly more lasting, now, I' ti
coloured.
on the outside,
To place heating and incandescent elements cases not to be recommended, lost to the outer atmosphere,Heating and cooling suspended superfluous, since
light and
not
electrically-heated
carpets
in the
can
be
sho
bY 'I
bridges ei , 'h hitecture IS glass arc I won a completely
If ' a -iron k
'I
ofiron and reinforced
hitecture Heavy arc I , h' h'
industry
concrete, Similarly, h tly as consequen f ti
.
furniture and interior decoration
are recommended,
for stimulate
~aterial~;;eo~~te~:I~!~da~~ra
constructIOns
iron tenfold,
equatorial
reinforced concrete skeleton inevitably
d ble matena must of wood aura di I' b protecte agamst rus , d but has to e h been said before is resthetically ISP easing an reinforced' concrete is an ideal building be renewe has to material here, as It b ildi materials might be considered, but these h,ave Various other n~w suffiCiently tested or e " bl b not yet ee~ f f ' 'I Itable or rarrung I . t and materia s ~u and he will sure y n , rust-free
elements, however,
is distributedby the walls,
temperate zones,
of glass
, ed concrete The iron or relllfo:\ave glazed surfaces mus I d tioned
and cooling
not dazzle
6
The inner framework surfaces
glass
architecture, This
will
an extraordinary manner.
There
are many
better
to offer.
to the structural frame,
for not
industry, Nickel-steel , II that the furniture me wood-carving so fine avoided
because
wlt~ ,
id
ith
of its impermanence,
h
d
ename
an
Wood I is to be
methods of counteracting The simple protective coating, resthetically, But we can confidently leave this to future
developments,
as a building material, that nothing concrete can also be handled artistically effect by designs cut with the chisel.
room that the walls are revolution grandparents
of coursetotally
the furniturein the glass house
impossible, Given
in'the enviro~ment is inevitable,
d
may not
gl~ss wal,ls, PI~tureSt~,n the highest ,1I1tentlOns,IS
Glass architecture Will, h~v~ a tough
e
tra
I ion.
42 43
9
13
The larger veranda and i s independence of the main buildi
The functional style that
~hoever
glass on three
will soon want to, have more glass architecture. One thing
leads to anotherand
.gard.en
hou~es
and
kiosks
were
very
products
quickly developed
double colour-ornamented glass walls everywherein the garden. I h' .. b g ass arc .Itecture,
11
by
them.
sl~ce pens~able
Stone flags and majolica on garden paths
the
functionalstyle
seems
of older
In introduci ng
14 coat
a new
of
which
are
simply
furniture.Ornamentation in the glass the carpets will be so transformed that in glass architecturewe shall never,
The cladding of building materials and its justification paint, which
is
not
weather-proof,
Architects have thereforedeclared brick front completelynaked. weathered
to me acceptable;at all styles,
of brick architecture and wooden
and the majolica
Unl~cklly,
but
.
happening once agam. For a transition period,
Garden houses and pavilions
cold,
style';" for
the undecorated 'functional I
of every glass architect.
reason
architectureis rather perhaps
to st?P the p~ocess .is unthinkable. So the veranda continuesto grow; i~ the end It emancipates Itself from the main building,and may become the main
10
glass
sides
and
has the
is
any cladding
obviously
not
unjustifiable and
and a single permissible. display
the
character
.
is naturally justified.
transferred from the Arabs.
be worthily
day by glass structures, etc. Enamelled panels of the glass palaces
framed.
will
covering for the house We can now har~ly
av~id
considering many
new building
materials,but only them'
consisting
order
to achieve
of
of iron
and
majolica are particularly can be clad in this way.
15
if large numbers
The finishing and plastic treatment of reinforced concrete
that it is not transparent:only glass is.
a contrasting effect with the walls. 45
to
reinforced concrete, which
is perfectly feasible,
is therefore much
rec~n:mend~d; addition, reinforced
to
colour. . '
letely rea IS " hi not comp .. . bl and t IS a 1 ava!1a e: as entirely unknownIn m GothiC I , . the architecture rincipal factor 10 . however, w ill come. P Colour,
16
20
niello-]
. G reec n h re were a rea the countnes or
Enamel and niello applied to metal panels on reinforced concrete
although lacquered
niello
is only
suitable for
interiors.
possibility.
ildi
partla
18
va e .
h
yet n
.. uses '11 1 k 1 ac s co our.
'1
. l' e ore
.
Chri
nst.
Glass, enamel, majolica and porcelain
All b UI 109 colours, have fig
st p
not
Ancient Greece without glass, the East with ampullae and majolica tiles
21
sue
material, was
materials which
are
durable and
.
obtainable in weather-resistant bl . e woo ave no . hi h d
,
I
. 10
es
.
he latter .. d
b ildi UI
.
I
109, on y b
cent like glass.
The beauty of the Earth, when glass architecture iseverywhe
22 The effects
f Tiffany
were everywhere by glass architecture. All over the
for the paradise
Glass
stimulatedfhe glass industry; puts
in heaven.
architecture is unthinkable without
means greatly
Gothic.
In
the
days
when
the
decorationinto
the
back-
silver effects of mirrors
enamel.
46
In the other
rooms 47
dangerous - like poison.
24
The avoidance of figure representation in architecture
for
supercilious servant.
immortal.
the bodies of animals' and humans.
27
The chair
Rococo period
identical objects.
26 The door
industry will mobilise them.
48
49
N o W, c a
29
Hollow glass elements in every possible colour and form as a wall material (the so-called 'glass-brick')
that
f
.
h
h
d
h
'
.
stones flung by the lower orders.
Heating and cooling appliances in special columns, vases, suspended elements, etc.
32
iron skeletons superfluous.
30
Asehinger's 1893
buildings in Berlin, delightful decoration.
33
Lighting between the double walls (which does not exclude suspended fittings in the room)
telepathic influence was at work.
is by the way.
concrete
park,too exterminator
- also as insect-
It 50
IS
absolutely horrifying vacuum-cleaner to be a known
35
That
such rooms,
however,
because rnanent a
fact.
Ventilators, which are ousting the customary windows should
When
wallpapers and wall-fabrics are to be avoided 1 .... . ISno onger appropnate- It IS as Imper. Il . d
.
Anothandle
have a principalpart
window-like.
with
walls F or
artistically; easYhtOt heap anyway. Imitationpearls all t a c , . ThIS co ., llished with serm-precious ernb e I
to
I am in
transparent glass panes.
undulating bulges
36 L ght columns and light tower. 39
with Ukley
b '11' artificial
may b every
II
did'
are coated
this .
face, co I co Dome-like our
ernf orce d concrete
.
.Snot
mother-of-pearl. .
.
mother-of-pearl retains
ffective
If
ItS
h
and symmetrically.
Hitherto,
Iron
supports than with
light
columns
masonry; most
elements behind
of them
3
that
house.
will undoubtedly
WIll be built
entire
informed
where
by towers. to towers by night. all towers must become towers
38
of
The brick architecture In
will
he is.
Naturally, transparent walls are not possible the householder
invisible.
how to overcome It
a different li~t, and be fitted in light towers is
Ukley mother-of-pearl concrete wall
glass, which IS particularly
self-supporting;
be determined
differently,emit
After
the
Directi0l'!-finding for aeronautics
Aeronautics
52
the
were
the rule of glass architecture, therefore,
glass
surround, so
do not give the impression of supporting, and
architecture
tower
construction needs
are superfluousin the
a completely glass
Wired glass
onthe
with
immediately
.
everywhere, in particular
glass
three metres.
41
The developments made possible by iron construction
Iron construction inevitable. The quite unlimited.
developments made
possible by
iron
construction are
thus
. Even
.
lights WI their In
and the park
fl 00- d
.
illumination effects Gl
and sliding glass partitions.
b
to ay ;
430ve'rcoming
the danger of fire
h
...
the aeronaut.
loggia and the balcony architecture; not burn should be permitted.
44
Vanquishing vermin
further comment.
towers and house-roofs
54
brick houses.
48 Stone mosaic as paving 55
51 Park illumination But par
49 M
we h ave
dels for glass architecture
I
.. f
already discussed).
.
hi
(
..
glass sur Here also the possibilities are boundless.
52Ghostly
idi I ·d
e ects.
illumination
ISa
bi
In
d
people would perhaps seem sympathetic.
50
Mountain
illumination
for ·sculpture
very easily and effectively by flood-lights.
54
can develop just as quickly.
the change more quickly.
56
Cars, motor boats and coloured glass
57
55
The steam and electric railw y lit up in colour
When
glass
architecturehas once
boat,
there
will naturally
then
successfully captured the
The
56 Nature the
the
motor
themselves to it. We shall a wonderfulimpression, if we see an express illuminated in colour
enjoy
After
car and
58
rai1.way, greeted
so
in another light
introduction of glass
Floating architecture d concrete
If rem orc
,
I
,.
capa eo. . hi I id h f floating architecture. o . chapter holds good. The buildings can obviously be Juxtaposed or . ld k P revIOUS rt in ever changing patterns, so that every floating town cou 00 moved apa . . iff 111 regions 0 arge dl eren . . b .. f ut It IS ar lakes - per . 'bl . g so if reinforced concrete e from b em , ' . '1 I arries the a chitectu e I . h of rem or
f
.
'de the architecture can gUI . concrete is one such matenal.
architecture,
59
in buildings, and in speeding emanate from
cars .and air- and water-craft,
River and lake shipping in coloured lighting
light.
57
Reinforced concrete in water
indestructible.
It
to predict
60 Aircraft
is therefore suitable
foundations that are non-transparent, stable,
rust-free
th~s ?evelopment1I1 lake and fiver
with coloured lights
and indestructible. Upon
can rise and be reflected
in
the two are almost inseparable, out
with
wherever
canal-streets, the
traditional Venetian
there
facade-architecture would
is none have
to be renounced
stood everywhere
und.erby the light-projecting stations of the earth-towersand glV1l1g trans-
the daylight. Should over other
the
suitable ways.
abou~
individual boundaries.
concrete, perhaps
and iron doubtedly
construction is bound reinforced
to produce. The
by the
as thos.e wh.lc~ glass crucial factor 1I1 this IS un-
concrete. [Ed.].
58
59
