Parragraph+Writing+3.+Glass

//**The use of glass in architecture in Caracas

Nowadays, glass is a very important material in construction because of its wide range of uses: it can be used to cover a simple window or a skyscraper's facade, managing aesthetic qualities, mostly because of its simplicity and elegance. Since it is a new construction material in comparison to stone, bricks and wood, glass is a symbol of modernity and power, and it has been used in the most cosmopolitan cities such as New York, were we have the**// Trump Tower **//, The Seagram Building by Mies Van Der Rohe, etc.

Caracas is not an exemption. Even though the main material used in Venezuela is reinforced concrete, glass is also a vary important material. We can see that in buildings such as Crystal Park, Banesco City, the central park towers, the "black cube", etc. Even though its beauty and symbolism, glass has disadvantages that we have to take into account: Since Venezuelan climate is tropical, the excessive use of glass in buildings, such as whole facades, can become an environmental problem: The inside of the building gets too hot, so air conditioning becomes necessary, increasing the energetic waste. Also, the reflection of light in the facade can burn the vegetation near to the building, just like it is already happening in the East Park because of the Crystal Park facade's reflection.

Resuming, glass is a great material for construction, but architects most be carefull about where to use it and in which proportion, because not all climates are propitious to its use.

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