Saint-Gobain Glass India Ltd., (SGGI) has recently presented the first awards in its “Transparence” competition for architecture students, which aims to increase awareness of the potential of glass i…
Saint-Gobain Glass India Ltd., (SGGI) has recently presented the first awards in its “Transparence” competition for architecture students, which aims to increase awareness of the potential of glass in architecture. According to Saint-Gobain Glass India Managing Director Mr B. Santhanam, glass is a product for all seasons. Mr Santhanam said glass usage in architecture has more than doubled in value globally. According to Mr Hafeez Contractor, a leading architect based in Mumbai and a member of the Transparence jury, glass can soon replace 75% of the building material in walls and roofs. “The future is glass, glass, glass” he said. Mr Santhanam said that there has been a shift in glass usage. “Form and function are blending whereas earlier it was only in aesthetics. Glass can control sunlight, save energy, and look beautiful”. Apart from giving students a chance to show off their talents, Trasparence was set up to give architecture students a feel for the modern. Saint-Gobain is considering making Transparence a regular event, he said. According to a Saint-Gobain release, the architectural design award was won jointly by the Arulmigu Meenakshi Amman College, Kanchipuram, and IIT, Roorkee. The interior design award was won by Jadhavpur University.