One Million Square Feet Of Glass

Joseph Paxton's original, 1851 Crystal Palace had nearly one million square feet of glass.

Our long love affair with light, and windows: The 1851 Crystal Palace sparked a desire for glass that continues to evolve. It was a brilliant spectacle and light years ahead of its time. “To anyone arriving at Hyde Park, the first sight of the Crystal Palace, floating above the trees, sparkling in sunshine, would have been a moment of knee-weakening splendor,” writes Bill Bryson in At Home,  a history of the world told through accounts of private life.  “… the idea of strolling through cubic acres of airy light inside a building was dazzling — indeed, giddying,” he says of the massive structure built in 1851 in London, England.

The Crystal Palace, designed by Sir Joseph Paxton and assembled in just five months, boasted almost one million square feet of glass and covered 7.7 hectares. It was the world’s largest building, erected for the first world’s fair, and marked a major milestone in the evolution of architectural glass. But darkness eventually descended on the Palace as it fell into financial ruin and burned to the ground in 1936.

Still, the door had opened on our love affair with light. Crystal Palaces sprang up around the world, including Picton, Ont., where a glass-and-wood structure built at the fairgrounds in 1887 is the only North American survivor. With windows on all sides of its cruciform plan, it proved a tempting target for vandals and spent 40 years boarded up until plastic sheeting replaced glass during restoration in the 1990s.

Though less splendiferous than London’s Crystal Palace, copy-cat versions all aimed to let maximum sun shine in. Construction of these glass-walled wonders was helped by two developments in the mid-1800s: cutting-edge technology that boosted the cheap production of sheet glass, and Britain’s abolishment of crippling window and glass taxes. Before that, people often bricked up their windows rather than put in expensive glass.

The story of windows through the ages is an illuminating one. Imagine moving day in the 16th century, for example, when you packed them up to take with you. Or consider the dilemma of trial witnesses testifying pre-1890s when judges deemed window glass too wavy to allow an accurate view of events.

Architectural historian Shannon Kyles praises the "irregularities" in her 1830s sash windows. At one time, courts rejected testimony of witnesses describing events seen through a window because the glass was too wavy.

But one man’s distortion is another woman’s delight, as Shannon Kyles gazes through the “irregularities” of her 1830s sash windows at the trees beyond. “I just love windows!” declares the architectural historian. Her Regency-style cottage, in Prince Edward County, has at least 20 that she took pains to preserve when she moved and rebuilt the house four years ago. “Loads of glass is wonderful,” says Kyles. “You can stand in a room in the middle of winter and still be comfortable — and you can see in four directions.”

She’s so enamoured of “lovely old windows” that she’s building an entire room out of them. And she’s even willing to pick up other people’s discards if the glass has imperfections or is crown or leaded.

Early window panes were made from crown glass that was blown and spun, causing a circular pattern in the centre. “People are just tossing them,” Kyles complains about old windows. “I have seen some fabulous original Arts and Crafts windows head to the landfills. It’s unbelievable.”

She takes on the notion that new vinyl-framed double- or triple-glazing is more energy-efficient. Properly restored old windows fitted with a storm are actually more energy-efficient than new ones, maintains Kyles, who’s made a video offering proof. She and other heritage conservationists would like to see the government offer tax incentives to restore, rather than replace, historic windows.

As an architectural feature, they shed light on society’s collective psyche, according to Kyles, who teaches architecture at Hamilton’s Mohawk College and explains building styles on her website, ontarioarchitecture.com. Back in the 14th and 15th centuries, house windows were placed high up for security reasons, she says. But now, “there’s glass on every side and floor because people aren’t afraid of someone just barging in and killing them.”

Architect Philip Johnson's innovative Glass house, built in New Canaan, Conn., in 1949.

That message is crystal clear in late American architect Philip Johnson’s famous Glass House, built in 1949 in New Canaan, Conn. With its fishbowl-like façade and open plan, the rectangular residence hides nothing from the outside world. In recent decades, glass walls have taken an upward turn as condo towers continue to sprout across the GTA skyline. But what goes up on those vertical crystal palaces has occasionally come down, in the form of glass showers.

Several times in recent years, downtown pedestrians have dodged pieces of balcony panels or outer windows that spontaneously shattered. Last fall, three class action lawsuits by hundreds of condo residents who lost the use of their balconies were given the green light to proceed after a dozen glass panes from their highrises plummeted to the street. Other incidents involved residential floors above the Shangri-La Hotel on University Ave. and the Four Seasons Hotel in Yorkville.

While these cases made headlines because of their location, falling glass isn’t new, says an engineer who’s studied the phenomenon for 30 years. Spontaneous breakage can occur in the first few years of a building’s life and only in fully tempered glass affected by a combination of factors such as temperature cycles and the presence of tiny imperfections, says Mark Brook, a partner at BVDA Façade Engineering.

Annealed glass, used in house windows, and heat-strengthened glass, used for large panes in commercial buildings, aren’t affected, he says. The strongest type, fully tempered glass that breaks into tiny cubes, is used in places that are susceptible to impact. Brook forecasts more — though not widespread — glass showers as young buildings settle in. “It’s highly unlikely it will be raining down for the next 10 years,” says Brook, who investigated some of the publicized incidents.

Most of the new towers going up now use laminated glass, made of two bonded layers that hold together when broken, he adds.  A window of opportunity, perhaps, for the crystal palaces of tomorrow?

Window Cleaning News & Photos

Apple of investors' eye - In this July 21, 2011 photo, a window washer works atop the cube-like structure of glass that houses the Apple Store showroom in the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Investors seem to think you want an iPad more than oil, as Apple Inc. became the most valuable company in the United States, surpassing Exxon Mobil Corp. on Wednesday. Apple briefly flirted with the top spot on Tuesday afternoon before settling back slightly below the oil giant.

China's price rises may have peaked but the country still faces inflationary risks, including the possibility of a new round of monetary easing by the United States, China's top economic planner said on Wednesday. A worker pauses from cleaning the exterior window of a hotel in Wuhan, Hubei province March 30, 2009. China's economy would grow 6 percent this year without government help but the 4 trillion yuan ($586 billion) stimulus plan and other measures will boost growth to over 8 percent, Xinhua news agency quoted a senior government researcher as saying. 

China warns U.S. on managing its debt: China's central bank governor called Wednesday for the U.S. to "take responsible policy measures to handle its debt," a day after the world's largest economy reached a bipartisan deal to reduce its deficit and lift its borrowing limit to avoid a default. The comments from People's Bank of China Governor Zhou Xiaochuan, posted on the central bank's website, signal China's lingering concern over America's financial health. China is the U.S.' largest foreign creditor, holding at least $1.16 trillion in Treasury securities. Zhou also warned that stability is needed in the highly traded U.S. debt market, and said China plans to continue diversifying its currency reserves. Pictured above - A window washer works on a Beijing office building.

AB350: Unreasonable and unfair - Legislation would dictate to employers which workers would make up their labor force. If you read Santa Ana Democratic Assemblyman Jose Solorio's explanation of his legislation, the controversial Assembly Bill 350, it's about helping low-wage workers keep their jobs in a tough economy. Don't be fooled. It's really about helping the sponsor of the bill, the Service Employees International Union, retain union membership and improve its bargaining position. The bill requires employers who win new contracts for building services — including janitorial, maintenance, security, window-cleaning and cafeteria services — to hire and retain the previous contractor's employees for three months. If the employees' work is satisfactory during that 90-day period, the new employer would be required to keep them on. This is an unreasonable, unfair and unnecessary constraint on business. It would essentially dictate to an employer what his work force would be.

Under this bill, the new employer would not be able to interview or conduct a background check of the retained workers. Any business — a hospital or a hotel operator, for example — unhappy with the company that provided security or window cleaning previously, could contract with a new company but would still be stuck with the same work force. Existing law calls for a 60-day retention period for janitors and maintenance workers. This measure expands the type of workers who would have to be retained — adding security guards, window cleaners and food-service employees. It then tacks on another month to the time the new contractor or building owner would have to keep the old contractor's work force in place. Finally, it bars the new employer from firing the retained worker unless the employer can show specific incidents in which the retained worker's performance was unsatisfactory. Also here & here.

Body in Eel River identified as missing Santa Rosa man: The body found in the Eel River last month is a Santa Rosa man who may have been the victim of a homicide, authorities confirmed Wednesday. Edward Burton Jensen Jr., a 54-year-old man who had been living in Blocksburg, had been missing since April. The Humboldt County Coroner's Office identified Jensen in a press release sent out Wednesday. ”Investigation into the circumstances of Jensen's death is ongoing,” the release said. Jensen was last seen at a rural residence in the Larabee Creek subdivision area of Blocksburg, walking away from the residence after an argument with another subject. His body was discovered on July 28 in the river off of the 2400 block of Dyerville Loop Road. Responding deputies reportedly located the body in a small pool of water on a stump in the river. It appeared that the body had been in the river for a while. He had been living in Blocksburg with a relative. He had worked as a window cleaner in Sonoma County, but it's unclear whether he held a job at the time of his death.

Unveiled - First picture of new steel and glass roof at King's Cross Station, London: THIS is the first ever picture of the now completed roof in the King’s Cross railway station redevelopment. The giant steel and glass structure, which covers the new western concourse and will be the main entrance to the station, has been shrouded in weight-bearing scaffolding as it was built over the past three years. Designed by architect John McAslan and built by engineers Arup, the roof covers 8,000 square metres and is held up by 17 columns – with one large funnel-shaped column that sits directly in front of the Grade-I listed facade. The work to upgrade King’s Cross, which has cost around £500million, will be completed in stages. The main areas should be finished by March, while the second stage, which includes the demolition of the green canopy on Euston Road, will take place as soon as the Olympics are completed next summer.

The UK government’s Office for Budget Responsibility, in its recent “Fiscal Sustainability Report”, has finally published details of the total liabilities under the PFI (Private Finance Initiative). They come to a fairly astonishing £40 billion. There was also an announcement about the result of a pilot project to look at how money could be saved from existing PFI schemes. An impressive sounding £1.5 billion was suggested as the potential benefit. But hang on a minute. That’s over the whole life of the current schemes, many of which are up to 30 years. And if we apply it to the liability, that would suggest a saving of less than 4%. And how would it be achieved? The Treasury said savings have been made through a combination of changes, including reducing wasteful energy consumption, subletting or mothballing surplus building space, and reviewing service requirements such as window cleaning and frequency of decoration.

Nick’s fond memories of motoring legend father: Charles Rolls, Henry Royce and, locally, Raymond Mays - people know these names and associate them with cars. But the name of Sir John Black is right up there with them, even though you may never have heard of him. He ran the Standard Motor Company, which produced the Standard Vanguard car and the Ferguson tractor, at one time ran the Hillman and Triumph motor companies and was a general high-flyer from the 1920s to the 1950s, mixing with the leading politicians, celebrities and industrialists of the day. He also had a strong connection with Raymond Mays, Bourne’s own motor company mogul. Sir John died in 1965 aged 70 and his son, Nick Black of Cambridge Road, Stamford, has written a book about him entitled Triumph and Tragedy. The book contains fascinating stories, wonderful photos, some local connections and even a mysterious link with the Knights Templar!

Nick, who runs a window-cleaning business and has lived in Stamford for 30 years, decided to write it after inheriting a collection of photographs when his mother, Sir John’s second wife, died eight years ago in Switzerland where she had lived for 40 years. “This is a one-off for me and has taken me five years but I realised that with the photos and stories my mother had told me I had a great story to tell,” says Nick. Nick, who is pictured wearing his father’s blue velvet smoking jacket, only passed his driving test eight years ago and has no real interest in cars. He is married with two children and has led a very different life from that of his famous father.

Man Struck By Lightning After Bolt Goes Through Glass, Ohio— The Medina County Sheriff's Office confirms that a 41-year-old man was struck Tuesday evening by lightning on Kennard Road in Westfield Township. Emergency crews arrived at the scene at approximately 8:30 p.m. At that point, the man was breathing but disoriented. Westfield Township Fire Rescue transported the man to Medina Hospital. He was alert and conscious at the time. A family member who did not want to be identified said that the lightning bolt went through a glass door or window and struck the victim while he was standing inside the home. The family member said the man is being kept at the hospital for observation. Lisa Loparo, a spokesperson for Medina Hospital, said that the victim's name is Fred Waters. Lightning strikes kill 50 people a year on average in the United States. Video here.

Strong exports secure sales increase for Latchways: Shares in Latchways, the maker of devices to stop roofers and window cleaners falling, jumped after it said trading has been robust, with strong export markets helping to lift revenues. Latchways said it has seen strong growth in mainland Europe. “As expected, conditions in the UK construction market remain weak, affecting both product sales and installation margins in our UK Safety Services division,” the company said. “This has been more than offset by the continued growth in export markets.”

A heart broken Blackpool mother today described the brutal murder of her beloved son as like a “matador slaughtering a bull”. Andreas Fantousi was stabbed twice in the neck during a fight with a gang which erupted following a row over a cigarette. The 30-year-old father-of-two’s killers – 19-year-old Sheree Smith and boyfriend Michael Gordon, 22 – now face lengthy jail terms after the murder outside Mr Fantousi’s new home in Tunstall, Stoke-on-Trent. Mr Fantousi worked in Blackpool as a window cleaner before he moved to the Midlands in February last year to live with his girlfriend. 

Three affected by carbon monoxide poisoning in Wheaton: Three people in Wheaton were taken to a hospital Saturday evening with minor symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning, according to Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services. The three were sitting inside a home on Andrews Street when they became ill with carbon monoxide poisoning after 6 p.m., said fire spokesman Asst. Chief Scott Graham. Paramedics transferred them to a local hospital, where they were treated for minor injuries. Fire officials determined the cause of the incident came from fumes from a pressure washer used outside the home near an open window, Graham said.

Grimsby’s town hall nears completion: The end is near for reconstruction of the town hall, says the Grimsby’s public works manager. Work is almost complete on the expanded and rebuilt town hall, and staff and council are expected to move into their new home this fall. Town hall was originally slated to be open by March 31, and then July 31. Unexpected delays and challenges slowed construction and inflated the final cost from $6.8 million to $8.3 million. Public works manager Bob LeRoux, who described the project as the largest and most complex he’s ever overseen, said the end is finally in sight. “There are 300 per cent more windows than there were before. The window cleaning bill is going to go up,” he said.

Old Windows Find a Following: Barbara Jones had one stipulation when she was renovating her 1794 farmhouse:  keep the original windows. “For me, it’s aesthetics,” Ms. Jones said as she opened a white wooden window, the summer sun bouncing off its wavy glass. “Keeping the importance of what you have.” Old windows have acquired a bad reputation over the last few decades as drafty, inefficient and ecologically suspect: fixtures that should be replaced rather than refurbished. But over the last decade or so, homeowners like Ms. Jones are becoming more common. Many people are keeping their old windows, fixing what they have in the name of appearance, history and, for some, cost savings, according to architects, preservationists and window restorers. 

Covington Councilman Keith Dalton will run for a second term this November, because he feels he's needed. "As tough as economic times are in the whole country and in Georgia - we've had some of the highest unemployment in the nation - my conservative voice is needed now more than it was four years ago," Dalton said this week. Dalton, 46, is the owner of Covington Window Cleaners, which does contract office cleaning, commercial lawn maintenance, pressure washing and carpet and floor cleaning. He employs five full staff and around a dozen part-time employees.

He said, if elected, he will continue to work to keep taxpayers costs down, including taxes and utility rates. The city has invested millions of dollars to keep electricity rates down, and recently agreed to hold off on a water rate increase until customers could be given a few months warning. As far as long term goals, Dalton said it's too difficult to do true long range planning given the economy, so his focus will be on keeping spending down to save money for business and residents. "I don't care if it's my budget, my church's or the city's; you have to be fiscally responsible. You can't spend money you don't have," Dalton said. In addition to owning Covington Window Cleaners on at least a part-time basis since late 1985, Dalton said he was an Oxford police officer for more than six years, including a couple of years as police chief, and a Covington police officer for less than five years.

The mother of all instincts: In the last few weeks of pregnancy, Mother Nature plays a cruel joke. It's called "the nesting instinct," and before I was pregnant I didn't know it was a real thing. Sure I had heard of mommies-to-be actively preparing for bringing home baby, but I didn't know pregnant women actually had this inherent compulsion to clean and scrub and cook. When I asked my mom if she ever experienced "the nesting instinct," she responded with "Nine months pregnant was the only time in my life I've ever washed windows." My mom? Up on a step stool with a washcloth and window cleaner?