eli5: Why are skyscrapers nearly always covered in glass completely in contrast to small buildings?

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Like is there a specific reason or is it just a design choice? Or do they have so many tall windows to let as much sunlight in as possible?

It just occurred to me since the futuristic full glass look of skyscrapers really stands out against normal building surrounding them.

In: Engineering

10 Answers

Anonymous 0 Comments

It’s for both aesthetic and practical reasons.

Aesthetically it looks stylish, and allows for a lot of options for colors and tinting. It also makes the offices inside more desirable when they have big windows with nice views and lots of natural light.

Practically glass is lighter and easier to install and maintain than a lot of other cladding materials. Skyscrapers also almost always carry their weight on internal support beams so structural strength isn’t a big concern for the exterior walls.

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