The Rise of Architectural Glass and the History of Privacy

Join us for a seminar with historian Daniel Jütte.

Windows are a universal feature of architecture, but the use of glass as sealant is a cultural convention. Throughout the premodern period, glass competed with a range of alternative, non-transparent sealants, including different types of fabrics, parchment, and paper. This lecture is part of an ongoing research project and addresses two questions. Why and when did transparent glass emerge as the norm in Western architecture? And how did the rise of vitreous transparency affect—and challenge—people’s sense of privacy?

Daniel Jütte is a historian of early modern and modern Europe. He is an associate professor in the Department of History at New York University. His research interests lie in cultural history, urban history and material culture, history of knowledge and science, and Jewish history.

The lecture is organized by Centre for Privacy Studies at the University of Copenhagen in collaboration with Spatial Design at Institute of Architecture and Design at KADK. The lecture is also part of Spatial Design’s Spring 2020 lecture series “More than Surface.” The lecture/seminar is free, public and open for all to attend.