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ABSTRACT
Modern glazing systems have historically developed in such a way that opportunities for user adaptation of the building envelope have slowly diminished. Design values such as consistency, automation, a homogenously maintained interior environment, and most recently energy efficiency have been systematically prioritized over other values. Individual control over the visual and thermal quality of the building envelope from the interior perspective is often overlooked. In this article, a historical overview of glazing systems highlights the simultaneous development of counter-technologies invented by occupants to customize the effects of modern glazing systems. It then critiques and revaluates design criteria for sustainable glazing technologies based on the individual's bioclimatic and sensorial experience of the interior environment. Currently existing and emerging technologies start to address heterogeneity and variability. In this article, examples of these contemporary glazing solutions are evaluated according to environmental performance, the degree of user engagement with the technology, and their effects on the interior space. It concludes by advocating a renewed and potentially empowering sense of user control as a prime design criterion for sustainable building envelopes.