From the pyramid made with 673 glass panes that serves as the main entrance to the famed Louvre Museum in Paris to the 591-foot-tall (180 meters) skyscraper that stands at the former site of Baltic Exchange and Chamber of Shipping, which was damaged in the 1992 bombing of London, these glass buildings are stunning.
Check them out for more information and start to see our world through photos!
Louvre Pyramid, France
The pyramid, made with 673 glass panes, serves as the main entrance to the famed Louvre Museum in Paris. The pyramid was designed by renowned architect I.M. Pei. Measured from the base, the pyramid is 16 feet (4.8 meters) wide and 71 feet (21.6 meters) high. Nearly 100 tons of steel and 105 tons of aluminum support the structure.
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The Shard, England
A relatively recent addition to the London skyline, the Shard is also the tallest building in the European Union. The spire-like structure has a total surface area of 602,779 square feet (56,000 square meters) and is made of 11,000 panes of glass. Nearly 95 percent of the building has been constructed using recycled materials.
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City Hall Rotunda, US
A landmark building in the city of San Jose, California, U.S., the Rotunda is 110 feet (34 meters) high and serves as the entrance to City Hall. Its shape is reminiscent of a planetarium and the building is distinguished by external glass walls. The ceremonial entrance is usually out of bounds to the public, but can be rented out for events.
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National Centre for the Performing Arts, China
A futuristic-looking ellipsoid dome in Beijing, the building serves several functions—from a concert hall to an opera house. Made of glass and titanium, the structure is surrounded by a man-made lake.
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Sage Gateshead, England
A popular concert venue and a center for musical education, Sage Gateshead has hosted some of the biggest names in music. It was designed by London-based architect firm Foster + Partners and can accommodate over 2,200 people across its two stages. The building has a curved structure and is built primarily from glass and stainless steel.
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Palais des congrès de Montréal, Canada
Inaugurated in May 1983, the convention center has 200,000 square feet (18,581 square meters) of space, 65 meeting rooms and is host to several important events, such as the Montreal International Auto Show.
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Al Dar Headquarters, UAE
The first circular building in the Middle East, the Al Dar Headquarters was designed by Dubai-based MZ Architects. Its unique semi-spherical shape is achieved by linking two circular convex-shaped facades via a triangular diagrid.
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Dancing House, Czech Republic
The new-baroque style building in Prague was designed by Frank Gehry and Vlado Milunić. It consists of two structures. The first is a glass tower that is pinched halfway up and is supported by curved pillars. The second runs parallel to the river and features curved moldings and unaligned windows.
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The Gherkin, England
The 591-foot-tall (180 meters) skyscraper stands at the former site of Baltic Exchange and Chamber of Shipping, which was damaged in the 1992 bombing of London. The tower comprises 7,429 glass panes—enough to cover three soccer pitches.
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