One of the most important trends in architecture and design is the evolution of structural glass systems that allow for ever-larger panels of glass to be created and fitted into buildings.

The reason for this is self-evident; the less structural framing in the way of your glass, the better the natural lighting will be in the business space itself, which benefits businesses in a range of energy-saving and mood-building ways.

Finding the largest pane of glass in the world is difficult as there are two answers to this; there is the largest glass panel ever displayed, and the largest glass panel that was used in a building.

The largest glass panel ever made is believed to be still the showstopper piece at the Glasstec trade fair in 2018, which was 18m long and 3.2m high.

Weighing almost four tonnes and needing a special truck to transport it to the facility, the sheet was a showcase of new technological advancements that allow for larger single panels, and the panel itself was eventually installed at their Ghent South Production Plant.

The largest glass panel that has been actually used in construction, however, was the windows of Taikang Tower in Beijing, China.

The building’s lowermost level has glass panels that measure 16m high and just over 3m wide and weighs over seven tonnes per panel, which gives it a record-breaking height in a city filled with record-breaking skyscrapers.

The architecture firm, Pelli Clarke Pelli, used the giant windows to provide an animated space and infuse the lobby of the skyscraper with natural light.