Structural glass has been a notable feature of the most modern shopping centres, public buildings and apartment blocks, filling spaces with natural light, helping eliminate shadows and creating an attractive feeling of openness.

With such attributes having both practical and aesthetic benefits, there is every reason to expect that their use will continue to grow and become a feature of state-of-the-art buildings.

With such attributes having both practical and aesthetic benefits, there is every reason to expect that their use will carry on growing and being a feature of state-of-the-art buildings.

A good example of this may be sports stadiums. Every so often new structural and design ideas come in and catch on, be it cantilevered stands, stadium roofs that can close (such as the Principality Stadium in Cardiff and the Wimbledon show courts), or the incorporation of large replay screens. Could increasing use of structural glass be the next dominant feature?

There is certainly a lot of glass involved in new stadiums that are being built, with this much in evidence at Everton Football Club’s new stadium at Bramley Moore Dock, not least at the back of the stands, allowing more light through on match days.

Similarly, the use of large amounts of structural glass to allow light from outside the stadium to flow in is a central feature of Luton Town’s proposals for a new stadium, a planning application for which has just been submitted.

This template may inspire design ideas for some of the biggest stadium projects around. Newcastle United are said to be on the brink of a decision on whether to redesign St James’; Park or build a new stadium nearby, while the most ambitious project of all could come at Old Trafford.

The latter could see Manchester United either revamping their current home or going for a giant new stadium with a capacity of 100,000 seats. Such a project, set to be at the heart of a major regeneration of the area, could set a new standard for stadium design. If it features a lot of structural glass, it could be in a trend others will surely copy.