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> Having worked in an all-glass tower and also a "normal" office building, my personal experience is that the natural light that giant windows let in and the ex
by indrora 2y ago
> Having worked in an all-glass tower and also a "normal" office building, my personal experience is that the natural light that giant windows let in and the external views that they afford are both phenomenal improvements to the atmosphere. It's really a much more pleasant environment to work in. The only catch is that the interior or window treatment design needs to consider glare from sunlight directly hitting computer screens and/or eyes.
having worked in both well designed and poorly designed glass towers, I can say this: I personally appreciate a well-designed not-glass-waterfall. Being in Seattle, a lot of new towers have gone up that are just sheet glass panels. I've worked in various towers in Seattle and I've come to prefer some of the older style ones. The oldest of them do have issues with light, I'll fully agree with that. There is a difference between that and the absolutely insane floor to ceiling glass panels that make up some of these offices.
Glass towers just... They make monkey brain go scream on the inside and they're just aesthetically displeasing on the outside. They all look alike at one level and become hard to distinguish from one another. I hate walking through Downtown Seattle trying to remember which of the badjillion glass monoliths is the one I want -- unless I'm looking for one of the more unique buildings that is steepled brick and granite.
- coddingtonbear 2y agoI'm a little surprised to hear that some folks hate being inside such buildings -- my apartment is in one, and I specifically selected it for its floor-to-ceiling windows in every room. My brain is apparently a little different from yours.
- BugsJustFindMe 2y ago> Being in Seattle Seattle is covered by oppressive gray wetness blotting out the sun 80% of the year. Looking at the sky there is just depressing, which isn't the case basically anywhere else in the US. Like, when we talk about getting natural light, the Seattle response is "what's that?" I don't think Seattle should really be held as a meaningful baseline here. :) Maybe in Seattle they can instead replace all the windows with video displays of sunshine.
- marssaxman 2y agoSome of us actually like it this way! The cool grey skies can feel calm and even cozy. From my desk on the 22nd floor, I get to watch the low cloud layer rolling across the hills of the city; every now and then the Cascades peek through. If it were all sunny blue out there all the time, it'd be too bright to enjoy; I'd probably pull the blinds. My company's previous office had a view over the rooftop garden of the building next door. Even when the sky was fully leaden, it was fun to watch the workers poking around taking care of the plants.
- darknavi 2y agoI love the foggy/misty winter days we've had recently. I don't mind the lack of bright sunshine during the days, but the shortened daylight hours starts to drag pretty hard.
- Izikiel43 2y agoHey! It's 50% of the year, thank you very much (October to April). Summer days here are sunny and super long.
- SAI_Peregrinus 2y ago> which isn't the case basically anywhere else in the US Hi from Buffalo, NY! We get clouds and apocalyptic snow!
- marcosdumay 2y agoOh, for sure, between a well designed building and a glass tower, the well designed one is always better. But between an ordinary building with partial windows or completely covered in glass, the glass one tends to give you a much better experience.
- throwaway2037 2y ago> well designed and poorly designed glass towers Can you share some specifics that made some well-designed and others poorly-designed? To me, when I work inside a glass tower, they all seem the same to me -- great views and great natural light. Another thing that really matters: The floor height. I once worked in a glass tower that had double height floors. The natural light was unbeatable.