Dalle-de-verre
Historic England 2020 Stained Glass Windows: Managing Environmental Deterioration, Swindon, Historic England, published in 2020 defines dalle-de-verre, or prismatic glass (sometimes referred to as dalle glass) comprises: “Thick slabs of cast glass, moulded or chipped into shape with facets to refract the light, and set in concrete or resin; popular for 20th-century architecture. Also known as prismatic glass.”
It suggests that “This technique was used to form some of the most dramatic and important stained glass in the periods before and immediately after World War II, but as with all innovative systems, it can sometimes present serious conservation challenges.”
Short Guide, Scottish traditional shopfronts, published, on 18 April 2017 by Historic Environment Scotland, defines prismatic glass as: ‘Glass blocks with horizontal, triangular ribbed detail which refract light so that it is directed into a room in a predictable way. Developed by the Luxfer Prism Company, it was used in buildings before the wide availability of electricity.’
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings
IHBC NewsBlog
Three reasons not to demolish Edinburgh’s Argyle House
Should 'Edinburgh's ugliest building' be saved?
IHBC’s 2025 Parliamentary Briefing...from Crafts in Crisis to Rubbish Retrofit
IHBC launches research-led ‘5 Commitments to Help Heritage Skills in Conservation’
How RDSAP 10.2 impacts EPC assessments in traditional buildings
Energy performance certificates (EPCs) tell us how energy efficient our buildings are, but the way these certificates are generated has changed.
700-year-old church tower suspended 45ft
The London church is part of a 'never seen before feat of engineering'.
The historic Old War Office (OWO) has undergone a remarkable transformation
The Grade II* listed neo-Baroque landmark in central London is an example of adaptive reuse in architecture, where heritage meets modern sophistication.
West Midlands Heritage Careers Fair 2025
Join the West Midlands Historic Buildings Trust on 13 October 2025, from 10.00am.
Former carpark and shopping centre to be transformed into new homes
Transformation to be a UK first.
Canada is losing its churches…
Can communities afford to let that happen?
131 derelict buildings recorded in Dublin city
It has increased 80% in the past four years.
Fate of historic Glasgow Vogue cinema decided after appeal
A decision has been made on whether or not it will be demolished.