When we speak about office partitions, we know that they serve a practical function first and foremost. Storage areas can be segregated, photocopying machines can be hidden and desks can organised into neatly arranged sections in the overall office layout plan. When we mention glass partitions, then our minds drift to other values, such as office design, sunlight and all of the positive aspects that sets the contemporary office apart from the cluttered workplace of years past.

It is hard not to be effected so obviously by the idea of glass walls. When it comes to demountable partitions there is little difference in terms of practical function, but a clear difference in terms of attractiveness. It is the same for office dividers, which can become so much more than simply dividers when they are constructed of glass. However, the first priority for a partition or divider is that it is effective in its purpose, and traditionally this has been where glass has attracted some suspicion.

Solid partitions seem to do a more reliable job, though this has more to do with their ostrich head in the sand effect, in so far as if something cannot be seen then it is not there. Solid partitions are generally made of composite panels, with plasterboard surfaces and interiors that can include sound insulation as well as other materials, so their structure adheres well to the idea of a divider. They are hard and opaque and, in being so, effectively hide from view anything that lies behind them.

With glass, this effect is lost. However, there are still many advantages to their use. Glass is not as delicate as some might think, with treatments available to toughen glass and therefore make it quite difficult to break. And yet, it is light in weight (compared to solid walls), which makes it easy to erect and easy to take down and move. Glass is also rigid, allowing for a strong floor to ceiling panelled wall that does not warp, dent or crease with time.

It is true that the cost per square foot is greater than the cost of a solid panel, but there is also the environmental positives to consider. Glass is a very poor conductor of heat, which means that temperatures in an office will remain cooler, making the cost of air conditioning actually lower. The panels, meanwhile, can be single glazed or double glazed, which also means that they can help to keep office temperatures up in colder climates and seasons.

And yes, there is an aesthetic quality too, with glass adding an elegance to an office that hard, opaque materials are simply unable to add. Amongst the most impressive qualities of glass partitions is the seamless wall of glass that can be constructed. This is accomplished by using unsupported glass to glass joints, which can then be covered by a sealant. The brackets that run along the ceiling and floor, and hold the glass in place, are prefabricated and are discreet in every aspect, making it seem as though the glass stretches the full height of the office or corridor.

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