The evolution of glass as an artistic medium can be seen in the greatly expanded scale of glass artwork, not only in terms of size but also strength, range of colours, its relationship to space and the interplay between light, colour and design seen in modern public art pieces.
As glass has become not only one of the most common decorative materials in architecture and public spaces but also one of the most important structural materials alongside concrete and steel.
Both of these aspects are symbiotic; artists test the aesthetic capabilities of glass, which makes them more desirable for architects and structural engineers, who test the structural limits of glass, which artists then take further advantage of.
One of the best examples of this is the largest supported glass sculpture in the world, according to Guinness World Records, which was a Dale Chihuly-designed blown-glass sculpture made for the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada.
One of the richest hotels in the world and the centre of the Sunset Strip, the Bellagio is home to a wide number of attractions, including fountains, botanical gardens and a casino found on the World Poker Tour, but one of its most celebrated and historic achievements is found in the lobby.
Known as Fiori di Como, the sculpture consists of 2000 blown glass flowers draped across the ceiling of the lobby, meant to carry the outdoor aesthetic inside, and provide an art installation that changes colour and shape throughout the day as the light strikes different wildflowers.
What perhaps is most striking about the sculpture, besides its size and scale, is that in a city that is somewhat infamous for borrowing its aesthetic sensibilities around the world, it is a design that has not been replicated nor matched in its scale.
It also shows just how much glass art can change the perception of a building, and the value that art brings to guests and building owners alike.