Sarah Hall: Energizing Architectural Glass with Photovoltaic Cells
Sarah Hall has refined a unique and hi tech approach to architectural glass that gifts the world with both beauty and power. Through the use of photovoltaic cells that convert solar energy into electricity, Hall’s windows can store sunlight by day to backlight the glass by night. They can also produce clean electricity that feeds directly into their respective buildings’ energy systems. Though designing with photovoltaic cells introduces some challenges, Hall moves viewers through her stunning mastery of light and color.
Hall designs large-scale solar and art glass projects for clients around the world including embassies, cathedrals, schools, universities, and colleges. These include Waterglass at Enwave Theatre at Toronto’s Harbourfront Centre; Lux Gloria at the Cathedral of the Holy Family in Saskatoon; Lux Nova wind tower at the University of British Colombia; Leaves of Light for the Life Sciences Building at York University in Toronto; and The Science of Light at Grass Valley Elementary School in Washington State.
Having studied at Sheridan College in Ontario, Hall continued her education in the Architectural Glass Department at Swansea College of Art in Wales, UK. Her exceptional contribution to the built environment has resulted in Honor Awards from the American Institute of Architects and the Allied Arts Award from the Ontario Association of Architects. Hall’s artistic achievements were acknowledged by her induction into the Royal Canadian Academy of Art in 2002. An Arts Fellowship from the Chalmers Foundation in 2005 supported her innovative work in BIPV (Building Integrated Photovoltaic) solar art glass.
In 2016, Hall’s autonomous glass was featured in the exhibition International Panorama of Contemporary Glass-Art, held at the Centre International du Vitrail in Chartres, France. In addition to projects, lectures, and exhibitions throughout North America and Europe, Hall has co-authored 35 articles on glass art and published three books: The Color of Light (1999); Windows on Our Souls (2007) with Bob Shantz; and Transfiguring Prairie Skies (2012) with Donald Bolen. Her work was the subject of J S Porter’s volume, The Glass Art of Sarah Hall, as well as the CBC documentary series, “Great Minds of Design.” She is presently working on a large format retrospective book of her work entitled: A Thousand Colours – Sarah Hall Glass.
Through her glass designs, Hall currently explores ways to generate power and save birds simultaneously. She endeavors to create colored, transparent solar panels that will not only help power the buildings they cover, but also prevent birds from colliding with glass.