Concept
Blue Glass is a 3D video work that uses the proliferation of blue glass buildings in China around
the turn of the millennium as its visual thread, depicting the stories behind these futuristic
structures. It traces the social imagination and historical trauma hidden beneath the country’s
rapid urbanization during this era. The work not only documents these architectural relics—once
infused with dreams of the future—but also reveals how they served as symbols that helped
construct a collective memory and utopian fantasy for China’s Gen Z during their childhood. As
the grand feast of urbanization comes to an end, the once-hopeful blue glass façades begin to
expose their coldness and fractures. Blue Glass dwells in this rupture, offering a profound
reflection on the disillusionment and identity confusion inherited by a generation born from a
dream now faded.These structures often featured blue glass facades and UFO-like forms on their rooftops. They symbolized China’s journey toward modernization.
copyright.铁合西街东
These structures often featured blue glass facades and UFO-like forms on their rooftops. They symbolized China’s journey toward modernization.
copyright. 铁合西街东
These structures often featured blue glass facades and UFO-like forms on their rooftops. They symbolized China’s journey toward modernization.
copyright. 铁合西街东
These structures often featured blue glass facades and UFO-like forms on their rooftops. They symbolized China’s journey toward modernization.
copyright. 铁合西街东
These structures often featured blue glass facades and UFO-like forms on their rooftops. They symbolized China’s journey toward modernization.
copyright. 铁合西街东
These structures often featured blue glass facades and UFO-like forms on their rooftops. They symbolized China’s journey toward modernization.
copyright. 铁合西街东
These structures often featured blue glass facades and UFO-like forms on their rooftops. They symbolized China’s journey toward modernization.
copyright. 铁合西街东
During this period, China began to widely use blue-tinted glass in architecture.
There were multiple reasons behind this trend.
Why Blue Glass
One was the continued imitation of Soviet architecture—during the Cold War, the Soviet Union used blue glass to shield buildings from surveillance by American reconnaissance aircraft, and China directly adopted this aesthetic.
Another reason was technological: at the time, glass manufacturing processes were not yet fully developed. The blue tint often resulted from imperfect purification, and such glass was also cheaper to produce.
This blue glass carried a dual symbolism: from the outside, it appeared mysterious; from the inside, it created a cool, futuristic atmosphere shaped by its bluish tone.