I like this look. It has this aura of beautiful golden light about it. It has that aura without going the full gaudy gilded look like you would find in something the president built.
They're called glass brick or glass block, and you can still buy them, I just checked some local home improvement stores' websites, and they all had some in stock
It must be a regional thing as we're probably about the same age. Growing up in CA, I frequently saw portions of walls made of these, especially in businesses and universities. One house by me had a cool turret staircase with alternating wall sections made of these glass bricks. There wasn't much privacy at night, although you could only make out vague shapes.
Yes, but only with a way to get some air in and out.
In my daughters student dormitory, the large corridor linking all the apartments on a level has such a glass wall. 100% closed, no way to air this out.