Reflections on the Box: A new addition at the Corning Museum of Glass by Thomas Phifer and Partners continues a tradition of invention at its upstate New York campus.
Crystal Clear: Architects, scientists, and manufacturers look toward emerging technologies and materials to develop the next generation of glass and glazing products.
Architects, scientists, and manufacturers look toward emerging technologies and materials to develop the next generation of glass and glazing products. Image courtesy Ubiquitous Energy Ubiquitous Energy's ClearView Power is a clear photovoltaic coating that can be applied to glass. To earn one AIA learning unit (LU), including one hour of health, safety, and welfare (HSW) credit, read each of the articles below and complete the test online. Upon passing, you will receive a certificate of completion and your credit will automatically be reported to the AIA. Find additional information regarding credit-reporting and continuing-education requirements at ce.construction.com, under “requirements.” Innovations In
Steirereck restaurant, located in Vienna's lush Stadtpark, is celebrated for its modern Austrian cuisine (think wiener schnitzel with a gluten disclaimer), but the main course is a new addition by local firm PPAG Architects.
The controversial restoration of the interiors of a sacrosanct cathedral elicits a call to action. Among modern architects, Chartres Cathedral, largely built in the first half of the 13th century, holds a special place. Philip Johnson famously said, “I would rather sleep in Chartres Cathedral, with the nearest toilet two blocks away, than in a Harvard house with back-to-back bathrooms.” (He first visited Chartres at age 13 with his mother, but the comparison came after he attended Harvard.) Much later, Johnson remarked, “I don't see how anybody can go into the nave of Chartres Cathedral and not burst into tears.”
The avant-garde's defense of the mountainous blob that Star Wars creator George Lucas wants to erect on Chicago's lakefront speaks volumes about all that's wrong with architecture today: a celebration of object-making at the expense of public space, plus a shameless coddling of the powerful, provided they serve one's aesthetic agenda.