AGG - 2006 - March/April - From the Editor

Volume 20 • Issue 2 • March/April 2006

From the Editor

Gwathmey and the Curvy Glass

A recent article in the New York Times Sunday real estate section discussed the new Charles Gwathmey and Robert Siegel designed building at Astor Place, which has received a lot of publicity, being the first residential building the famous architect has designed (not to mention the interest in housing in general and high-end housing in particular).

The structure has an undulating glass curtainwall, which served as the focus of the article which was titled: All That Curvy Glass: Is It Worth It?

Well, the writer couldn’t seem to make up her mind, but, by the end of the column, seemed pretty likely to stay put rather than spend a couple of million dollars to move to Astor Place.

Of course, what intrigued me most immediately was the attention given to the glass aspect of the building. The writer asked the question if a “gleaming glass tower” could fit into a less-than-gleaming neighborhood. Her first entrance into the model apartment is shaped by the breathtaking views that its glass wall provides, resulting in the declaration “I’m in love.”

Good design can do that. Love at first sight.

The use of glass has become second nature in the design process. But, the glass industry’s ability to offer improved products has been paramount in the increasingly important role the material plays in design. Offering solar control allows a glass wall to provide a clean look while still providing the function a building cladding material has to offer—no unsightly curtains or awning-like devices.

Subtleties of colors allow a designer the freedom to fulfill his or her vision.

Beyond aesthetics, though, glass has also morphed into a safety and security material. This point is made clear in several places in this issue. For today’s fire-rated glazing situations, a number of alternatives, all design friendly, are available. In South Florida, and an ever-expanding area of the Southeast, hurricane codes have changed the whole design landscape, and the glass community has developed products which offer solutions for both design and code compliance.

Whether it’s a mixed use building in Miami such as Espirito Santo Plaza or a sleek residential structure on Astor Place, glass and innovative design made for successful architecture.

Oh, yes, the final word from the writer of the New York Times article on the apartment in the curvy glass building: That glass wall in the master bedroom would make it difficult to watch television in bed. There’s just no pleasing some people.

Charles Cumpston
Editor