AGG - 2006 - May/June

Volume 20 • Issue 3 • May / June 2006

The LA Experience

Stars aren't all that sparkle in Tinseltown; glass catches
the sun in Los Angeles architecture, too

Welcome to Los Angeles, the city of dreams. While you are here, you are going to have the opportunity to see a number of interesting structures with unique glass applications. Here’s some insight in what to look for, that is if you can keep the stars out of your eyes.

Smooth Landing
Most people traveling into Los Angeles do so through what we all commonly call LAX, Los Angeles International Airport.

“Our goal was to create a sense of arrival and identity at LAX. We wanted a focal point that reflected the history of aviation and the cultural diversity of Los Angeles,” noted Tanaka.

Once the glass pylons were conceived, a number of issues had to be addressed.

The glass pylons had to appear monolithic from all directions, both day and night—employing a minimal number of curved glass panels. The spacing between each panel had to be precise with little visibility. The steel framing that supported the glass panels also had to be visually unobtrusive.

To make matters more interesting, the pylons were designed to be illuminated with colored lights—so each laminated bent tempered glass panel had to be free from uneven finishes or edges. “From a glazing standpoint, Oldcastle Glass, supplier for the project, had to overcome every conceivable challenge,” added Tanaka.

Bentemp 3/8 inch clear bent tempered glass was utilized for the 28 pylons, approximately 25,000 square feet total, and the supplier built several study mock-ups. The final mock-up was a full scale, 25 foot pylon erected at the project site, which allowed both designers and engineers to conduct accurate structural and lighting tests.

The result is that totally unique experience which can only happen in LA.

Here We Are
The very structure that serves as our meeting venue, the Los Angeles Convention Center, has its own glass story to tell.

A decade ago, the original facility had become too small; there had to be more space if it was to keep pace with the growing meeting market. An expansion doubled the size of the facility and its design, by Pei Cobb Freed & Partners, New York, made plentiful use of glass. Gruen Associates, Los Angeles, was executive architect for the expansion.

Two towering glass and steel pavilions welcome visitors to the expanded facility. Fronting the new exhibit hall is a 155-foot tall glass-clad space-frame supported lobby tower. The facility features glass enclosed entrance pavilions.

To connect the original facility with the new section, a two-story meeting room bridge was built over Pico Boulevard with the two glazed entrance pavilions strategically located for maximum access and visibility. All are major organizing elements in an architecture of movement wherein walkways, stairs, escalators and outdoor views are carefully choreographed to ensure fluid circulation.

California Culture
For better or for worse, the J. Paul Getty Museum has become one of the best known cultural centers in the country. While there’s plenty of glass in its permanent collection, we’re looking at its architectural use in the structure. The project has a total of 164,648 square feet of exterior glass.

AIA is sponsoring tours to the facility, which is perched on a hilltop in the Santa Monica Mountains. The museum is actually two sites in one. There is the original museum structure which was modeled on a Roman country house and the new Getty Center, designed by Richard Meier & Partners Architects LLP, New York and Los Angeles, which showcases glass in a number of ways.

Natural light is one of the Getty Center’s most important architectural elements. The many exterior walls of glass allow sunshine to illuminate the interiors. A computer-assisted system of louvers and shades adjusts the light indoors. The paintings galleries on the Museum’s upper level are all naturally lit, with special filters to prevent damage to the artworks.

Music Maestro
One of the newest, most talked about structures in Los Angeles is the Walt Disney Concert Hall. Tours are being run to the facility, which was designed by Frank O. Gehry & Associates, Los Angeles, as part of the AIA program.

This structure is better known for its innovative, striking use of architectural metal than it is for its glass. However, the facility does have approximately 40,000 square feet of glazing that lets light in to brighten the interior.

Permasteelisa USA designed, procured and fabricated the 165,000 square feet of stainless steel panel as well as the glazing, using local sub-contractors, before installing it. The custom finished stainless steel panels are the weathering system for most of the structure.

These are only four examples of innovative glass and architectural metal usage in Los Angeles. There surely are many others. But if you’re short on time and don’t get to see a lot of the city while you’re here, this provides a focus on some projects that will reward your attention.