Glass Architectural

The Louvre Pyramid

In 1984, French president François Mitterrand hired architect I.M. Pei  to design and construct a new entrance for the iconic Louvre museum.  The Louvre Pyramid  was the result, one of the most famed works of glass architecture to date.  This large glass pyramid rises out of the square in front of the Louvre at a height of 70 feet, consisting of 673 glass section from tip to base.  Visitors enter the pyramid to descend below-ground before ascending again into the main level of the museum.  While the Louvre Pyramid was built amidst much controversy and critique, it has been lauded by architecture fans as a well-executed merging of classical and modernist architecture. [images: minor9th , grufnik , djof ]

National Grand Theater of China

One of China’s greatest architectural works of the last decade, the National Grand Theater of China  is a massive dome of glass and titanium.  Located not far from Tiananmen Square, Beijing, this glass building houses an opera, a theater and a music hall, combining to seat 5,452 guests at once.  The dome is centered within an artificial lake, providing a reflective view of the dome from the street.  Architect Paul Andreu  has been a well-known proponent of glass in architecture, and the National Grand Theater is widely considered one of his greatest masterworks.

Basque Health Department Headquarters of Bilbao Spain

Bilbao, Spain has become an architectural hot spot in recent years, especially in thanks to the Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao, by Frank Gehry.  The Basque Health Department Headquarters, designed by Coll-Barreu Architects , shared the sculptural focus of Gehry’s Guggenhiem.  While Gehry designed his masterpiece with metal, Coll-Barreu crafted the Basque Health Dept. Headquarters in angular glass with an almost organically-inspired shape.  When it comes to glass in architecture, this building is easily amongst the world’s most progressive in form.

House Cafe Kanyon by Autoban Architects

Thanks to the creative use of glass, the House Cafe Kanyon  by Autoban Architects  is a separate, exclusive dining experience within the Kanyon shopping mall in Istanbul, Turkey.  This steel and glass shell is raised above the mall’s stone base with a walnut floor, which combines with the clear glass for an overall warm inner appearance.  The glass walls of the House Cafe make this restaurant it’s own, free-standing structure within another, creating a sense of separation from the commerce around it.

Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art

The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art  in Kansas City, MO has received a new modern wing outside its traditional Roman-style centerpiece.  The new “Bloch Building” is clothed in frosted glass, illuminated from within with light from corner to corner.  The Bloch Building may appear to be alien next to its earlier, traditional counterpart, but Steven Holl Architects  have succeeded in creating a modern representation of contemporary art for this museum.  Use any other material than frosted-glass for its walls, and the majesty of this building is lost. [photos by andryryan ]