Poorly-Designed London Skyscraper Magnifies Sun's Rays into a Destructive Beam

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  Nicolas Paez

  7 years ago

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  This seems like something Mr. Vignoly should have seen coming specially now that architects can use tools like Ecotect to analyse the way buildings interact with the sun.

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  greg blonder

  7 years ago

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  I had suggested using a similar effect as part of a submission for the 911 Memorial. But in my design, the individual window panes were slightly convex, so they spread the light on the way down to the street. Thus it was impossible to cook an egg, or damage eyes. But definitely possible to illuminate the footprints of the original towers.
  
  Convex double pane windows would solve the problem in London, while leaving the original building shape unchanged.
  
  www.gregblonder.com/WTC/WTCIllumination.htm
  
  

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  Peter henne

  7 years ago

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  No. No no no. . This is not some learning mistake. We have known that reflective convex southern faces are a bad thing. Besides common sense we learned it with the Vdara hotel death ray in Vegas, which, surprise!, was also designed by Rafael fucking Vinoly. Once is a learning experience. Doing it again is professional malfeasance. He should lose his license for willfully doing it again. Architects have a professional duty to protect the public's welfare

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  slippyfish

  7 years ago

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  ...seriously doubt that anyone creating a convex reflector would be unaware of the consequences. Design students make solar ovens in their second year of school, a lot like this.

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  Peter henne

  7 years ago

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  No. No no no. . This is not some learning mistake. We have known that reflective convex southern faces are a bad thing. Besides common sense we learned it with the Vdara hotel death ray in Vegas, which, surprise!, was also designed by Rafael fucking Vinoly. Once is a learning experience. Doing it again is professional malfeasance. He should lose his license for willfully doing it again. Architects have a professional duty to protect the public's welfare

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  Tom Mc

  7 years ago

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  In America, some idiot would burn themselves, their retinas, or their property and find a way to sue. The courts would support it, the lawyers would make a ton of money and we'd all sit there with our mouths open watching it on the news.
  
  I'd rather have the building absorb the energy and use it for something.

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  Adrian

  7 years ago

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  Surely there's someone "brighter" out there seeing the opportunity here. Buildings focusing the sun's energy into designated collectors. Come on people, stop being whiners and turn this into a good thing, it's so obvious. The architect's "error" is an accidental learning experience of the best kind. Give that poor chap a new Jaguar (or properly melt a few more for art's sake) with the proceeds from this innovation. Street-level suntaning, cooking your own meals while waiting for the bus, ice and snow melting, the possibilities are endless.
  
  And no one has thought of using building facades for this before?

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  supafluous

  7 years ago

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  didn't they just apply a coating to the Gehry concert hall in L.A. that was heating up the building next to it? Seems like they'll just have to replace the windows.

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  Mike Parsons

  7 years ago

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  Opportunity to provide some free hot water to the locals... Stick a big black water container in the hot spot and away you go!
  
  Bit upsetting for the Jag owner though!

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