Architecture

Why do architects get away with such outrageous and expensive designs when they are making airports (and modern churches)? This photo is from our recent travels through the Seattle airport. We had a wonderful meal at the Anthony's restaurant in the main part of the terminal. While having dinner I snapped this photo of the crazy curving wall of glass that makes up one whole side to the building. This design looks great, but it does not seem to be a cost effective, energy efficient, or easy way to build.




For the engineers out there, I took a close up of one of the fittings that holds the glass. On most large windows the glass is nonstructural and simply supported in a frame, but that would be too simple for here. This wall has a slight concave surface, with the glass under compression on the inside of the curve and the cables in tension on the outer surface. It is an amazing design, but I wonder what it cost to construct?

C.O.