Falling Glass

Problems in construction have existed for as long as architecture itself has enclosed spaces, and the type of defects and their causes are as varied as the architecture itself. This book systematically analyzes failures in contemporary international architecture which in some cases had dramatic consquences. In a sense it would seem that modern architecture with its complex technologies and ingenious details is especially prone to defects. For this very reason, the selection of examples documented in the book includes such renowned projects as Waterloo Station in London, the John Hancock Tower in Boston, the Galeries Lafayette in Berlin, the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, and the Bibliotheque de France in Paris - to name but a few. The author develops a catalogue of failure modes in glass facades and roofs, examining defects due to nickel sulfide, thermal stress, corrosion, incompatibility, leakage, and structural failures. The implications of energy concerns, insufficient redundancy, and impact are also examined in a chapter each. In addition to that, the book documents enclosures that were successful. The focus of the book is how these typical defects can be avoided and what the practitioner needs to bear in mind to this end.