PEOPLE Magazine names "World's Best Glass Attractions"
August 25, 2009

The use of glass in architectural construction can certainly help create an eye-catching display, and in addition to making a unique building or structure to view, in some cases the glass can even be the main feature that brings people in to see it. In fact, this week People magazine listed its top choices of glass attractions; those that "offer a transparent thrill."

From the Windy City to the Land Down Under (and a couple of places in between), check out which projects made the list.

Topping the list was the recently completed Skydeck Ledge in Chicago (CLICK HERE for related article). The Ledge is a series of glass bays that extend from the Willis Tower (formerly the Sears Tower) 103rd floor and reach out more than 4 feet from the Skydeck's west side. MTH Industries installed The Ledge's glass panels. Each glass box is comprised of three layers of glass laminated into one seamless unit. The low-iron, clear glass is fully tempered and heat-soaked for durability. The glass panels weigh 1,500 pounds.

Head a little further West to Tacoma, Wash., and you'll find People's next glass attraction pick: The Chihuly Bridge of Glass, a 500-foot-long pedestrian bridge linking downtown Tacoma to the city's waterfront. Conceived by glass artist Dale Chihuly, a Tacoma native, the bridge was designed in collaboration with Arthur Andersson of Andersson·Wise Architects, and displays color and form 70 feet into the air.

Some of the bridge's features include the Seaform Pavilion, a ceiling made of 2,364 objects from Chihuly's Seaform and Persian series; the Crystal Towers, which are made of 63 large crystals; and the Venetian Wall, an 80-foot installation displaying 109 Chihuly sculptures. (CLICK HERE to read more about the bridge).

Also on the list is the Grand Canyon Experience. The U-shaped Grand Canyon West Skywalk observation platform features all-glass flooring that's suspended 4,000 feet above the Colorado River. The two-inch thick glass decking, approximately 10 feet wide and 70 feet deep, was made of a multilayer glass construction including three SentryGlas® Plus structural interlayers and four layers of Saint-Gobain Diamant® glass. The Las Vegas branch of Giroux Glass served as the contract glazier. (CLICK HERE to read a related article).

Finally, if you happen to find yourself in Melbourne, Australia, check out People's fourth pick, The Edge. Located in the observation tower of the Eureka Skydeck, The Edge projects nearly 10 feet off the side of the building and more than 900 feet off the ground. (CLICK HERE to read more).

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