Pilkington Optiwhite™ Used in Toledo Museum of Art Glass Pavilion

The new Glass Pavilion at the Toledo Museum of Art opened recently, housing one of the world's finest international glass collections. The outside walls and many of the interior walls of the building were made using Pilkington Optiwhite™ low iron glass.

The Glass Pavilion, the first American project by architects Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa and their Tokyo firm, SANAA, uses 150,000 square feet of Pilkington Optiwhite low iron glass outlining the building's perimeter.

"The architects chose Pilkington Optiwhite because of its versatility and practically colorless properties," said Stephen Weidner, Pilkington North America vice president of sales and marketing. "It provides visitors a crystal clear view of the impressive art collection in the Pavilion."

The free-standing glass pavilion stands across from the Toledo Museum's main building that contains an already impressive collection of art. The pavilion will house the world's largest collection of glass including the famous Libbey Glass Punch Bowl, donated by Edward Drummond Libbey, founder of Toledo Museum of Art in 1901, and the former Libbey-Owens-Ford Company.

The 15 feet tall structure is made of approximately 342 glass panels, ranging in both size and curvature and has 76,000 square feet of above ground and basement space. The main level not only includes the large glass collection, but also the glass blowing studios, which will be used by local artists and for classes. These studios give visitors an intimate interaction with the glass blowing process.

Pilkington's building products North American headquarters is located in Toledo, Ohio.

CLICK HERE for more information on Pilkington and its products