Visitors to the Sears Tower's new glass balconies all seem to agree: The first step is the hardest.
The balconies are suspended 1,353 feet in the air and jut out four feet from the building's 103rd floor Skydeck. Their transparent walls, floor and ceiling leave visitors with the impression they're floating over the city.
"It's like walking on ice," said Margaret Kemp, of Bishop, Calif., who said her heart was still pounding even after stepping away from the balcony. "That first step you take -- 'am I going down?'"
Kemp was among the visitors who got a sneak preview of the balconies Wednesday. "The Ledge," as the balconies have been nicknamed, open to the public Thursday. Visitors are treated to unobstructed views of Chicago from the building's west side and a heart-stopping vista of the street and Chicago River below -- for those brave enough to look straight down.
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It's amazing to think that ... (Below threshold)1. Posted by Antonia Del debbio | July 23, 2009 8:40 AM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
It's amazing to think that people are not afraid to step inside a concrete balcony (because they cannot see through?), though it is known that some concrete balconies fell (as they were not correctly constructed, and obviously not rigorously certified as being correctly constructed) but find their first step to be hard on a glass balcony (because they can see through?). If both materials (concrete and glass) are certified as safe in terms of their ability to carry the calculated load (and also having them certified as complying with all the other building requirements), then should not fear be replaced by wonder? Of course I am talking from the perspective of someone adoring glass, as I find a greater connection with the non built environment (the large sky above green spaces), the surrounding built environment (e.g. other buildings) and people, when a space is enclosed in glass (and we already know that certain types of glass are suitable for load bearing, or protection against fire.
Is there any difference in looking at Chicago from a concrete or glass balcony?
Yes, there is, and it is a choice about wanting to see less or more, and less concrete is more visibility a greater connection, enriched feelings. Less concrete is more visibility, therefore once again "Less is more", to use Ludwig Mies van der Rohe's words.
Antonia Del Debbio
1. Posted by Antonia Del debbio | July 23, 2009 8:40 AM |
Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Posted on July 23, 2009 08:40