L
to R: Michael Manfredi, Judith Shapiro and
Marion Weiss view Nexus glass options
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For
a few hours on December 18 and 19, people on and around Barnard’s
campus got a quick glimpse of what the Nexus façade will look
like once completed. That day, two large glass panels (each
panel included three panes) sat on Lehman Lawn as various
visitors assessed the state and the color of the glass in
various weather conditions (from a bright, sunny Tuesday afternoon
to an overcast, windy Wednesday morning). Those viewing and
weighing in on the color included: Nexus architects Marion
Weiss and Michael Manfredi; representatives from Robert Heintges
Associates, the curtain wall consultants; President Judith
Shapiro; Vice President of Administration and Capital Planning
Lisa Gamsu; Provost Liz Boylan; Dean Dorothy Denburg; and
Karen Fairbanks, chair of Barnard’s Architecture Department.
The task was an important one—to make a final decision about the color of glass that will be used on the Nexus. Both options had reddish tones that pick up on the many brick structures at Barnard. The choice of color will be officially announced in the coming months.
This
visual testing on Barnard’s campus followed a period of performance
testing that took place in York, PA throughout November and
early December. There, a mock-up of the curtain wall was subject
to artificial wind, rain, and other stresses to ensure that
the Nexus will stand the test of time.
Be
sure to check the upcoming winter issue of Barnard
Magazine for more on the testing. For more information about
the Nexus glass
curtain wall, visit the Nexus
website.
Curtain wall panels set up to test colors in campus
context and in natural light
Viewing the panels from Barnard Hall are architect Marion
Weiss, President Judith Shapiro, Vice President of Administration
and Capital Planning Lisa Gamsu, and architect Michael
Manfredi
