Great Glazing: Edgar N. Putman Event Pavilion structural wall

Photos by Michael Moran/OTTO

The basics: In April, officials from The James A. Michener Art Museum in Doylestown, Pa., dedicated The Edgar N. Putman Event Pavilion, an all-glass structure extending into the north side of the Museum's Patricia D. Pfundt Sculpture Garden. The museum occupies the site of the former Bucks County Prison, built in 1884. Although much of the prison was torn down in 1986, remnants of the old stone building are incorporated into the museum, including three massive 23-foot-tall fieldstone prison walls. The structural glass panels of the new Event Pavilion allow seamless views to and from the interior of the museum toward the former prison walls that encompass the sculpture garden.

The 23-foot glass panels used in the Event Pavilion are among the largest self-supporting insulating glass units worldwide, according to officials from the design firm KieranTimberlake.

The players: Architect, KieranTimberlake; general contractor, Adams-Bickel Associates; glazing contractor, National Glass & Metal Co.; structural glass supplier, Roschmann Group; curtainwall consultant, Dewhurst MacFarlane.

The glass and systems: The structural insulating glass panels are 23 feet tall and 5 feet 6.5 inches wide, and weigh about 3,350 pounds. Each unit consists of five layers of glass and is 2.75 inches thick. A highly specialized, custom designed suction device developed by Roschmann was used by the contractors to lift the glass into place.