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Qatar National Library by OMA / Architectural Record - by Josephine Minutillo



11-04-2018

This building’s primary allure is this light-filled main space. The over 1 ½”-thick wavy glass of the façade (offering hazy, mirage-like views of the outside), is self-supporting though it includes horizontal steel shelves connected to interior columns to brace against wind loads. The glass panels—insulated against temperatures that regularly surpass 100 degrees Fahrenheit—are as tall as 18 feet. “The client wanted solar blinds but we said no,” recalls OMA’s on-site architect Vincent Kersten. “You never know how it will work until it’s there. We took a risk.” It paid off. The effect is glorious.


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