A Gracefully Curved Glass Roof

Renzo Piano Building Workshop’s design for the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles includes the renovation of an old warehouse built in 1939 and the addition of a contemporary structure known as Sphere Building, which houses the 1,000-seater David Geffen Theater. The new building is topped by an iconic transparent hemispherical dome, which protects a terrace that offers breathtaking views of the sky and the Hollywood hills. This rooftop area is connected to the rest of the museum by glass bridges, creating a seamless link to the surrounding spaces that celebrate the storytelling magic of the motion picture industry. 

From a structural and engineering perspective, the unique shape of the roof required meticulous analysis and careful selection of materials and technical details – a process that was aided by the expertise of the German-based knippershelbig engineering practice. The use of Saflex™ Structural, supplied by Saflex – an Eastman brand specializing in the production of interlayers – was key to meeting the unique technical requirements of the curved roof. It was constructed using single-layer steel elements to which two glass panels were attached for each section of the grid. The choice of material fell on Saflex™ Structural (DG41) PVB because of its superior strength and rigidity, ensuring that the roof met all the necessary structural safety and stability requirements. Low-iron glass with no additional coatings was used to maximize transparency and provide an unobstructed view while also protecting the terrace from the elements. 

Sphere Building is not only a wonderful example of the seamless integration of architecture, engineering and design, but also blends easily into the skyline. 

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© Patrick W. Price, courtesy Eastman

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