But used in the right doses, and in the correct place, glass does have the potential to be the bright choice. Of course, that requires commitment, knowledge and time on the design board for all those concerned with building. Do we have enough of all this to use glass with intelligence and responsibility?
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CONNECT
SEE
The PVR Phoenix multiplex in Mumbai’s Phoenix Mills—designed by Jestico & Whiles in association with Era Architects— claims to be the city’s largest, with seven screens and 1847 seats. What interests us is the look of the place, which seems to have supplemented the usual PVR accoutrements with quirkier elements. Its screening halls, foyer and café lounge feature deep leather panelling and plush red furnishing—but these are common for a multiplex these days. More riveting is the ‘dewdrop effect’ ceiling in the foyer, with spheroids seeming to melt off the plaster; or the movie art plastering the wall along which the elevators open. Staff Writer
VISIT
From Asterix and Obelix to brooding comic-book hero Largo Winch, the French have long adored their cartoon heroes. Now the visual world of comics is being embraced for the first time by Paris’ Louvre museum. The exhibition, ‘Small Design: The Louvre invites Comics’, opened on 22 January and will display comic strips by five authors. ‘Glacial Period’ by Nicolas de Crecy, Marc-Antoine Mathieu’s ‘The Basement of the Louvre’ and Eric Liberge’s ‘Odd Hours’ have been completed, with the fourth set for release in May. AP
MARVEL
With 497 days to go before South Africa hosts the 2010 World Cup soccer tournament, engineers at Durban’s Moses Mabhida 2010 soccer stadium fit the final piece to the 350m-long arch over the stadium on 16 January. The arch, consisting of 56 separate 10m pieces, stands 106m high, weighs 3,500 tonnes and is symbolic of the South African flag. The last piece fitted weighed 60 tonnes and the arch pieces had to be opened 5cm on either side to accommodate the final section. The arch will provide critical support to the stadium roof, which consists of Teflon-coated glass fibre membranes. AP
ADMIRE
Ng Chee Leong from Singapore attacked a squid-topped octopus tentacle with a hair dryer and a bunch of ribbons. John Qi, a member of the Chinese team, torched some Nemo lookalikes to an aquamarine sugar wave. Just desserts, these, at the World Pastry Cup in Lyon, France, held over 25-26 January. Twenty-two countries participated in the contest that is now 20 years old. Staff Writer