Architects specified a wall of custom glass from Bendheim to meet challenges at David Geffen Hall, the newly renovated home of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra.
A redesign of this venue, then known as Avery Fisher Hall, began with plans unveiled in 2019. With concerts suspended during the pandemic, an accelerated construction schedule allowed the facility to reopen in October 2022.
About the renovation
While the renovation plan focused on the interior, one difference in the building is visible from Lincoln Center’s central plaza: new illumination. A 12-foot-high band of ceramic fritted glass from Bendheim is framed by the tapered pillars of the concert hall’s portico, providing a projection screen for lighting along the top tier.
This band of glass also serves as the windows for a row of offices occupied by New York Philharmonic staff. For Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects, the assignment was to support the desired illumination of the exterior while also allowing a view and protecting the comfort and privacy of the staffers inside. Specifically, the designers were requested to provide one-way windows, allowing occupants to see out without being seen.
Bendheim’s glass
To take full advantage of Bendheim’s expertise, principal architect Tod Williams visited Bendheim’s Design Lab in New York City for an in-person consultation. In the final specifications, ceramic fritted glass (fully opaque from the exterior) was laminated to Bendheim’s “vision glass,” which created the one-way view from the inside. The glass was provided in 5-foot by 12-foot panels totaling approximately 8,000 square feet.
The $550 million renovation of Lincoln Center’s concert venue was designed to make the hall more intimate and to improve the patron experience, with fewer seats, enhanced acoustics and more gracious public spaces. The hall is now equipped to enable greater use of theatrical lighting, sound amplification and video technologies.
What Bendheim says
“We take pride in bringing our unique design and fabrication capabilities to every project, but of course, we were particularly delighted to work on David Geffen Hall,” says Said Elieh, vice president for sales and innovation, Bendheim. “It’s a New York City landmark, and we are thrilled to see our glass shine in this critical role.”
