Washington, D.C. "Newseum" uses SentryGlas® to symbolize media transparency

The Newseum's 418 m2 (4,500 sq ft) "window on the world" is a point-fixed, lowiron glass curtainwall made with SentryGlas® for extra transparency.

SentryGlas® also was used in the Five Freedoms walkway, a glass pathway etched with the five first amendment freedoms: press, speech, religion, petition and assembly.

World-renowned Polshek Partnership Architects followed the guiding principles of the Freedom Foundation's mission - free press, free speech and free spirit - when designing the Newseum, a 23.226 m² (250,000 sq ft) museum showcasing a free press as a cornerstone of democracy.

Open design in low-iron glass emphasizes the role of a free press
World-renowned Polshek Partnership Architects followed the guiding principles of the Freedom Foundation's mission - free press, free speech and free spirit - when designing the Newseum, a 23.226 m2 (250,000 sq ft) museum showcasing a free press as a cornerstone of democracy. This stunning glass and steel structure occupies a prominent spot in Washington, between the U.S. Capitol and the White House.

Polshek Partnership's use of SentryGlas® contributes to the Newseum's aesthetic and metaphorical successes, making it easily recognized and remembered by visitors from around the world. According to architect James Polshek, "The Newseum is almost all glass where its neighbors are almost all stone. It's transparent where they are opaque, light where they're heavy, breezily informal where they are attired for a decorous sit-down dinner. Transparency as a metaphor for a free press and an open society was guiding principle of the design."

A key component of Polshek's design is what he refers to as a "window on the world," a 418.06 m2 (4,500 sq ft) glass curtainwall constructed with SentryGlas®.

Pedestrians outside can see the Newseum's giant news screen, as well as visitors circulating on ramps and bridges. Visitors on the museum's upper floors can see the Capitol building though this façade, establishing a visual connection between the concepts of a free press and democracy.

SentryGlas® interlayer was specified for the glass because of its structural strength performance, transparency and edge stability. The pointsupported framing system paired with the SentryGlas® interlayer contributes to the open, minimallyframed look that Polshek Partnership desired.

In addition to inherent strength, SentryGlas® offersexcellent edge stability and optical properties. The open-edged sheets are insensitive to edge discoloration.

Moreover, SentryGlas® interlayer enhances the safety and strength of the entire assembly. Its post-break strength is higher than that of PVB, and it keeps glass in place even when shattered. The use of two layers of 10 mm (3/8 in.) low-iron tempered glass laminated with 1.52 mm (60 mil) SentryGlas® allowed Polshek partnership to achieve its transparent "window on the world."

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