The Iconic Wall
Project Description:
To create an arena that would instantly become an architectural icon, Cesar Pelli employed cultural and architectural themes of Tulsa, including Native American, art deco, and contemporary styles, making heavy use of swirling circular elements in the exterior and interior designs of the building.
The 103-foot-tall, 600-foot-long iconic glass façade features 1,600 panels, each weighing 350 pounds. The glass wall weighs approximately 912,000 pounds. The glass wall wraps around the building in an escalating motion, leaning at a five-degree angle. Followed by 33,000 steel panels, the motion continues the upward spiraling path around the circumference of the building. The BOK Center impressively incorporates 350,000 square feet of exterior metal panels, 75,000 square feet of glass, 30,000 cubic yards of concrete, and 4,000 tons of structural steel.
Ceramic frits within the glass veil direct sunlight yet remain clear to the naked eye. The glass wall also features 66 halide lamps which can display up to 1,000 different colors across the wall.
The iconic glass wall is engineered to withstand 100-mph winds. The structure is reinforced to allow for movement of the frame, and all of the glass within the wall is laminated to prevent shattering. The wall withstood a battery of weather and impact testing to insure that the building is indeed as strong as it is beautiful.
Construction of the iconic glass wall: American Glass & Metal of Tulsa