Public Works Architecture Experiencing A Revival

In Connecticut, the Regional Water Authority feared that community opposition could stall a big project for decades, so it invited the community to participate in the project design by picking the architect. The result is a water filtration plant shaped like like a pipe and covered in stainless steel shingles which is "so big and so shiny that it might be visible from Mars." Architects best known for signature museums and concert halls are now designing bridges and public works facilities. "In an increasingly crowded world, there are more and more infrastructure buildings, and they're going to occupy increasingly sensitive locations," explained Boston architect Jane Weinzapfel. And often, she said, the buildings are far larger than anything around them. It takes architecture to tame giants.

Thanks to Zvi Leve