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Glare at L.A. Hall Said Heating Up Condos

Posted on: Monday, 23 February 2004, 06:00 CST

The glare off the Walt Disney Concert Hall's shimmering stainless steel curves is so intense it's heating up nearby condos at least 15 degrees, neighbors complain.

Before concert hall officials recently ordered a temporary fix, reflections from Frank Gehry's $274 million architectural landmark, which opened in October, hit Jaqueline Lagrone just as she arrived home for lunch.

"You couldn't even see and then the furniture would get really hot," said Lagrone, 42, whose unit faces the new hall. "You would have to literally close the drapes and you'd still feel warmth in the house. You would have the air conditioning on all the time."

The reflection off one corner of the building known as the Founders Room can drive up temperatures as much as 15 degrees, some condo owners claim.

That corner is clad in a glossy, mirror-like steel that reflects the sun more harshly than duller brushed steel used elsewhere. Disney Hall officials have put up a temporary synthetic net while they work on a permanent solution - dulling the shine.

"We've chosen a sort of sandblasted finish," Gehry partner Terry Bell said.

Architects considered the impact of the shiny steel on neighboring buildings, Bell said. But during construction, the curving sheets of metal ended up facing a slightly different angle than plans called for, he said.

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