Reflections from London skyscraper are reportedly melting parked cars(theverge.com)

3 pointsby Zoepflivor 13 Jahren1 comments

Reflections from London skyscraper are reportedly melting parked cars

http://www.theverge.com/2013/9/2/4686646/reflections-from-london-skyscraper-are-melting-parked-cars

1 comments

lutuspvor 13 Jahren

Two of the building's sides are in essence giant two-dimensional concave mirrors, and the building's windows are silvered to reflect the heat away from its interior. I cannot imagine a better candidate for concentrating solar energy in unintended ways.

In this image --

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8398/8677105491_93e6da7ab9_z.j...

-- one can clearly see that, at the side to the right, the building's windows create a two-dimensional concave curve, with an intense point of focus some distance away.

What I can't understand is why the architect didn't consider hiring a physicist to warn him about this geometry.