The Pagoda is a glass pavilion and sculptural piece designed by artist James Jean in collaboration with United Environment Architecture, Judson Studios, and Nous Engineering. The design is based on a pentagonal hexecontahedron—a mathematical shape that takes on a spherical form through its repetitive pentagonal panels.

The primary medium for the artwork is stained glass, crafted by melting various colored glass plates together to accurately reproduce the artist’s detailed graphical illustrations. The structural solution was driven by the desire to minimize visual interruptions and maintain the seamless flow of the mural. The result is a meticulously engineered assembly of glass and steel, consisting of 42 custom-stained glass panels that collectively transform the Pagoda into a dynamic fusion of light and space.

At the core of the project is an innovative structural strategy that positions glass as an active load-bearing component, working in tandem with minimal steel framing. To facilitate this, Nous Engineering developed a novel glass–epoxy–steel bonded interface. Traditional silicone adhesives proved too soft, offering minimal load transfer between the glass and steel. Instead, a high-strength industrial adhesive was selected for its stiffness properties and bearing strength. Positioned between the flexibility of silicone and the rigidity of metal, the rubber-like adhesive ensures effective load transfer from glass to metal, providing a seamless connection.

The Pagoda is also designed to resist seismic forces through a low-mass base isolation system, which isolates the structure from the effects of severe ground shaking. This system allows lateral movement during earthquakes while minimizing the accumulation of forces at the joints and within the glass panels.

Fabrication required millimeter-level tolerances. Advanced 3D modeling, digital coordination, and iterative prototyping were critical to ensuring alignment between geometry, structural performance, and finish.

The Pagoda represents a synthesis of material experimentation and artistic expression, where the engineering solution responds to and supports the artistic ambition, and the structure itself becomes an unobtrusive collaborator in the realization of the artwork.