Ceramic Rods at NYT Bldg

Ouroussoff's two main criticisms include the tower's crown and ceramic rod facade/screen, but he also mentions the concerns of his coworkers, which include an abundance of empty space in the newsroom and the sterile look/feel of the glass offices. Regarding the screen of ceramic rods adorning the building's facade, he writes:
"...despite the architect’s best efforts, the screens look flat and lifeless in the skyline. The uniformity of the bars gives them a slightly menacing air, and the problem is compounded by the battleship gray of the tower’s steel frame. Their dull finish deprives the facades of an enlivening play of light and shadow."

Similar rods line the facade of Piano's 22-floor Debis Tower in Berlin, Germany also (pictures available here). I was never and still am not a huge fan of the look that the ceramic rods provide, however, I do understand their purpose and the decision-making process behind their inclusion in the project. The exterior ceramic rods work with the building's large glass window panes and photosensor-controlled interior blinds to improve efficiency in a variety of areas. Designed with help from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, the thin ceramic tubes actually help reduce the building's cooling (energy) loads, while the automated roller-shades help manage potential glare problems, and maximize the opportunity for daylight and views -- this is called 'daylighting.' You probably wouldn't be able to tell, but the glass walls themselves are actually made of low-iron, water-white, double-pane spectrally selective glass. In fact, LBNL ran a nine-month study to perfect this system specifically for The New York Times.

So even though the ceramic rods are not the best look for the building's facade, at least they serve a purpose.

Source: http://marshall-plan.blogspot.com/2007/11/praise-for-renzo-pianos-new-york-times.html