"The House that Glass Built" is a 60-minute documentary examining the innovative architecture of the Toledo Museum of Art’s new Glass Pavilion, a building made almost entirely of curved glass panels. The program will focus on the building's design and architecture as well as its historic connection to Northwest Ohio's Glass Industry.

For most of the last 100 years, Toledo was known as the "Glass City" due to its impact on America’s glass industry. However, few Ohioans truly understand or appreciate the historical importance of the glass industry in shaping our region and state. In Toledo, the influence of glass extended not only to employment and economics but to culture and civic pride as well. Although the region’s dependence on the glass industry has waned, its influence can still be felt in the community, especially in the Toledo Museum of Art’s Glass Pavilion, a remarkable combination of art and architecture.  As visitors walk the corridors and galleries of this seemingly simple yet transparent building, most have no idea of the structure’s architectural achievements or its historical significance. The Glass Pavilion is not only made of glass, it was literally made by glass.

"The House that Glass Built" will also chronicle the birth of the studio glass movement that began as an unlikely collaboration of art and industry during a workshop at the Toledo Museum of Art in 1962.

This program will also reflect on the lasting impact of philanthropy and art patronage on local communities then and now.

WGTE has documented construction of this project since the initial ground-breaking, and interviewed key members of the design team. This invaluable footage will be combined with new scholarly interviews, beautifully photographed video of the Glass Pavilion and collection as well as archival photographs and pre-taped interviews with influential figures to bring this story of art, architecture and industry to life in a way that only WGTE can.

"The House that Glass Built" is coming to WGTE Public Broadcasting in November 2007 pending production funding from the Ohio Humanities and Ohio Arts Councils.

For more information, e-mail greg_tye@wgte.org
or call 419-380-4619.