On March 30, the Tech Library opened the long-awaited Media Bridge and Crosland Tower art exhibit to the public. The Media Bridge has been visual to students for a while. The bridge connects Crosland Tower to the Price Gilbert Memorial Library, being covered overhead with a digital screen.
As the Nique reported on Feb. 4, the construction of the bridge and screen has long been experiencing delays in opening. The last few months, the technology of the bridge has been in developmental and testing stages.The installation on the roof of Crosland Tower, dubbed the Crosland Chroma Project, began construction in Nov. 2021.
The Crosland rooftop as well as the roof of Clough have experienced on-and-off closures and ongoing construction. The construction of Crosland Chroma was designed by Professor Tristan Al-Haddad, who gained his Master’s degree from Tech’s School of Agriculture where he is now a faculty member.
The installation, which consists of reflective fins covered in a colorful film, is both for aesthetic and safety purposes. The installation forms a barrier around the terraces on the seventh floor of Crosland.
The fins twist vertically to create a fence around the terrace, with gaps between each fin that are safe enough for students. In a video posted by the GT Library, Professor Al-Hadaad says, “The way I would describe the project is kind of the love child of public art and public safety.”
In addition to the bridge and tower exhibit, there were rainbow panels installed on the windows by the lower entrance to Crosland Tower.