Will Bruder

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Will Bruder (born in 1946 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin) is an American architect most active in the American southwest. His ability to address the requirements of site, user experience, craftsmanship, and energy conservation, while still producing formally accomplished and beautiful buildings, is unusual in the profession.

Bruder studied art and engineering, but had no formal university training in architecture. After receiving a Bachelor of Fine Arts in sculpture from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1968, he worked and studied under Paolo Soleri, where he acquired field experience in woodwork, metal work, and masonry. Through apprenticeship with Soleri and with Michael Goodwin, he obtained registration as an architect and opened his practice in 1974.

Bruder's largest structure and greatest achievement is the Burton Barr Central Library in Phoenix, Arizona, a five-story, 280,000-square-foot (26,000 m²) civic landmark that houses an open, one-acre (4,000 m²) reading room and a five-floor, glass-and-steel elevator and stair well (the "Crystal Canyon"). The building incorporates a Buckminster Fuller tensegrity structure in its roof, and features motorized louvers on its south face for improved sun control. Unfortunately, the louvers never worked properly and were disconnected years ago. The only day they are functional is on the Summer Solstice, when they are manually closed for Bruder's annual presentation. The library is physically oriented for a display of sunlight alignment on equinox days.

Other works include:


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