Studio Gang Architects has earned a PETA Proggy award for using bird-deflecting elements in the 823 ft-Aqua Tower residential building and hotel that’s currently under construction in Chicago.
By including an undulating exterior and specifying the use of fritted glassâ€”which is etched with gray marks to make it easier for birds to seeâ€”the company has created a design that will help prevent birds from flying into windows. PETA’s Proggy Awards (“Proggy” is for “progress”) recognize animal-friendly achievements in commerce and culture.
PETA President Ingrid E. Newkirk sent a letter of congratulations to Jeanne Gang, founder and principal of Chicago-based Studio Gang Architects. The firm will also receive a framed certificate.
Collisions with windows are among the most common human-related killers of migrating birds in North Americaâ€”each year, they cause the deaths of more than 34 million birds in urban areas alone.