While researching this post, I was amused to come across this
While researching this post, I was amused to come across this rant on Treehugger complaining about “all this architect love for COR_TEN steel.” The author practically pulls out ‘kids-these-days’ line in his grumping about the material’s “recent” popularity and then he goes on to confuse the intentional weathering process with “deteriorat[ing] before your very eyes.”
In fact, Corten is hardly a new kid on the block. Eero Saarinen used it in his design for the John Deere Corporate HQ (Moline, IL), in 1964. The choice appears to have worked out well.
A 20-years-on review by the New York Times described it as “giving the the facade a delicate and subtle texture” and pointing out the benefits of Corten and underlining the way it was used for both the building frame but also for the sun louvers and screens on the glass wall.