Question of the Day - 19 July 2022

Timely question, now that the daily high temperatures are hovering around 110 degrees.

A bit of background for those unfamiliar with the Vdara death ray or, as MGM Resorts refers to it, the “solar-convergence phenomenon.”

Shortly after Vdara, the 1,500-unit condo-hotel at CityCenter, opened in December 2009, guests, especially those at the pools, reported that the glare from the south side of the building gave them severe sunburns. Further research revealed that the reflection from, along with the concave design of, the building was acting as a solar magnifier, aiming the glass at the ground in front. Of course, that kind of focused solar energy raised the ambient temperatures 20-25 degrees, dangerously high anytime the thermometer was in the three figures; we've heard stories that plastic bags and cups actually melted onto the pool deck. The building also acted like the world's largest tanning reflector. 

The focused area, reportedly, is quite small and concentrated, not more than 10-15 feet in diameter. And it moves as the Earth's rotation changes the position of the sun in the late-morning and early-afternoon sky; the death ray generally occurs between 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. 

MGM Resorts quickly installed a thin film on the 3,000 glass panes facing the pool. That helped, with some reports claiming it diminished the death-ray effect by up to 70%, but it didn't solve the problem. 

Next, a fairly simple and common-sense solution was implemented: giant blue umbrellas over the pool deck to protect swimmers and sunbathers. Again, it mostly covered the affected area, but every so often someone, reportedly, still sits on a chair or lounger that becomes exposed to the magnifying glass. 

By now, it's likely that most people who stay at Vdara know about the solar convergence, so they can avoid it or get out from under it if it hits them. If not and they happen to fall victim to it, they learn fast. 

Here's the weirdest thing, at least to us. Vdara's architect kind of shrugged off the problem when it was first reported, blaming it on "corporate indifference." He said he mentioned the potential problem to MGM, but was told, in effect, "Who cares if you fry somebody in Las Vegas?"

However, the same guy went on to design the building at 20 Fenchurch Street in the City of London, which opened in 2013. Its nickname is the "Walkie-Talkie," due to a distinctive shape that resembles a two-way radio handset. But it's also known as the "Walkie-Scorchie" and the "Fryscraper," due to the exact same solar-convergence effect as Vdara's. Apparently, the magnifier melted plastic panels on a parked car and scorched the carpet of a hair salon across the street. Frying somebody in mild London Town is a new one on us, but not, obviously, the architect of both buildings.