2024-05-03T05:45:50-04:00 https://archinect.com/news/article/57692934/from-solyndra-to-sol-grotto Nam Henderson 2012-09-20T21:25:00-04:00 >2018-01-30T06:16:04-05:00 <img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/d5/d5odad89ae7btcfn.jpeg?fit=crop&auto=compress%2Cformat&enlarge=true&w=1200" border="0" /><em><p>Rael and San Frantello still have thousands of rods left over, but depending on how big they want to go, Ashley could probably help them out again &mdash; he still has a mountain of about 700,000 of them sitting in the parking lot of his Milpitas warehouse.</p></em><br /><br /><p> Husband and wife design partners Ronald Rael and Virginia San Fratello&nbsp;have recycled parts of a "boondoggle" into a piece of architecture.&nbsp;<a href="http://www.rael-sanfratello.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Rael San Fratello Architects</a> new(ish) project SOL Grotto uses 1,368 distinctive glass rods, from the failed solar company. The view through the rods is simultaneously kaleidoscopic and mesmeric and has become home to several insects found in the garden.&nbsp;The installation can currently be found at the Botanical Garden at the University of California, Berkeley. &nbsp;</p> <p> Recently, <a href="http://video.foxnews.com/v/1797528762001/solyndra-art-uproar/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Fox News featured Greg Gutfeld and panel&nbsp;criticizing&nbsp;how the boondoggle was turned into a "hip" , "</a><a href="http://video.foxnews.com/v/1797528762001/solyndra-art-uproar/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">pretentious", "art" exhibit</a>.</p>