THE CHALLENGE – COMPLEX DESIGN, SHORT TIMEFRAME, DIFFICULT SITE, TIGHT ACCESS
Located on the site of an abandoned and demolished shopping mall, the Columbus Commons Bicentennial Pavilion project presented Structurflex with multiple challenges. The first challenge was a tight delivery schedule that counted down to a spring concert series. Once funding was in place, the project had to progress from contract bidding to completion in just six months. This was a big task, considering the amount of site preparation, foundation work and sub-trade activity required. The next challenge was detail and fabrication of three complex tri-chord compound curved trusses, which would be point-supported by slender masts. The third challenge was the site’s unusual location, atop a large underground parking garage. Shoring was required in four levels of the garage to prevent structural damage and cracking, and some work could only be conducted during scheduled closings of the garage. The final challenge was limited access – a crane could only be staged from one side.
THE SOLUTION – A FINELY-TUNED INSTALLATION PLAN THAT LEFT NOTHING TO CHANCE
Structurflex was contracted to develop fabrication drawings for the steel, membrane and cables; manufacture required components; and then implement the highly time-sensitive installation plan. We followed the fully-engineered design that was developed by FTL Studio; however, we conducted our own detailed 3D modeling to properly establish correct geometries of all elements, particularly the polycarbonate skylight that was a key design feature of the stage cover. Coordinating the interface details for steel, membrane and polycarbonate was critical. Our highly-coordinated installation plan was implemented without any major issues and the venue’s owner, architect and contractors have all praised our contribution to the new venue’s success. The spring concert series was a huge hit with the public and the Columbus Commons Bicentennial Pavilion has a full program for the months ahead.
Related Blog Post
“Structurflex scooped two of the top awards at last week’s 2012 International Achievement Awards (IAA)”
We are pleased to have collaborated with KieranTimberlake and the outfit of a parking structure on the Rice University Campus. In their blog post, they describe the concepts they employed to create an iconic sculptural element. For more details see the KieranTimberlake blog post.
The Increasing Importance of DurabilityWhile tensile fabric has several distinct advantages over more traditional materials like glass, one of the most important may be its ability to withstand severe weather events. Our tensile structures and tensile facades in Miami, Jacksonville, Houston, Fort Worth, Waco, and Atlanta did not sustain any damage or require any repair despite enduring events ranging […]
