AR432
BUILDING TECHNOLOGY 5
MEMBRANE STRUCTURES & STEEL STRUCTURES IN
ARCHITECTURE
Submitted by:
Gabriel L. Roa
ARCH 4A
Submitted to:
Ar. Deabonico
Abstract. This paper focuses on the discussions and analysis of the membrane structures and steel
structures related to architecture and design construction. It will analyze different methods and the
composition of the materials applied to the building and its specific functions. The integration of the
structural systems of the building to the steel and membrane structures and its implications on the
construction system. This paper aims aim to identify the relevance of steel and membrane structure
in the modern era of architecture.
KEYWORDS
Membrane Structure, Steel Structure
INTRODUCTION
Membrane Structures
Membrane structures also known as Lightweight Structures have a unique visual character and give
designers, architects and engineers the ability to experiment with forms full of beauty and elegance
meeting highest esthetical requirements.
Membrane Structures are structurally optimized and highly efficient. The enormous range of
spanning capability require less primary structure and are thus very cost-effective. Due to these
savings and other unique properties, Membrane Structures are environmentally sensitive and ideal
for sustainable construction solutions.
Compared to traditional building, materials in these Tensile Structures offer building owners plenty
of column-free and light-flooded space, short construction time and fast assembly, reduced
construction and maintenance costs and very long durability. Membranes are extremely robust,
long lasting, weather resistant, providing strength and permanence for the material. Membranes are
suitable for all sorts of climates ranging from cold and dry to hot and humid with a project life in
some cases even exceeding 30 years. (AMAForum, 2013)
Steel Structures
Steel structure is a metal structure which is made of structural steel* components connect with each
other to carry loads and provide full rigidity. Because of the high strength grade of steel, this
structure is reliable and requires less raw materials than other types of structure like concrete
structure and timber structure.
In modern construction, steel structures is used for almost every type of structure including heavy
industrial building, high-rise building, equipment support system, infrastructure, bridge, tower,
airport terminal, heavy industrial plant, pipe rack, etc.
(Steel Structure Introduction, ATAD)
MEMBRANE STRUCTURES
BUILDING NAME
1. CANNARY WHARF CROSSRAIL
STATION
FUNCTION
The Crossrail, the regional express line, connects west London with the new developments to the
east of the capital. Many new stations were built. One of them is the almost 300m long “super
station” in London’s Docklands, the Canary Wharf Crossrail Station designed by Lord Norman
Foster. The station has six floors, two of them and the rooftop garden with its abundant
vegetation are above water level, the other four below. Guaranteed to attract attention in this
project is the roof of 778 triangular membrane cushions supported by a timber structure.
DATE OF CONSTRUCTION: MAY 2009
SPAN: 10,000 sqm (membrane structure)
It stands within a 475-metre (1,558 ft) long concrete
box with a 245-metre (804 ft) long island platform. It is
HEIGHT: fitted out to 210 m (690 ft) with the potential for
extension should the need to operate longer trains
arise.
STRUCTURAL FRAMING SYSTEM
The timber primary structure and the overlying aluminium secondary structure for the membrane
were not conceived and built separately. Instead, they formed a joint concept from the outset,
both geometrically and structurally. A total of 564 steel nodes, which represent an innovation in
terms of design and fabrication, connect all the members with the membrane cushions.
ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES
The design is characterised by a landscaped, sheltered public park on the roof, accessible from
ground level by connecting bridges. The movement and access throughout the building is designed
to be intuitive, escalators, lifts and staircases are open on to the same areas providing a legible
and inclusive experience to all visitors. The park and the rest of the building is enclosed by a
distinctive roof, which wraps around the building like a protective shell. This 300-metre-long
timber lattice roof opens in the centre to draw in light and rain for natural irrigation. Timber was
an appropriate material to enclose the park – it is organic in nature and appearance, strong,
adaptable and is sustainably sourced. It also clearly differentiates this building from others on
Canary Wharf’s estate, which are predominantly stone, metal and glass. The design of the lattice
itself is a fusion of architecture and engineering. Remarkably, despite the smooth curve of the
enclosure, there are only four curved timber beams in the whole structure. To seamlessly connect
the straight beams, which rotate successively along the diagonals, the design team developed an
innovative system of steel nodes, which resolve the twist. Between the beams there are ETFE
plastic cushions, which are filled with air and lighter than glass. The air cushions, which are a
highly insulating material, create a comfortable environment for people to enjoy the gardens all
year round, as well as providing a favourable microclimate for some of the plants, which include
some of the species that first entered Britain through the historic docks.
BUILDING NAME
2. BEIJING NATIONAL AQUATICS
CENTER
FUNCTION:
In July 2003, Australian-based architects PTW and engineering firm Ove Arup won the contract to
design and build the 2008 Olympic National Swimming Centre in Beijing.
Construction of the $140m landmark project, nicknamed the “Water Cube”, began in December
2003, and was completed in January 2008. The 80,000m² site is situated opposite the main
stadium in the Olympic Green Precinct, which lies at the northernmost end of Beijing’s north-
south axis. The design of the project associates water, as a structural and thematic leitmotiv, with
the square, important in Chinese tradition and mythology. In daytime, the Water Cube shines as a
blue transparent spectacle, while after sunset it is a crystal piece of architecture with LED-lit
bubbles.
Conceptually the square box and the interior spaces are carved out of an undefined cluster of
foam bubbles, symbolising a condition of nature that is transformed into a condition of culture.
The overall appearance of the aquatic centre is a cube of water molecules.
DATE OF CONSTRUCTION: JULY 2003
The Beijing Water Cube is about 180meters (600 feet)
SPAN:
long and wide
HEIGHT: 100 ft. high
STRUCTURAL FRAMING SYSTEM
The building is supported by a system of structural steel and concrete that only follows the logic of
the bubbles, creating a three-dimensional structure of 6,700 tons of steel resembling to a
formation of soap bubbles in a bathtub.
To prevent corrosion of steel in a ambiete so wet it with a coating rich in zinc.
Beyond aesthetics of the search for architects, the system is ideal for a city like Beijing with
constant earthquakes.
ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES
ETFE
The greatest peculiarity of the plant is outside the structure formed by 634 translucent
membranes, swollen with air at low pressure, a polymer called ETFE (ethylene-tetra-
fluoro-ethylene) that cover a total area of 100,000 square meters composing bubbles and
3000 give it a feature allowing an excellent light throughout the facility but also by filtering
ultraviolet rays.
Lighting
At night have a novel lighting formed by luminescent diodes (LEDs) that save up to 60% of
the energy consumed by conventional fuorescentes and that will illuminate the building at
16.7 million tones.
Ecological
The project has been developed under the premise to be as sustainable over the
resources used and respectful of the environment. In this way, is using solar energy and
has ensured that the process of ensuring a clean water reuse in the order of 80%, also
takes advantage of the building and provisioning of rainwater.
Materials
The structure of concrete and steel (6,700 tons) while the coating is created translucent
membranes of ETFE (ethylene-tetra-fluoro-ethylene).
BUILDING NAME
3. SUVARNABHUMI AIRPORT
FUNCTION:
The Suvarnabhumi Airport is constructed on a greenfield site 24 km east of Bangkok. The first
phase, accommodating 45 million annual passengers will include 56 contact gates and 64
hardstand positions with 563,000 SM of terminal facilities. Planned maximum capacity after
phased expansion will be 120 million annual passengers.
DATE OF CONSTRUCTION: 1997-2006
Suvarnabhumi Airport covers an area of 3,240 ha
SPAN:
(32.4 km2; 8,000 acres)
STRUCTURAL FRAMING SYSTEM
Suvarnabhumi Airport's main terminal roof is designed with structural elements and bays placed
in a cantilevered, wavelike form to appear to "float" over the concourse beneath. This overall
design principle was to express the former essence of the site, from which water had to be
drained before construction could begin. The eight composite 2,710-ton trusses supporting the
canopy of the main terminal are essentially diagrams of the bending moments acting on them,
with the greatest depth at mid-span and over the supports.
ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES
In the design and execution of Suvarnabhumi Airport, innovative and integrated architectural,
structural and environmental design were used, new materials and systems of advanced
technology were developed and unusual construction processes required to meet the design
goals. The results are advanced long span, lightweight steel structures, exposed pre-cast concrete
structures, clear or low e-coated glass, a three layer translucent membrane, integrated cooling,
using water as a low energy carrier and the thermal mass of concrete and a displacement
ventilation system with minimal air-changes.
Those components and parts serve in their total composition and in use more than in their
conventional roles. They maximize daylight and comfort, yet minimize the use of energy with
significant life cycle cost savings. The installed cooling power is reduced close to 50% compared to
a conventional system. The three layer translucent membrane was developed to mediate between
the exterior and interior conditions, dealing with heat and noise transmission, while still allowing
for natural daylight within the building.
Outdoor spaces between the buildings are also shaded by the roof trellis and are important to the
overall concept. Rather than simply comprising empty areas reserved for future expansion, they
are landscaped courtyards, useful for pedestrians and a visual amenity for the passengers in the
terminal above. Cultural artifacts and traditional architectural elements are placed within these
landscaped courtyards, linking the terminal complex to the cultural traditions of Thailand.
BUILDING NAME
4. MILLENIUM DOME
FUNCTION:
This spectacular multi-purpose space, architecture and engineering example of modern social at
the service was opened in January 1, 2000, coinciding with the start of the new millennium,
hosting an exhibition which closed on December 31 of that year. From that moment it was a
source of great political and economic disputes. Its design was led by Richard Rogers, the english
architect best placed globally at the time and responsible for such iconic works as the Centro
Comercial Las Arenas de Barcelona, or Cultural Centre George Pompidou in Paris.
1996-1999 (Remodeled in
DATE OF CONSTRUCTION:
2005-2007)
The roof measures 1,050 feet (320 metres) in diameter,
with a total extension of some 969,000 square feet
SPAN & HEIGHT:
(90,000 square metres), and reaches a maximum height
of approximately 165 feet (50 metres).
STRUCTURAL FRAMING SYSTEM
The design of the dome features a circle of twelve steel masts, one hundred meters high, which
support a network of high-tensile cables. The seventy kilometers of cabling is covered by a canopy
of white PTFE fabric just one millimeter thin, with an interior lining to absorb both sound and
condensation. The Dome’s specifications are astonishing: it has a circumference of one kilometer,
a height of fifty meters at its peak, and covers an area of eighty thousand square meters. In
keeping with the festive spirit of the exhibition it housed, the architecture of the Dome was
intended to convey a sense of optimism about the new millennium.
ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES
The Millennium Dome is one of the largest single roof structures performed worldwide. His image
resembles a large white tent subject to 12 yellow towers 100 feet high. Each of these towers
represents the hours of a clock and every month of the year. Its original design was intended to
accommodate major exhibitions, but to the failure to call for public level was reused for music
concerts and events, both artistic and sports.
The inspiration for the design was a big sky, a cosmos in which all events take place, the radial
lines and circles high and tensile roof structure recalls the celestial grid astronomical maps
through the ages. The cover is suspended and supported by high-strength cables ranging from the
outer end of the steel masts 12, which pass through the Teflon fabric, until the fabric of fiberglass.
Although it is called dome is not strictly not hold its own weight, it is not self-supporting and
requires the help of a network of wires attached to the masts. The 12 columns of the structure
with a height of 100m.
Materials
In its construction were used for the base concrete, steel towers painted yellow, cloth
glass fiber matrix of PTFE ( Teflon ) for cover and rubber feet anchor it to the ground.
It took cable 70km high strength steel to attach the fabric to the towers.
Sustainability
Sustainability was a key consideration in the design of the dome, with great care taken to
minimize the environmental impact of the building. Rainwater runoff from the roof is
collected into pools, naturally filtered through reed beds, and recycled as grey water for
the toilets. The translucent fabric of the canopy allows sunlight to enter the Dome,
thereby reducing the need for interior lighting and lowering the energy demands of the
building. Any energy which is needed comes from renewable sources, namely household
waste, sewage and wind The dome is also naturally ventilated, with openings at the
center of the roof releasing the rising hot air and twelve fans drawing in cool air from
outside.
BUILDING NAME
5. ALLIANZ AREA
FUNCTION:
Designed by the Swiss architects Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron, the stadium offers space
for 66,000 spectators. Equipped with a range of gastronomic and themed experiences, a day-care
center, shops selling fan merchandise, office and conference rooms as well as a large media area,
it has the feel of a small town.
DATE OF CONSTRUCTION: 2002-2005
SPAN: The building shell has a total surface area of 66,500sqm
STRUCTURAL FRAMING SYSTEM
The structural frame of the bowl and the stands are made of reinforced concrete while the roof
consists of steel latticework. The entire building is wrapped in illuminated air cushions. One of the
building’s most striking features is the colour changing facade that reflects which of the two clubs
is using the arena. The supporting structure of the stadium façade is made of concrete, while the
support structure of the roof is made of steel trusses cantilevered approximately 50m, which are
supported by stringers and braces. Perpendicular to this structure rise steel rungs to which
diamond-shaped ETFE cushions are attached. The length of the bars varies in the diagonal from
7.3m to 17.7m. The rungs, which run from the foot of the façade over the shoulder of the building
spiral onto the roof surface and continue to the edge of the roof, where they lend the exterior
shell its characteristic diamond shape. Due to the complex geometry, only two of the
approximately 2,784 ETFE cushions have the same shape.
ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES
The Allianz Arena in Munich is one of the largest membrane constructions in the world. The backlit
shell transforms the building into a spectacular light sculpture, which transmits the atmosphere
inside the stadium to the exterior like a seismograph.
Materials
The external architecture of Allianz Arena is made up of 2,874 diamond metal panels of
ETFE (ethylene-tetrafluoroethylene copolymer) at a pressure of 35 hPa. Each panel can be
illuminated in white, red or blue. The intention is to illuminate the panels to match with
the colors of the respective local team, or white when the local German team plays.
Approximately 120,000 cubic meters of concrete were used to construct the stadium and
85,000 m³ for the parking lots. We used 22,000 tons of steel for the construction of the
stadium and 14,000 tonnes for the construction of parking lots, whose area is
approximately 270,000 sq meters.
STEEL STRUCTURES
BUILDING NAME
1. WALT DISNEY CONCERT HALL
FUNCTION
The concert hall was designed as a single volume, with orchestra and audience occupying the
same space. Seats are located on each side of the stage, providing some audience members with
distant views of the performers’ sheet music. The former director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic
felt boxes and balconies implied social hierarchies within the audience, and spatial segregation
was minimized in the design. Curvilinear planes of Douglas fir provide the only partitions,
delineating portions of the 2,265-member audience without creating visual obstructions. The steel
roof structure spans the entire space, eliminating the need for interior columns. The organ stands
at the front of the hall, a bouquet of 6,134 curved pipes extending nearly to the ceiling. It is the
unique result of a collaboration between Gehry and Manuel J. Rosales, a Los Angeles-based organ
designer.
DATE OF CONSTRUCTION: 1999-2003
The Hall consists of approximately 300,000 square feet
SPAN:
of building area over a footprint of 157,000 square feet.
STRUCTURAL FRAMING SYSTEM
The structural system for the Concert Hall is a complex set of interconnected steel braced frames
and trusses. Originally, a structural steel moment frame system was envisioned for the project.
However, in light of the experience with steel moment frames during the 1994 Northridge
earthquake, a braced frame alternative was substituted. The difficulty in utilizing steel moment
frame system for this structure is particularly due to the fact that most “beams and “columns” of
the structure intersect at nonorthogonal angles. Furthermore, on many cases several structural
straight and curved members intersect at odd angles at a single point in space.
ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES
Areas surrounding the concert hall box provide dramatic architectural elements that define the
distinctive appearance of the facility. It consists of multiple materials, including 165,000 square
feet of stainless-steel metal panel system, metal studs and exterior plaster, glazed curtain wall,
and pre-cast concrete.
The interior of the concert hall is designed to accommodate a performance for 2,273 seats. The
hall is acoustically designed with interior finishes consisting of wood acoustical clouds, wood
paneling and plaster, and acoustical wall and ceiling panels. Each element of the interior is
acoustically engineered, requiring that the finishes take on complex shapes that are not customary
for the standard construction practices. The wood acoustical clouds have a billowing design
causing multiple curves within one piece of paneling. The orchestra pit area is designed with
imported exotic softwood flooring, and the glazing and wall properties have been specified to
obtain the STC rating that has not previously been achieved in a concert hall.
The steel roof structure spans the entire space, eliminating the need for interior columns. The
organ stands at the front of the hall, a bouquet of 6,134 curved pipes extending nearly to the
ceiling. The exterior is a composition of undulating and angled forms, symbolizing musical
movement and the motion of Los Angles. The design developed through paper models and
sketches, characteristic of Gehry's process. The custom curvature demanded a highly specific steel
structure, including box columns tilted forward at 17º on the building’s north side. Visitors can
glimpse the steel frame through a skylight in the pre-concert room and view the supporting
structure from a stairway leading to the garden. The reflective, stainless-steel surface engages
light as an architectural medium. The facade's individual panels and curves are articulated in
daylight and colored by city lights after dark. The building was initially set to be clad in stone, but a
more malleable material was chosen following the completion of the Guggenheim Museum
Bilbao, the concert hall's titanium-clad cousin. Thin metal panels allowed for more adventurous
curvature and could be structurally disassociated from the ground. The metallic forms appear to
hover above an asymmetrical band of glazing at the building’s base. Glass fissures in the facade
bring light into the lobby and pre-concert room, reading as a grand entryway through the
otherwise opaque facade.
BUILDING NAME
2. Guggenheim Bilbao
FUNCTION:
The design of the building follows the style of Frank Gehry. Inspired by the shapes and textures of
a fish, it can be considered a sculpture, a work of art in itself. The forms do not have any reason
nor are governed by any geometric law. The museum is essentially a shell that evokes the past
industrial life and port of Bilbao. It consists of a series of interconnected volumes, some formed of
orthogonal coated stone and others from a titanium dkeleton covered by an organic skin. The
connection between volumes is created by the glass skin.
The museum is integrated into the city both by it height and the materials used. Being below the
benchmark of the city, it does not surpass the rest of the buildings. The limestone, of a sandy
tone, was selected specially for this aim. Seen from the river, the form resembles a boat, but seen
from above it resembles a flower.
DATE OF CONSTRUCTION: 1993-1997
120,000 square feet of exhibition space and 260,000
SPAN:
square feet in total
STRUCTURAL FRAMING SYSTEM
The twisting, tumbling, forms of the building, clad in titanium, is unprecedented in geometry and
scale. Challenged to design a structural framework for the museum, SOM’s (Skidmore, Owings &
Merrill LLP) engineers created a modular lattice steel grid system which could be applied to all of
the geometric surfaces, regardless of shapes. The architectural team initially favored reinforced
concrete for the complex surfaces, as with other designs of lesser scale. SOM proposed an
innovative structural system in steel, which was extremely economical and could be controlled to
tight tolerances in the field.
Formed by closely spaced horizontal and vertical steel members interconnected by diagonals,
this system could be erected almost entirely without scaffolding or stability bracing. Three-meter-
high trusses were simply stacked at the site to form the complete framework. Although no two
pieces of steel in the museum are alike, all joints and assemblies are detailed with the same
system. Limiting the number of steel sizes simplified detailing and coordination with the exterior
form. With a unit steel piece similar to that of a standard steel-framed building, the museum was
constructed on time and within budget.
ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES
Constructed of titanium, limestone, and glass, the seemingly random curves of the exterior are
designed to catch the light and react to the sun and the weather. Fixing clips make a shallow
central dent in each of the .38mm titanium tiles, making the surface appear to ripple in the
changing light and giving an extraordinary iridescence to the overall composition. The facade's
individual panels and curves are articulated in daylight and colored by city lights after dark. The
building was initially set to be clad in stone, but a more malleable material was chosen following
the completion of the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, the concert hall's titanium-clad cousin. Thin
metal panels allowed for more adventurous curvature and could be structurally disassociated
from the ground. The metallic forms appear to hover above an asymmetrical band of glazing at
the building’s base. Glass fissures in the facade bring light into the lobby and pre-concert room,
reading as a grand entryway through the otherwise opaque facade.
Materials
Built of limestone, glass and titanium, the museum used 33,000 pieces of titanium half a
millimeter thick, each with a unique form suited to its location. As these pieces are so thin,
a perfect fit to the curves is necessary. The glass has a special treatment to let in the sun’s
light, but not its heat.
BUILDING NAME
3. Museum of Contemporary Art
Cleveland
FUNCTION:
MOCA’s new building is designed to serve as a catalyst for creativity and growth in a cosmopolitan
Cleveland neighborhood, which is home to one of the country’s largest concentrations of cultural,
educational and medical institutions. The four-storey building, which opened this
weekend, features faceted walls clad in mirrored black stainless steel and replaces the museum's
former address in the loft of an old playhouse complex.
DATE OF CONSTRUCTION: 1996 - 2018
SPAN: 20,000-square-foot (1900m2)
STRUCTURAL FRAMING SYSTEM
The four-story building rises 60 feet from a hexagonal base to a square top, a transition that
produces facade walls that lean in or out and are shaped either like giant keystones or triangles.
The triangular facade at the main entrance, which faces northeast along Euclid Avenue, will be a
giant slice of glass. Other facades, now covered in stainless-steel plates, will be finished with an
outer layer of reflective black stainless steel, sliced with narrow diagonal windows.
ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES
The most striking feature inside is a five-story double staircase, with a set of open-air stairs set
atop a fully enclosed fire staircase. By piggybacking the stairs, Moussavi saved on floor space that
would have been consumed if the two separate staircases had been built.
Encased in rusted steel plates (which will be sandblasted and painted), the staircase assembly
squeezes into the tight canyon between galleries, offices and classrooms on one side and the steel
outer skin of the museum on the other.
Ten big steel components of the staircase had to be lowered into place with a crane through an
opening in the roof before it was enclosed last year, said Daniel Gess, project manager for
Donley’s, the contractor for the museum.
BUILDING NAME
4. KAUFFMAN CENTER FOR THE
PERFORMING ARTS
FUNCTION:
Composed of a proscenium theater and concert hall, and located in downtown Kansas City,
Missouri, the Kauffman Center serves as a catalyst for social, educational, and economic vitality in
the city and the region. The building links the Kansas City Live entertainment and Crossroads
districts and brings pedestrians back to the urban core. It also encourages collaboration and
interdisciplinary exploration among resident companies - as well as audience cross-fertilization. To
encourage attendance, parking is located beneath the site and visitors ascend through a
transparent slot between the theater shells into the communal glass lobby. The iconic geometric
forms reflect the changes in the Missouri sky throughout the course of the day.
DATE OF CONSTRUCTION: 2006-2011
SPAN: 285,000-square-foot (26,500 m2)
STRUCTURAL FRAMING SYSTEM
Architect Moshe Safdie’s initial sketches called for a spacious glass-enclosed atrium connecting the
two main performance halls to one another and the city beyond. To support the need for
transparency, Arup’s structural engineers designed a cable-supported glass roof, enabling a
column-free space.
We used nonlinear analysis and form-finding to balance the effects of gravity, wind, snow and
other conditions and determine the most structurally efficient shape for the cabling. Splaying the
external rods out from the center rather than running them straight out from the building
provided structural stability (similar in principle to a backyard volleyball net stabilized by cables
that extend outward on both sides). This provided a significant aesthetic benefit, as it allowed us
to eliminate cross-bracing on the curtain wall. Structural roof cables or rods extending down to
the lobby floor or the ground outside would typically require fire protection. The teams jointly
developed digital models demonstrating that using high-strength rods instead of cables on the
exterior of the building would allow for the elimination of fireproofing.
ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES
Muriel Kauffman Theatre
is a 1,800-seat theater whose design was inspired by the great European opera houses. With
multiple balconies and box seating on either side of the theater, attendees are much closer to the
stage than in most other auditorium-type venues. The balconies and boxes, which feature seats
covered in various shades of red, also boast balustrades that glimmer with gold lighting and dim
when the performance begins. The undulating walls of the theatre are painted with a brightly
colored mural, designed and carried out by students at the Kansas City Art Institute, under the
guidance of Moshe Safdie. With a 5,000-square-foot stage, an orchestra pit that can house up to
90 musicians, and a 74-foot-tall fly tower, Muriel's Theatre is the performance home of the Kansas
City Ballet and the Lyric Opera of Kansas City, as well as the site of many other theatrical, musical,
and dance productions. Another feature of the Muriel Kauffman Theatre is the installation of the
Figaro Simultext Seatback System, which displays subtitles in various languages on the backs of
chairs, as opposed to most other opera houses that require the audience to look above the stage
for opera translations.
Helzberg Hall
is a 1,600-seat, oval-shaped concert hall, and it is the performance home to the Kansas City
Symphony. Because the stage extends into approximately one-third of the space, even the seat
farthest from the stage is a mere 100 feet away. Helzberg Hall features vineyard-style seating on
all four sides of the stage, adding to the intimate feel of the space.
Brandmeyer Great Hall
links Muriel Kauffman Theatre and Helzberg Hall, and features an expansive view of the Kansas
City skyline to the south. It serves as a lobby for patrons on performance nights and is also
available for special events. The pristine white great hall provides access to the performance halls
by a series of stacking, open balconies. This means that on performance nights, patrons attending
events in either hall are visible to each other, as well as to the city below.
BUILDING NAME
5. THE CENTRE POMPIDOU
FUNCTION:
Primarily a museum and centre for the visual arts of the 20th century, the Pompidou Centre
houses many separate services and activities. Its museum of modern art brought under one roof
several public collections of modern art previously housed in a number of other Paris galleries.
DATE OF CONSTRUCTION: 1971-1977
103,305 m2 (Floor area), 42 m (Rue Beaubourg side),
SPAN & HEIGHT:
45.5 m (Piazza side)
STRUCTURAL FRAMING SYSTEM
The primary structure is based on two rows of 14 full-height steel columns, one row on each long
façade. Spanning between them across the full width of the building, 2.85m deep x 44.8m wide
steel trusses support the floors. At each end, the trusses bear on short stubs of 8.2m long
cantilevered beams, tied to the ground at their outer extremities. The cantilevered beams act as
levers and are pinned to the columns. The ties consist of vertical 200mm solid forged steel bars
and are connected to an underground prestressed concrete wall.
The column grid creates 13 structural bays along the building's length, each 12.8m wide. The
trusses are braced on the short façades, and 60mm high strength steel diagonal tie rods brace the
long façades at the ends of the short beams.
The combination of a suspended beam and a short propped cantilever is known as the gerberette
solution, and Centre Pompidou's short beams are referred to as gerberettes. This solution for
supporting the loads outside the façades without obscuring them was probably suggested by
Lennart Grut (b.1941), another Arup engineer in the design team. Gerberettes are named after
19th century German engineer Heinrich Gerber, who invented the beam/cantilever solution for
bridge design. The columns are centrifugally-cast thick-walled steel of variable wall thickness and
constant 850 mm external diameter. They are up to 85mm thick at the bottom and 40mm at the
top. This approach enabled a slimmer column to be used than if a standard hollow steel section
was specified — such a column would need a larger diameter to support the building. The columns
are filled with water for fire protection.
ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES
The principle of its design is to provide as much open flexible space in the interior as possible. To
that end, most of the structure, circulation and servicing is pushed to the exterior, largely on the
long elevations. The basic disposition is straightforward. The east-facing side facing the piazza is a
circulation zone, with a full-width run of escalators and walkways enclosed in transparent tubes.
The west-facing side on rue de Renard is a mechanical services zone, smothered in colour-coded
ducts, pipework, goods lifts and fire stairs. The zone in between — inside the building — is for
art.The building is designed so that the internal spaces can be easily rearranged – made possible
by placing the building services, corridors, elevators and structural members on its exterior. The
building's exposed superstructure, which was developed in collaboration with Peter Rice and
Edmund "Ted" Happold of Ove Arup and Partners, is constructed from more than 16,000 tonnes of
prefabricated steel parts.
REFERENCES:
Allianz Arena - Football Stadium: Herzog & de Meuron. (2021, September 07). Retrieved from
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