project delivery
grams — galleries, auditorium, and administrative spaces — twisting and stretching centrifugally around an atrium space. Arriving at ground level, visitors are whisked to the top of the building via elevator where they are greeted by a grand view of snow-capped Pikes Peak, an ode to Olympus with its own majestic presence.
ingenuity of this structure demands constant collaboration with design- ers, builders, fabricators, and installers. Everyone will be learning all the way until the end.” GE Johnson is pre-thinking and rethinking every move by incorpo- rating a 3D point cloud that provides an accurate digital record of physically intangible space. All subcontractors are required to use the point cloud to develop approvable shop drawings. The point cloud is integrated with the BIM model, which draws from several computer- aided design, graphics, engineering, and manufacturing programs, along with the discipline-specific platforms of a variety of different subcontractors. Integrated work plans developed with subcontractors define every aspect of each construction activity, including who, what, when, and where. Most importantly, plans will detail how each piece is assem- bled, verified, and validated for accuracy against the overall model as tasks complete. Looking beyond typical clash detection, GE Johnson’s fully detailed steel fabrication model allows the clearances of each structural framing member to be independently checked to make sure the design’s distinctive shell of diverging planes and scaled metal skin reads as intended. “There will be a high level of scrutiny on a building like this because of the iconic architecture,” said McCorkle of the pressure on GE Johnson to deliver the signature design. The museum’s unique exterior skin aptly illustrates the intricate pre- cision of purpose and combination of expertise required to succeed at the Olympic level. The façade will be covered in more than 9,000 individual diamond-shaped anodized aluminum petals that interlock to form a single, beveled surface with integrated drainage channels. In total, an estimated 27,000 anchor points will attach the exterior wall sections to the structural frame. The specific details of every panel from backing materials, sheathing, and waterproofing will all be in- dependently analyzed within the model because seemingly every petal is either uniquely shaped, placed, or attached. GE Johnson brought highly specialized subcontractors who had previous experience with similar configurations onto the team to achieve the use of these unusual building materials and intricate assembly processes. “Premium-quality construction is always a collaboration,” McCorkle said. “Delivering this design uncompromised means getting out of the comfort zone and seeking capabilities beyond our own.” Early in the problem-solving process, GE Johnson worked with de- sign architect DS+R, architect of record Anderson Mason Dale, and structural engineer KL&A on refining the micro-framing system that attaches exterior wall sections to the structure. To address the complex sub-framing of the skin, through a design-assist collaboration, GE Johnson and the team decided to work with Radius Track, renowned for developing curved, cold-formed steel framing, to develop a build- able system. Through continual collaboration, the team was able to op-
Circulation unfurls organically, gradually spiraling down through the museum’s series of loft galleries at a pace propelled only by the indi- vidual’s own inquisitive nature and gravity. The folded planes of the building’s superstructure create helical volumes of space circling the introspective atrium. Dissected by the structure and connected by a continual downward ramp, perched floor plains filled with interactive galleries will memorialize the accomplishments of U.S. Olympians past, present, and future. “The dynamic building form defies typical construction. Thinking outside of the box is not an adequate description of what we’re doing to make this happen,” Redfern said. “The design’s diverse elevations called for 15 independent concrete slab-on-metal-deck elevations, scaling just four stories of construction with no two planes running parallel for long. Structural tolerances are ultra-tight, becoming even less forgiving as the structure goes up — the opposite of most builds. “The exterior frame tolerance is 2 inches, while interior frame toler- ances are only a quarter of an inch, with just an eighth of an inch of de- flection,” Redfern said. “Controlling precise placement of every piece of an exceptionally intricate puzzle like the U.S. Olympic Museum is a process that can only be accomplished through what GE Johnson thinks of as a spirit of continuous improvement.” “Normally, once you have things figured out, construction becomes routine,” said Project Manager John McCorkle. “I don’t see that hap- pening here. We’re continually questioning how we do things. The The building design’s diverse elevations called for 15 independent concrete slab-on- metal-deck elevations, scaling just four stories of construction with no two planes running parallel for long.
28
csengineermag.com
august 2018
Made with FlippingBook Annual report