BUILDING SKIN
E-NEWSLETTER | SPRING 2013
  

MODERN TOOLS SHAPE A SYMBOL OF IRAQ'S HISTORY

The skin of Basrah Sport City's new 65,000-seat main soccer (football) stadium was conceived as a visual reference to the bark of the date palm, a fruit tree that has been cultivated in Iraq for thousands of years. Thornton Tomasetti was already providing structural design when we were hired in 2010 by 360 Architecture to find a fast, cost-effective solution for building the complex exterior system. The design concept called for Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) panels, in 10 different configurations, to wrap around sloping columns. But the lengthy fabrication time for the panel molds didn't fit the project's tight construction schedule.

 

Our building skin team set out to save time and money by pre-engineering the geometry of the panels and their attachment brackets. We produced a parametric model of the skin in Digital Project and, using custom scripts developed in-house, translated the steel connections into Tekla. The models allowed our team to analyze different panel shapes, checking them against structural, logistical and economic constraints. We optimized the panel shapes and connection patterns so that the design intent could be met using only five molds, cutting required fabrication time in half. Then our models were used by the fabricator to direct the CNC machines, so every piece conformed to our design specifications. Using 3D models also allowed clashes and potential constructability issues to be resolved prior to manufacturing and construction, providing even more time and cost savings to our project team partners.

 

For more details and images, visit our recent blog post about the design.
OUR PEOPLE

Recent Speaking Engagements

 

Jonatan Schumacher spoke at the Faade + Performance Conference in New York City in April. More Info

 

Mark Dannettel presented "Architectural Glass: Structural Properties," sponsored by the Los Angeles chapter of Building Enclosure Council, in January. More Info.

 

Silverio Patrizi presented "Faade Engineering and Thermal Analysis" to a graduate-level architecture class at Cornell University in New York City in March.

 

New Employees

 

Yalin Uluaydin, Associate, New York

Leigh Easden, Senior Faade Engineer, London

Monette Goco, Faade Engineer, London

Lucia Perez-Sierra, Intern Skin Engineer, New York
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E-NEWSLETTER | SPRING 2013

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