Reply With QuoteBy itself the white pod does look flimsy and cheap but when it's encased in the glass enclosure and the "roof" of steps extends over it, I think it'll look decent.
Flimsy, cheap and temporary looking. Won't wear well; how will it be when the newness wears off? The trailer was once spiffy and new.Originally Posted by lofter1
By itself the white pod does look flimsy and cheap but when it's encased in the glass enclosure and the "roof" of steps extends over it, I think it'll look decent.
I'm having a hard time trying to figure out what's supporting the weight of the staircase (and the potentially 1000 people that'll be on it).
Can't be the roof of the pod, could it?
And also, what is going to prevent some idiot from jumping over the glass railing at the very top and onto the overhang/canopy in front of the ticket windows.
That will collapse for sure.
I don't think 1000 people could even sit on those bleachers, but I do agree that the steel bubble won't be able to sustain that kind of weight.
I didn't make up that figure. They really did mention a thousand people.
Let's just say you don't really want to be inside that TKTS pod when there are 1000 people on that staircase.May 2, 2006
Opening on Broadway Soon, a New Look for TKTS and Father Duffy Square
By DAVID W. DUNLAP
...Crowning the new Duffy Square will be a glass staircase to nowhere, 27 steps high (three more than in the three broad staircases in front of the Metropolitan Museum of Art). With room for more than 1,000 people to sit on the staircase, it would be a kind of public amphitheater to the spectacle of Times Square immediately to the south...
Come on, of course there is some sort of structural system to support these hypothetical 1,000 people. Just because it's not apparent right now doesn't mean it's not actually going to work out. No need to be silly about this, guys.
Exactly. The "bubble" doesn't need to be column free inside, so they can run supports right through it.
Yeah but shouldn't those columns be erected by now?
50 bucks says that NO columns will go through the pod ...
My bet is that all supports for the bleachers will rise outside and around the pod.
^ That doesn't right either.
See how the upper half of the staircase wouldn't be supported if the support columns were outside, assuming they would be at the rear of the pod.
More never-posted-here-before renderings.
Maybe someone with a better eye for these sort of things can figure it out.
I did some googling and came up with the following info regarding the DESIGN + TECHNICAL TEAM for the new tkts structure ( from Times Square Alliance ):
Perkins Eastman, one of the nation's largest architecture and design firms, developed Choi Ropiha's design concept for the ticket booth and steps. The firm creates innovative environments for many organizations and client-types, designing communities, facilities, and environments that enhance our everyday lives.
William Fellows Architects, a New York-based architecture and interior design firm, designed the plaza in a way that opens access to Father Duffy's statue and reflects the bright lights of Times Square. The firm's major projects include educational and institutional facilities, corporate and professional offices, retail and restaurant spaces, single and multi-unit residences.Theatre Development Fund (TDF) with the Van Allen Institute held an international ideas competition for a new TKTS Booth, a discount outlet for same-day tickets to Broadway and Off-Broadway productions in Manhattan’s Times Square. Perkins Eastman was selected to develop the winning Choi Ropiha concept and execute the final design. This project is the centerpiece of a major urban renewal project, and will transform the center of Times Square.
Located at Father Duffy Square, a slender triangular-shaped median, the Booth responds both to its unique site and the opportunity to become a major urban icon. The effect of a floating red amphitheater is achieved by resting a pre-fabricated red amphitheatre on a structure made entirely out of glass. The 27-step urban theater has room for more than 1,000 people to sit-a public amphitheater to the spectacle of Times Square. The steps are made of three-layer laminated glass panels, one-and-a-half inches thick and 45 feet wide at the top, tapering to 32 feet. The treads will be two feet deep, and panels under the steps will supply heat to melt snow and cooling for the light-emitting diodes that will illuminate the entire staircase. The functional aspects of the booth are contained in a free-standing bespoke fiberglass shell/pod that sits under the amphitheatre; it is visible through the glass side’s walls of the structure.
Burke Design did the engineering for the pod / composite shell:
Merrifield-Roberts, the fiberglass ticket booth fabricator, has been building unique structures for more than 30 years. From large pieces of public art to ornamental architecture and even America’s Cup yachts, Merrifield-Roberts craftsmen provide the engineering and material expertise needed to turn complex design into structure.The TKTS theater center offers same-day discount tickets for Broadway, off-Broadway, dance and music events. One of New York’s most visited attractions, it has been operated by the Theater Development Fund since 1973. A recent competition to update the site attracted hundreds of entries from 31 countries. The winning design features a large composite shell housing 12 ticket windows and attendant facilities, topped by a lighted glass stairway affording a spectacular view of its surroundings. Burke Design engineered the composite shell and provided the construction drawings to fabricator Merrifield-Roberts, Inc. We are proud to be associated with what is certain to become a major new landmark. The center is currently under construction and is scheduled to reopen in the spring of 2007.
Haran Glass, a 132-year-old architectural glazing firm based in Glasgow, Scotland, is assembling and testing the glass stair structure. Working closely with architects, engineers, and contractors, Haran utilizes cutting-edge glass technology and extensive technical knowledge to turn design concepts into reality.
HARAN GLASS TO BUILD STRUCTURAL GLASS AMPHITHEATRE IN TIMES SQUARE, NEW YORK
NEWS RELEASE
May 2006
Haran Glass, the leading structural glass specialist, has been appointed to realise the construction of a 26 step, glass amphitheatre in the heart of Manhattan, New York.
Constructed entirely of glass, the new amphitheatre will be situated in Father Duffy Square, Times Square, and will house the highly successful TKTS booth which sells discounted, same day tickets for Broadway productions.
Haran Glass is responsible for the design development, project testing and construction of the $3.5 million glass structure, which was designed by American-based architects Perkins Eastman and structural engineers Dewhurst Macfarlane.
New York Mayor, Michael Bloomberg, and other dignitaries marked the beginning of work on site on Tuesday 2nd May 2006 and on completion, the amphitheatre will be one of the world’s largest free standing glass structures. The project is due for completion in 2007.
Reaching a height of seven metres the amphitheatre will be 17 metres long and 14 metres wide. The 26 red steps will be illuminated from within by LED fixtures and have been arranged to create the illusion that they are floating in air.
Antony Smith, Technical Director at Haran Glass, said:
“We were contacted about the amphitheatre following a referral from Dewhurst Macfarlane and Partners in New York who are the engineers for the project. We have previously worked with them on several smaller projects, including St John’s College, Oxford and had built up a good relationship. Dewhurst Macfarlane were aware of our capabilities, to successfully deliver large projects in challenging circumstances, and approached us to tender for TKTS.
This project will be one of the most challenging structural glass projects ever undertaken, combining large prefabricated glass elements with an installation in the centre of Times Square, one of the busiest public thoroughfares in the world.”
Haran Glass recently completed an exhaustive testing process on the structural glass elements, which will form the main beams in the amphitheatre, at laboratories in the University of Paisley.
Antony Smith said:
“The amphitheatre will be the focal point of the regenerated Father Duffy Square and will be a usable, public space for thousands of New Yorkers and tourists alike. It was a requirement that we conducted a series of tests to prove the strength and durability of the glass elements.”
Haran Glass has completed a number of projects with similar requirements including a structural glass staircase in the National Bank of Denmark.
Duncan McLean, Managing Director of Haran Glass, added:
“We have a proven track record in the design and installation of structural glass and to have been appointed to work on such a prestigious project serves as a further endorsement of our expertise in this particular area.
We’ve been able to combine our creative flair with the structural requirements of the project despite a number of initial challenges and we worked closely with Perkins Eastman to overcome these.”
Maybe cantilevered from support columns along the rear of the pod, where the doorway is.
cantilever frame
I think I have it figured out. There are continous steel beams shaped like a flat 'V' running North south. you can see them in one of the renderings, they have a cambered edge. When the beams hit the ground, theya re embedded in a raised concrete pad counterweight that offsets the liveload and dead load of the bleachers filled with people. The glass bleachers span the steel beams.I'm having a hard time trying to figure out what's supporting the weight of the staircase (and the potentially 1000 people that'll be on it).
Can't be the roof of the pod, could it?
And also, what is going to prevent some idiot from jumping over the glass railing at the very top and onto the overhang/canopy in front of the ticket windows.
That will collapse for sure.
Man that thing will be slippery in the winter time. Red seats will be cool lit up at night. Better than what's there now, but $3.5 million? Better have guards around 24/7 or it will be a tempting scratchitti target on the seats.
Last edited by finnman69; December 16th, 2006 at 10:09 PM.
From the info Lofter posted: "The effect of a floating red amphitheater is achieved by resting a pre-fabricated red amphitheatre on a structure made entirely out of glass."
Structural glass. It seems the glass stairs are supported by more glass, not hidden steel supports.
Posting Permissions
Bookmarks