New World Symphony

New World Symphony Bar Canopy

Designed by Frank Gehry Partners for the New World Symphony Orchestra, Gehry's office was brought in by the client for their past work on musical venues such as the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles for which Zahner provided Design Assist consultation.

The New World Center appears to signify a transition for Gehry from overt curvilinear exteriors to a subdued architectural style. While elements of his signature style can be found in various elements throughout, around, and even on top of the new building, the structure itself is simple. Critics and writers all over the world are curious to see if the building is a new direction for Frank Gehry Partners.

Model of the New World Center
Photograph courtesy Frank Gehry Partners

Zahner's involvement with the New World Symphony is particular to a architectural metal accent in the atrium of the new building. Zahner used a similar interference metal surface in the past on projects such as Antoine Predock's Tampa Museum of Science and Industry, or Frank Gehry's Experience Music Project, but neither of these projects has quite the blue-green tonality of the architectural canopy that we're producing for the New World Symphony. And neither of these projects used Titanium, a surface which is known for both its expense, and its difficult workability.

Fabricating the Curves of the New World Symphony

This Iridescent canopy presents a good example of how our ZEPPS™ Process can be used to construct smaller architectural elements as well as art and sculpture. ZEPPS™ enables quick installation because the entire project is pre-engineered for smart installation, and it also provides the architects and artists with a digital model, allowing changes to be made via international conference meetings on the internet.

The New World Symphony Bar Canopy was broken down into buildable sections. Each of these sections is a ZEPPS™ Assembly, and these sections were small enough that installers could handle assemblies without the use of cranes.

CAD Image showing the totality of the bar canopy, viewed from above. ZEPPS&trades; Assembly sub-structure.

The ZEPPS™ Assemblies were built and pre-connected in the Zahner shop. The ZEPPS™ are pre-skinned with an aluminum sub-surface, and then finished with Titanium skins and sealed in plastic to protect the surface from fingerprints.

Fabricator in the Zahner shop grinds aligns ZEPPS™ Panels.

Pre-assembled canopy, prior to skinning the titanium surface.

L. William Zahner examines the titanium surface for Frank Gehry's New World Symphony.
Photo © Jimmy Fishbein for Wired Magazine.

During the fabrication of the project, Wired Magazine did a feature on Zahner, and their freelance photographer, Jimmy Fishbein took the picture above of Zahner CEO/President, L. William Zahner.

Detail of the titanium under plastic.

The entire bar was pre-assembled at Zahner to test the connections and fit the blue-titanium skin surface. Then the ZEPPS™ Assemblies where separated, packaged, and shipped to the New World Symphony Center construction site in Miami, Florida.

Installing the New World Symphony Bar Canopy

The ZEPPS™ Assemblies were designed to be small enough that interior installers could manage each section without the use of cranes. These assemblies are also lightweight due to the aluminum construction.

Two ZEPPS™ Assemblies await installation.

New World Symphony Bar with unpeeled plastic skin.

Zahner installers ensure the wiring is prepared for light fixtures.

New World Symphony Bar detail of irridescent titanium surface.

Zahner installers finish the titanium edges.

After installing the panels, field craftsmen finish edges and connect gaps with additional smaller ZEPPS™ Components and Titanium skins.

Detail of the finished titanium surface.

Although Zahner was only involved in the engineering, fabrication, and installation of the bar, one of the most intriguing aspects of the symphony hall is the ongoing outdoor wallcasts, projected videos of performances for the general public. These outdoor events are free to the public, and have created a sense of community among Miami residents.

Video of the outdoor wallcasts at the New World Center symphony hall.

During every one performance in the center's opening week, over a thousand people attended the outdoor wallcasts. By the end of the park's first year, The Miami Herald wrote that the free films, video art, and concert wallcasts on the New World Center had "produced a much-needed sense of community."

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