Interior Architecture

Rosenthal Museum

Lois & Richard Rosenthal Center for Contemporary Art

The Center for Contemporary Art opened in 2003 and is the first Museum in the United States designed by Zaha Hadid. Located in Cincinnati, Ohio, the project uses blackened aluminum, an uncommon patina which was produced with great difficulty, and sealed to decrease the need for maintenance. This custom dark aluminum surface was desired by Zaha Hadid to provide contrast against the light concrete above and below, giving the sturcture an almost anthropomorphic resemblance.

These plates of blackened aluminum use a siding system which repels moisture. These were engineered to interlock in such a manner to control thermal movement without compromising the moisture deterrence requirements. This was important due to the installation on concrete, which breathes. The aluminum plate panel system features custom extruded hardware fastened using matching aluminum studs for a visually seamless system. This hardware is attached to the horizontal aluminum hat channel.

Several years after the initial install, streaks were running down it’s surface, and the owners contacted Zahner to provide repair. Upon closer inspection of the material, Zahner discovered that it was moisture from the concrete which was draining across the surface. The aluminum was cleaned without any problem back to its original finish.

Zahner also completed interior metalwork including a blackened aluminum plaque on the museum’s interior, laser-etched with the names of all the donors.

The Lois & Richard Rosenthal Center for Contemporary Art.

Southwest view of the Rosenthal Center for Contemporary Art.

Interior photograph of the Lois & Richard Rosenthal Center for Contemporary Art.

Interior detail of the donor list at Rosenthal Center.

Southeast view of the Rosenthal Center for Contemporary Art.

Regazzoni Sculpture

August 15, 2016/in Art & Sculpture, Interior Architecture Education, Sculpture Asia, Doha--Qatar, International, Middle East Legorreta + Legorreta Ricardo Regazzoni Gold, Silver M /by cmorris

Ricardo Regazzoni Sculpture at Georgetown, Qatar

Forty reflective spiraling forms appear to float above the atrium at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Services in the capital city of Doha, Qatar. Completed in 2012, this project marks the fourth significant work produced by Zahner in Doha, and the second produced under the vision of architects Legorreta + Legorreta who designed the building for Georgetown University at Doha as well as the HBKU Doha University Student Center a few blocks away.

The artwork at the heart of Georgetown University was conceived by sculptor Ricardo Regazzoni, engineered by Zahner, fabricated in the Zahner shop, and installed by local installers in Doha under Zahner supervision. Each of the forms measures 38’ long, and the artwork fills an area of 82’ x 131’ over the open atrium.

Collaboration between Zahner and Regazzoni is a match of of kindred philosophies. While Regazzoni works to transform architectural columns and archways into artistic expression, Zahner works to bring architecture into the realm of art. This alignment of sensibilities between the artist and fabricator gave this project a strong sense of direction.

Regazzoni Sculpture at Georgetown University.

Upward view of individual hanging sculptures by Ricardo Regazzoni.

View from below a hanging sculpture at Georgetown Qatar, by Ricardo Regazzoni.

Design Assist for Art: The Regazzoni Sculpture

In late 1990s while working with Frank Gehry on the EMP Museum in Seattle, Zahner coined a term which has become the industry standard for building complex projects: Design Assist. The museum’s complexity required that Zahner work closely with Gehry’s office to develop the design. Design assist was first used to describe this process. Since then, design assist has become widely known as the most intelligent construction method for achieving efficient and cost-effective production of complex architectural projects. Along with frequent partner Metalabs, this process is now being applied to art.

The Regazzoni Sculpture details were developed by Zahner’s think tank of installers, engineers, and fabricators: the Design Assist team at Zahner. This group of engineers and consultants worked together with the artist to develop a system which could meet both the functional and visual standards. The team developed a mockup to test the drawings and construction processes.

Detail of the Regazzoni mockup, revealing its minimalist connections.

Rendering of the Regazzoni installation in CAD.

From Mockup to Installation: The Regazzoni Sculpture

Regazzoni’s undulating, diagonal forms were extremely intricate, requiring specialized engineering and attention to craft during every stage of their creation: from design, to fabrication, to installation. Working within Regazzoni’s vision, Zahner’s Design Assist team developed specialized details for the connections of each intricate geometric part.

Zahner began by producing a mockup of the artist’s design, providing a model that revealed the connections and provided a template for the components. The design features a weld-less connection system. It was important to eliminate welds so that the mirror-polished surface would be free of any discoloration from the welding process.

The resulting surface minimizes the appearance of fasteners, and weld discoloration. The headless pin system is almost indiscernible to the naked eye, and the connections prove to be every bit as strong as welded joints: each connection is capable of supporting 600 kilos, or five times the hanging sculpture’s weight.

Shipping the Regazzoni

Due to its complex geometry and elongated form, the Regazzoni was susceptible to bending during shipment and transportation. To accommodate for this risk, Zahner designed custom lifting rigs and crating to ensure that the piece arrived at the installation site in good condition. Below is an example of the crating, which was custom-built to efficiently and safely ship the pieces overseas to Doha, Qatar. Zahner is committed to the integrity of an artist’s vision, from the preliminary stages of design to shipment and the final days of installation.

Zahner shop personnel make measurements to align the Regazzoni sculpture.

Zahner shipment personnel package the forms in open crates for delivery.

The artist wanted a visual masterpiece with concealed connections, so that each form appears to be suspended by magic. Zahner’s biscuit extrusion is used to attach the metal tendrils to the ceiling.

Building Art & Architecture

Together with the Metalabs art services team, Zahner has completed over 70 public and private works of art for both established and emerging artists. Working with artists has expanded Zahner’s research and development team, which has in turn provided many innovative surfaces, processes, and techniques applicable to both art and architecture. Zahner’s team of engineers and fabricators have proven flexible to many kinds of projects, and have produced works of many scales. Get in touch with to learn about how Zahner can integrate into your project.

Oakley Headquarters

August 15, 2016/in Exterior Architecture, Interior Architecture Corporate, Flagship, Workplace Los Angeles--California Langdon Wilson, Oakley, One Icon Design Colin Baden L, XL /by cmorris

Oakley Headquarters & Technical Center

The project features a blackened steel interior metalwork throughout, a spun aluminum architectural motif exterior, and a terne-coated stainless steel roof. The custom fabricated metal cladding was created from cold rolled steel plates and cast steel ‘bolt heads’. The Zahner-applied blackened metal finish produced an artistic, aged steel appearance.

Designed by Oakley director of design Colin Baden with Langdon Wilson Architecture, the headquarters and technical center was completed in multiple scopes. The project first began in 1997 and was completed in 1998. Years later the company would come back for additional scope, producing the Oakley reception desk in the same aesthetic.

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Oakley Fifth Avenue

This wasn't Zahner's first collaboration with Oakley. In the late 1990's Zahner's engineered metal-fabricated systems were used the facade and interiors of the Oakley Headquarters in Foothill Ranch, California.

Oakley Headquarters in Foothill Ranch, California.

Interior and reception desk at Oakley Headquarters in Foothill Ranch, California.

Interior metal at Oakley Headquarters in Foothill Ranch, California.

“

Friend of Ridley Scott, Oakley CEO Jim Jannard wanted to recreate the atmosphere of Blade Runner for his California office … The result is spectacular.

Strategies MagazineNone.

Oakley Headquarters desk and interior metalwork.

Zahner Fabricator assembles the sections of the Oakley HQ Desk.

Oakley Headquarters entrance during construction.

Oakley Headquarter entrance upon completion.

New World Symphony

August 15, 2016/in Interior Architecture Performance Center Miami--Florida Frank Gehry Partners Blue, Green M /by cmorris

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 signified a transition for Gehry’s firm. 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.

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 on projects such as Antoine Predock’s Tampa Museum of Science and Industry or Frank Gehry’s Experience Music Project.

However, neither of these projects has quite the blue-green tonality of the architectural canopy produced for the New World Symphony. This is because the material selected for the project is an unusual architectural metal. The project’s interior canopy is made in titanium, a surface which is known for both its expense, and its difficult workability.

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New World Symphony

Creating the Curves of the New World Symphony Bar

This iridescent canopy presents a good example of how ZEPPS 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.

Each of the ZEPPS assemblies was built and pre-connected in the Zahner shop. The ZEPPS forms are pre-skinned with an aluminum sub-surface, and then finished with Titanium skins and sealed in plastic to protect the surface from fingerprints.

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

Fabricator in the Zahner shop grinds aligns ZEPPS® Panels.

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

Two ZEPPS assemblies await installation.

Installing the New World Symphony Bar Canopy

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.

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New World Symphony

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.

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.

Detail of the finished titanium surface.

After installing the panels, field operators finish edges and connect gaps with additional smaller ZEPPS assemblies with the titanium skins.

Although Zahner was only involved in creating the interior metalwork, 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.

Neiman Marcus

August 15, 2016/in Exterior Architecture, Interior Architecture Retail & Commerce Natick--Massachusetts Elkus Manfredi Charcoal, Gold, Orange, Silver L 2007 /by cmorris

Neiman Marcus Flagship Store by Elkus Manfredi

The Neiman Marcus in Natick, Massachusetts is the store’s Flagship property featuring a billowing facade designed by Elkus Manfredi Architects in Boston. The entire surface of the building is wrapped in a stainless steel curtain, a feature which flows throughout and into the building in the same style.

Elkus Manfredi Architects designed the facade’s undulations with perspective in mind. When travelers drive by, the structure appears animated and kinetic, an effect caused by the way the facade curves in and out. Zahner worked with the architects to design a curving facade panel system that is both aesthetically powerful as well as economically effective.

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Neiman Marcus

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Neiman Marcus

The skin is actually three different tones of colored stainless steel. Two of these tones were formed by a electro-chemical process which permanently changes the tone of stainless steel. Zahner has used this process for several other projects, including the Contemporary Jewish Museum which has a dark blue interference coating and a cross-fire brushed pattern. Interference stainless steel was also used on the The EMP Museum, The Meyer Fletcher Residence, and the Royals Crown at Kauffman Stadium.

In addition to providing the exterior scope, Zahner also manufactured interior metalwork for the department store interior entrance. This interior wall uses a similar subtle curvature made in a lightweight ZEPPS framework. This scope included the ceiling area, made in a stainless steel with standard polish.

The exterior scope included various metal details, including the soffit at the Neiman Marcus entrance and the throughout areas underneath the facade’s curtain. Providing these standard details for the facade and other areas is typical of Zahner scope. The company routinely handles interior and exterior standard metalwork on a variety of projects.

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Soffit

Soffit systems engineered and manufactured by Zahner are the result of innovative architects, designers, and artists who challenged the norms of what to expect in the built environment. Working with Zahner to develop a custom metal soffit system begins with your design.

Designing the complex curtain system for the Neiman Marcus facade was made possible through Design Assist. Zahner worked with the architects at Elkus Manfredi to develop a design, mockup, and manufacturing process to efficiently fabricate, deliver, and install the exterior metal facade.

Building a dual-curved facade with pre-fabricated panels.

The building’s 570-foot-long undulating stainless steel façade, in tones of bronze, champagne and silver, “waves in and out and top to bottom almost as if someone was wearing a dress and walking,” said Elkus.

Morphosis Exhibit

August 15, 2016/in Interior Architecture Exhibit, Museum Paris--France Morphosis M 2006 /by cmorris

Morphosis Exhibit at Centre Pompidou

On display from March through July 2006, a sweeping exhibit entitled ‘Continuities of the Incomplete’ was displayed at the acclaimed Centre Pompidou in Paris, France.

The exhibition includes designs by Morphosis and features a Zahner-manufactured aluminum/glass floor and custom guardrail system. Zahner was brought into the project to produce the complex metal system which encases the glass floor as an exportable aluminum and glass system.

The design’s inclining floor encases a series of models, videos, and the entire thought-process of the architects at Morphosis and it’s founder, Thom Mayne. The structural raised floor begins at ground level and gradually raises to two feet. The structure was engineered to withstand the hundreds of people who would traffic the show.

Raised glass flooring with slow-pitch at the Centre Pompidou in Paris.

Video screens show Thom Mayne of Morphosis underneath the glass flooring.

Visitors walk across the raised glass floor in custom shoe-covers.

Various exhibit materials displayed underneath the raised floor.

The custom engineered fin structure was designed and produced by a small group of engineers, and the entire floor was shipped to France where it was installed, without ever pre-assembling it in the Zahner facility in Kansas City. Upon delivery in France, the same engineers who designed the structure also erected it, and the aluminum floor came together seamlessly.

Zahner has worked with Morphosis on a number of project. In Oregon, Zahner produced the stainless roof and wall panels on the Eugene Federal Courthouse; in New York City, Zahner provided the custom perforated stainless steel facade for the Cooper Union New Academic Building. See all of the projects completed by Zahner for Morphosis.

DESIGNING AND EXPORTING THE ALUMINUM AND GLASS FLOOR ASSEMBLY

The Morphosis Exhibit in Paris includes a structural raised aluminum and glass floor. The system is on a slow incline, which begins at ground level and gradually raises to two feet. The structure was engineered to withstand the hundreds of people who would traffic the show.

Zahner engineers worked closely with the Morphosis design team to craft a system which would support the weight and provide ease of assembly for the non-technical install team in Paris.

In Kansas City at the Zahner facility, a mockup was erected, which provided insight into the system and confidence in the design plan. The custom engineered fin structure was manufactured as parts, and a small group of engineers installed the project France. The system was entirely built in a digital model and shipped without ever pre-assembling it in the Kansas City facility. There in France, the same engineers who designed the structure also erected it, and the aluminum floor came together seamlessly.

Liverpool Mexico

August 15, 2016/in Exterior Architecture, Interior Architecture Flagship, Retail & Commerce International, Mexico, Mexico City Rojkind Arquitectos L, XL 2011 /by cmorris

Liverpool Interlomas Flagship Department Store in Mexico City

Liverpool Interlomas Department Store is a commercial mall development designed by Rojkind Arquitectos with a Zahner-engineered and fabricated facade system. The new Liverpool Flagship Store is part of the Paseo Interlomas Mall located in the Interlomas neighborhood of Huixquilucan a suburb of Mexico City.

Zahner was selected by Rojkind Arquitectos to design the Liverpool Interlomas Facade because of Zahner’s proven ability to design and produce complex curvilinear forms. The process was efficient, on-time, and under budget, which is a result of the BIM-informed digital manufacturing process.

“

Even though we had never collaborated with them, Zahner’s credentials and experience clearly indicated that they were the ideal candidate for this project.

The design and fabrication process we went through has been one of the most rewarding collaborations we have had in recent years.

Gerardo Salinas, AIAPartner at.atcategory

Liverpool Interlomas in Mexico City, designed by Rojkind Arquitectos.

DESIGNING THE LIVERPOOL INTERLOMAS FACADE

The architecture firm Rojkind Arquitectos won the competition to design the flagship store for Liverpool in Mexico City. Designed and built in just over a year’s time, the project’s fast-paced process was made possible by digital construction processes and having all contractors and fabricators on-board with the Building Information Model (BIM).

In early 2011, Architect Michel Rojkind and his design team met at the Zahner Headquarters in Kansas City. There they worked to define the details with the Liverpool clients, the installation contractor, the structural engineer, the lighting consultant, and Zahner’s own Design Assist Group. The teams worked together to design-engineer an integrated model, and then agreed on a section of that model to be built as a mockup.

The flagship store was produced to rebrand the chain with a contemporary image for its Mexico City shoppers, in the same way that other flagship stores such as the Neiman Marcus in Natick Massachusetts re-established their contemporary presence using architectural forms.

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Elkus Manfredi Architects designed the facade's undulations with perspective in mind. When travelers drive by, the structure appears animated and kinetic, an effect caused by the way the facade curves in and out. Zahner worked with the architects to design a curving facade panel system that is both aesthetically powerful as well as economically effective.

Rojkind and the Design Team meet at Zahner.

Exploded details of the Liverpool Interlomas ZEPPS Integration.

Liverpool Interlomas full section and skin details.

Detail of the mockup for Liverpool Mexico

Within a matter of weeks, a fully-functional mockup was produced and installed on the Zahner mock-up tower, pictured above. The mockup is a crucial stage of the design process, revealing issues to work out in the final iteration, and helping Zahner engineers and fabricators foresee the more difficult aspects of an upcoming project.

The mockup also assisted other contractors on the job. The installer in Mexico City was able to use the mockup to gain an understanding of how best to assemble and install the final components. Zahner worked with the entire design and ownership team to optimize the fabrication and shipping sequences for efficiency so as to meet the demands of the aggressive construction schedule.

Liverpool Mockup on the Zahner Mockup Tower.

Zahner artisans fabricate the Liverpool ZEPPS Components.

This facade functioned as a design-build project, defined by the Design Assist Group at Zahner. This means that Zahner owned the design of the anchoring and worked with the structural engineer on an integrated design. Using the Design Assist Group also means that from the very onset of the project’s planning stages, a team of intelligent designers and engineers at Zahner were defining the details which would ensure a smooth production and installation process.

After producing the mockup in January 2011, the team made subtle revisions to the project’s 3D model. The Liverpool project then quickly went to operations and fabrication. Code-named Project 7, The Liverpool Project was a fast-paced design, build, and supervised install. In less than a year the project went from drawings and renderings to completion, in November of 2011.

Building with ZEPPS

The Design Assist Group at Zahner used the ZEPPS Process to engineer and produce the massive panels which attach to the building’s structure and provide the uniform surface for the Angel Hair Stainless steel skinned surface.

The ZEPPS Assemblies were fabricated and assembled as complete panels in the Zahner Shop in Kansas City, where they were shipped on trucks to the job site in Mexico City. Building the exterior facade with ZEPPS drastically reduces the construction time because the panels simply bolt to existing connections on the steel structure.

Liverpool Installation and Construction.

Installers meet at the Liverpool Interlomas.

Liverpool Flagship Store nears completion.

The project features a diffused Angel Hair stainless steel material for its exterior an interior cladding. In select areas, the project also features Zahner’s GB-60 Process for bead-blasting stainless steel, and a number of bumped and embossed surfaces can be seen throughout both the interior and exterior surfaces.

Interior metalwork for the Interlomas Store.

Kowloon Station

August 15, 2016/in Exterior Architecture, Interior Architecture Airport, Transportation Asia, Hong Kong TFP Farrells Silver, White L, XL 1998 /by cmorris

Kowloon Station in Hong Kong

Kowloon Station is a rail transit station on the Tung Chung Line and the Airport Express of Hong Kong’s MTR. The station provides in-town check-in service for passengers departing from the Hong Kong International Airport, with access to shuttle, bus, train, and other forms of transit.

This station in the Kowloon development in Hong Kong was designed by Farrells (TPP Farrells). The project included a masterplan for the surrounding Union Square, one of the largest air-rights developments in the world. This development included the tallest tower in Hong Kong, the International Commerce Center.

Zahner was brought into the project to provide above-ground exterior metalwork, as well as below-grade metalwork for the station’s interior. This scope includes a Zahner-manufactured aluminum facade, with aluminum and stainless steel interior metalwork. The station was completed in 1998.

Interior metalwork at Kowloon Station, Hong Kong.

Interior painted metal systems, Kowloon Station, Hong Kong.

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Tsing Yi Station

KCPD Headquarters

August 15, 2016/in Exterior Architecture, Interior Architecture Government, Highrise, LEED Kansas City Helix Blue-grey L 2015 /by cmorris

Kansas City Police Department HQ RENOVATION & EXPANSION

KCPD Headquarters’ renovation and expansion was led by Helix Architecture and features Zahner fabrication and design assist exploration. The existing building, which hadn’t been renovated since opening in 1938, features both a new tower expansion as well as historical restoration and renovation to the original building interior and exterior spaces.

The Kansas City Police Headquarters renovation marks a shift in how police departments can use architecture to shift perception and engagement in the community. The building update provides a modernized facility for KCPD employees, as well as a first floor community atrium for citizens to engage in the Police Department’s Headquarters.

Zahner’s scope on the project included both interior and exterior cassette panels in pre-weathered zinc. The panel layout positions the zinc skins diagonally skyward, and its unique diamond shape emphasizes the vertical nature of the space, providing the new addition with a sense of fortitude.

THE DE YOUNG MUSEUM IN SAN FRANCISCO. ZAHNER OWNED THE ENTIRE EXTERIOR COPPER SKIN AND GLAZING.

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Embossing

Zahner's unique history of metal embossing for bumped and dimpled metal surfaces has been used over the years to create unique approaches to metal panel systems. Create deep textures in metal surfaces with your designs.

Photograph of the KCPD Community room during the opening ceremony for the renovated police headquarters.

Detail of the punched and custom-embossed zinc exterior facade at KCPD Headquarters.

Interior space with custom zinc feature wall at KCPD Headquarters.

Rooftop terrace at Kansas City Police Department Headquarters.

Keeping with the KCPD’s desire to increase community interaction, extensive improvements were also made to the first floor where visitors enter the space. Here a community room serves as a space for meetings and public engagement.

The interior spaces continue the embossed zinc cladding, providing a backdrop for art by Rob Ley of Urbana, and giving cohesion between the addition and the existing historic building. The interior panels also serve the dual purpose of providing noise mitigation at the entrance of the space.

Creating a Custom-Embossed and Perforated Zinc Panel

Rather than adding patina to the sheets, Helix designers were interested exploring various possibilities with machined surfaces. The exterior panels located on the tower expansion feature a racetrack-shaped obround bump which is repeatedly embossed into the metal surface. This texturing of the metal adds rigidity to the panels to prevent wavering in the metal panels. When assembled in unison, the repetition of these shapes emulates the warp and weft of the officers’ cloth uniforms.

The unique panel system was tested in two mockups at Zahner, each of which provided valuable insight into how to provide the complex geometries of the zinc system.

Zinc panel siding mockups are displayed at Zahner for architectural analysis.

Interior zinc wall during installation at KCPD Headquarters.

Rendering of the renovation provided to the KCPD Headquarters.

Designing Custom Perforated Panels using Zinc

The existing entrance for the project is largely composed of non-absorptive materials such as glass and tile. This meant that finding a solution to mitigate noise in the community entrance was of utmost importance. The designers at Helix worked with Zahner to develop a series of micro perforations and sound-absorptive backing on the panels.

The perforations allow noise to enter, while acoustic material nestled within the panel absorbs noise. The perforated surface of the zinc further prevents echo and reverberation of sound from coming back out of the panels. Zahner provided the entire custom perforated panel as one unit, with the acoustic backing already within each panel and ready for installation.

Detail of the punched and custom-embossed zinc acoustic panels at KCPD Headquarters.

The building facade has an appearance of armored cladding.

Interior and exterior zinc metalwork at the Kansas City Police Department Headquarters.

Managing the Building’s Historic and Green Construction

In order to accommodate the police department’s need for continued use of the space, the general contractor, JE Dunn, divided the project into several phases. Special consideration was also taken towards historic pieces, such as marble in the restroom. Historically significant materials were refurbished and reused in other areas of the building.

This eco-friendly design decision is also echoed in Helix’s desire to use zinc panels. The zinc was sourced from Jarden Zinc, who also provides coin blanks to mints from around the world (including the blanks used to make the US penny). The leftover material from the coinage is melted down to produce sheets. All zinc used for the KCPD Headquarters is 100% recyclable and environmentally friendly. The project is anticipated to receive a LEED Gold certification.

Interior walls with zinc cladding, photographed with the Rob Ley interior sculpture at KCPD Headquarters.

Juilliard Stairs

August 15, 2016/in Interior Architecture Education New York City Diller Scofidio + Renfro, FXFOWLE Architects Grey, Red M 2009 /by cmorris

Slow Stairs at The Juilliard School in New York City

Zahner worked with the architects at Diller Scofidio + Renfro to develop a gliding red stairway for the recent renovations at The Juilliard School in New York City. Zahner was responsible to Turner Construction in New York City for producing the design engineered metal-work. The two staircases are located one after the other, on the eastern-most side of the school from the third to fifth floors. There the students can collect their thoughts around the adjacent study areas.

The stairway was designed to appear as though it were made from a single sheet of metal. In actuality, the stair is made possible by several plates of 3/4″ low-carbon steel, seamlessly welded and painstakingly ground to achieve the look of a unified single piece of metal. Each step is a separate plate, bent at a 90 degree angle on either side, and then welded to either side of the staircase. The stairs are placed at a non-standard height and depth, so that the effect is a “slow staircase” where each step is only slightly elevated from the last.

Juilliard Staircase designed by Diller Scofidio + Renfro.

One of the issues with welding metal is its tendency to warp itself towards the weld. When it came time to weld the long pipe which serves as the hand rail, Zahner identified this as a potential problem. If this wasn’t done correctly, the entire staircase would bow to the left or right as one looked up at it. After debating different ways to prevent warpage, the solution Zahner employed was an old ship building technique — we welded the handrail from both sides at the same time. The result is a highly accurate straight piece of steel with only three connections to the building.