The steel grid structure was designed as nine independent panels that could be rigged into the ceiling one at a time. Silman also reviewed the means and methods of this rigging process. Since field welding was not permitted, the firm’s engineers used mechanical fasteners for all field connections, including the attachment of the grid to the existing structure.
Photo credit: Nicholas Knight. Images courtesy of the Artist, Sean Kelly, New York, Empire State Development and Public Art Fund, NY.
- Photo credit: Nicholas Knight. Images courtesy of the Artist, Sean Kelly, New York, Empire State Development and Public Art Fund, NY.
This hand-painted triptych by noted American artist Kehinde Wiley is one of three permanent art installations in the new Moynihan Train Hall. It is composed of two glass layers: a stained-glass panel on top of a safety-laminated glass panel that is backlit with LEDs. To suspend the artwork from the 33rd Street entry ceiling, Silman provided structural engineering services for the design of a grid support structure that matches the layout of the glass panels.
This grid, suspended from the existing third floor steel framing, uses primary WT beams (wide flange steel sections that have been cut in half depth-wise). These are clamped to the bottom flanges of existing steel beams and secondary plates that span between the WT’s and are welded together. To account for the existing structure’s load limitations, Silman worked with DCM Fabrication to design a lightweight steel grid with extruded aluminum for connection elements. Silman’s engineers provided adequate dissimilar material separation to prevent corrosion.
Photo credit: Nicholas Knight. Images courtesy of the Artist, Sean Kelly, New York, Empire State Development and Public Art Fund, NY.
- Photo credit: Nicholas Knight. Images courtesy of the Artist, Sean Kelly, New York, Empire State Development and Public Art Fund, NY.
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The steel grid structure was designed as nine independent panels that could be rigged into the ceiling one at a time. Silman also reviewed the means and methods of this rigging process. Since field welding was not permitted, the firm’s engineers used mechanical fasteners for all field connections, including the attachment of the grid to the existing structure.
