The platform structure consists of wide-flange beams that are fish-plated to the sides of the posts and cantilever out to support the edges of the walkway bridges that connect each tower. The wider platforms are constructed of several tower structures interwoven.
Wild Walk is an interactive walkway located in the Wild Center, a natural history center nestled within Adirondack Park in upstate New York. The elevated walkway consists of paths and platforms that allow visitors to wander throughout the park as they gradually ascend above the treeline. Prior to this project, Silman provided structural engineering services for the Wild Center, formerly known as the Natural History Museum of the Adirondacks.
The elevated platforms are supported by teepee-like tower structures built of six HSS tubes that come to points about 40 feet in the air.
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The platform structure consists of wide-flange beams that are fish-plated to the sides of the posts and cantilever out to support the edges of the walkway bridges that connect each tower. The wider platforms are constructed of several tower structures interwoven.
The towers are made of pre-weathered Corten steel, a durable material that blends with the natural landscape. Silman also used galvanized steel at various points to minimize total project cost. Many components were prefabricated to minimize environmental disruption during construction.
Other project features include a triple-height tree house and three steel-framed swinging bridges. Each bridge has cables strung through upside-down A-shaped steel frames every five feet to provide stiffness along with the walkway platform. This strategy allows the bridges to gently sway without causing excessive vibrations.
