Long Island City, NY
Sunbather
Scope/Solutions
Created by Ohad Meromi from cast silicon bronze and painted bright pink, the Sunbather enlivens Jackson Avenue in Long Island City. The artwork was commissioned by New York City’s Department of Cultural Affairs’ Percent for Art program, Department of Transportation, and Economic Development Corporation. SGH consulted on the sculpture’s structural design.
SGH evaluated the Sunbather’s thin-shelled structure for overall stability, strength, and deflections. Highlights of our work include the following:
- Used a three-dimensional scan of a scale model to create and discretize a surface appropriate for our finite element analysis software
- Determined the applicable loads on the 9 ft tall sculpture, including the self-weight of the 1/4 in. thick bronze casting, snow, wind, ice, and people
- Collaborated with the New York Art Foundry to obtain material properties, such as material yield point, behavior at welded joints, and fatigue resistance
- Designed the stainless steel anchor rods and baseplates in coordination with the engineer at the local department of transportation for the reinforced concrete base
- Provided stamped structural drawings for permitting
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Project Summary
2016
Completion Date
Solutions
New Construction
Services
Structures
Markets
Culture & Entertainment
Client(s)
Mr. Ohad Meromi
Key team members
Additional Projects
Northeast
Boston Society of Architects, Step 7: Our Fathers at Bigger than a Breadbox, Smaller than a Building
The 2015 exhibition, Bigger than a Breadbox, Smaller than a Building, featured large-scale installations in the Boston Society of Architects (BSA) Space. SGH provided structural engineering and materials science services for the three main installations.
Northeast
Cultural Education Center and Grand Stair at Empire State Plaza
SGH evaluated long-term water leaks under the staircase and designed repairs. Following our work at the plaza, SGH investigated bowing of the marble wall panels and issues related to anchorage of the panels at the Cultural Education Center.