Walking into the recently
opened United Center atrium reminds you of the history that has happened within
the walls of the famous arena. A bronze statue of Bull’s legend Michael Jordan
resides as the central focus point while Blackhawk memorabilia fills the
background.
The atrium is a
congregation area for game and concert attendees and also serves as a private
event space. These private events may require specific lighting or sound
equipment along with elaborate decorations and more. To make these events
efficient and uniquely functional, the United Center requested four motorized
grid systems, each with an 8,000 -12,000 lb. capacity to allow for hassle-free
changeovers. With a recommendation by our friends at Upstaging, Flyhouse was
ready with a solution.
The lifting mechanism
normally used for this type of project would be a simple chain hoist. This
would lift the grid structure until it reached a peak point – lifting until it
hits the top. Simultaneously running four motors can create an unbalanced load
when each lifting point moves at a different speed. This scenario causes a risk
of the grid failing.
To avoid this issue,
Flyhouse designed, built, and installed high-capacity motorized hoists that
exceed all the requirements of overhead suspension. What sets this design apart
is how it ensures a balanced load during its travel distance of approximately
50 feet. The Flyhouse system lifts all points at the exact same rate, up to 32
fpm, and is easily controlled using a handheld touchscreen pendant; a complex
system made simple to use. The motors are built into the truss which has been
custom painted white to match the aesthetic of the room.
The motorized grids are a
permanent installation for the United Center providing them the benefit of a
system that can be operated regularly by staff trained by Flyhouse. The United Center
can run the grids in and fly them back out using the custom control system
operated by one person.
Whether it’s a game,
concert, or a special event, the next time you walk through the atrium, scan
the ceiling and tell us what you think.
iWeiss Projects Theatre Restoration:
We are
excited about our most recent restoration work on the Tampa Theatre in Tampa, FL. The team
of DRL
Group | Westlake Reed Leskosky, EverGreene Architectural Arts and
the entire Tampa Theatre team along with many others, produced an amazing
transformation of this historic
movie palace that was built in 1926. The drapery portion of the
project consisted of recreating the goods as close to the original as possible
while still allowing for the full view of the movie screen.
The Main
Valance fabric was a custom dyed 26oz
Prestige Velour that was painted by EverGreene and finished in our shop in
Fairview, NJ. We installed a hand crank winch for the hard framed
valance, which was created in (5) pieces to provide the ability to be removed
when needed. The House Curtain was painted with vertical stripes strategically placed within the pleating. This was also
finished and hung in in our New Jersey shop for its final touches. In the
house we installed drapery to match the grand treatment.
We are always very proud of how close the end result looks to the
original photos and concept renderings. Take a look below at the finished
product along with other detailed images.
Theatre Restoration:
iWeiss
Modernizes The National Theatre with Align™ Rigging
Washington’s
historic National Theatre, founded in
1835, has operated as a hemp house for 182 years. Thanks to a dedicated crew of
talented stage hands, countless Broadway productions were successfully mounted
and run for all that time. However, Executive Director Sarah K. Bartlo-Chaplin
realized that in today’s cost conscious competitive producing environment,
efficiency was going to be key in landing not only longer running shows but
also one and two night stands. “We need to load in and load out quicker and
more cost effectively”.
So in preparation for Tina Fey’s Mean Girls opening, the decision was made to convert the theatre from hemp to counter-weight rigging. iWeiss Vice President Richard Parks and Project Manager Russ Dusek made a presentation to their Board, guaranteeing the work and the time frame and iWeiss was contracted to take on the job.
Under PM Russ Dusek and local foreman John “Chip” Daley, demolition began on July 10th. Before installing the new rigging – iWeiss’ Align Equipment - modifications and additions were made to the structural steel, electrical conduits and sprinkler lines were re-routed and a new load bridge was installed. (60) Double Purchase sets were installed on 6” centers with the rail above the stage floor allowing for maximum stage space. In addition we installed a new Clincher Winch and trip system for the fire curtain. The new Align rigging was commissioned 69 days later on Sept 17th.
E.D. Bartlo-Chapin wrote “…what a sincere pleasure it was to work
with your PM Russ Dusek. Even given the unique circumstances of this project,
Russ was always incredibly responsive and respectful…He (and the iWeiss team)
are the reason the system got completed on time”
Trivia fact – During demolition 8 tons of sand were removed from
the theatre’s sand bag system of counter weight.
“Brand new Wire Tension Grid,
Curtain Track, Roll Drop and Drapery installed in the Studio Theatre at New
Trier High School in Illinois.”
The Field Museum Nature
Clouds – Chicago Flyhouse
The Field Museum of Chicago began its
125th-anniversary preparations in early 2017 with an ambitious endeavor of
renovating Stanley Field Hall. The renovations are meant to bring together the
inanimate matter and living elements of the museum by incorporating a live
hanging garden known as Nature Clouds to showcase plants living from the
prehistoric era.
A successful anniversary celebration
requires a collaborative approach to bring the concept to reality. Flyhouse was
contacted by The Dobbins
Group through the recommendation of Ravenswood Studios to
provide insight into the feasibility of suspending four Nature Clouds with
weights ranging from 5,000 – 19,000 lbs. From this consultation, steps were
taken to move forward with a full-scale prototype with Flyhouse providing the
rigging solution. Along with Branch Technology,
Impresa, The Dobbins
Group, and Ambius, this prototype was fabricated
successfully at Ravenswood Studios.
To make this experiential space a reality,
Flyhouse will use two large and one medium capacity custom hoists to suspend
the four Clouds and move them. Each Cloud will have a speed of 16 fpm with
variable speed in acceleration and deceleration and the ability to travel to
three pre-set positions using a wireless pendant on the main floor. While the
Clouds will remain in a higher fixed position when the museum is open to the
public, the three pre-set positions will allow museum staff to lower or raise the
Clouds for special events and maintenance.
Flyhouse will spend six weeks installing the
mechanics and commissioning needed for the project and will use a
custom-designed temporary access solution with a capacity of eight tons onsite
as the main means of hoisting and safety.
Flyhouse is excited to be a part of this
new Field Museum venture
and looks forward to sharing updates with you as the project progresses.
Houston’s High School for the Performing and Visual Arts
The Oxford dictionary says that art is “the expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual form such as painting or sculpture, producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power.” Wikipedia expands that definition to include technical skills, as in, “Art is a diverse range of human activities in creating visual, auditory or performing artifacts, expressing the author’s imaginative or technical skill, intended to be appreciated for their beauty or emotional power.” Houston’s High School for the Performing and Visual Arts (HSPVA) expands on that definition even further, proudly identifying themselves as a place “Where Learning Is an Art.” But that’s not all that’s expanding for HSPVA. The school is on track to open the doors to a brand new, five-story facility that’s located smack in the middle of downtown Houston in January 2019.
Part of the Houston Independent School District (HSID), HSPVA is one of 40 schools designated to be rebuilt or renovated as part of the HISD’s 2012 Bond Program. Houston based McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. was brought on by the school district to serve as Construction Manager for the project. McCarthy subcontracted JR Clancy to provide an 1800+ square foot SkyDeck™ in the new facility’s black box theater. And JR Clancy, in turn, subcontracted InterAmerica Stage, Inc. (IA Stage) to manufacture and install the SkyDeck™.
IA Stage’s Jay C. Hurt, one of several ETCP Certified riggers on the project, was tasked with getting several oversized SkyDeck™ panels into the black box space via second story window. Hurt is known for his expertise in specialized material handling. He says that in order to maintain the highest safety standards on a busy job site – especially one sandwiched inside a busy city’s arts district – knowledge and the ability to communicate that knowledge is key. Hurt has held his ETCP certification for over 10 years. “I was in one of the first groups to get the certification,” he says.
Due to the construction site’s close quarters, Hurt wasn’t able to get his forklift closer than 30’ from the building. “We had to [lift the SkyDeck™ panels through the window] over the weekend,” he explained, “because part of my forklift was sticking out in the road.” JR Clancy’s Project Manager, Ryan Cole, also an ETCP Certified rigger, added, “The city wants to maintain traffic flow through the area. We set aside time on an early Saturday morning to off-load the panels and avoid major traffic.” The appropriate lanes were closed and traffic flagged around the construction. The operation required a boom attachment on the forks with a crewmember on the ground attaching panels to the boom one at a time and handling the tagline, while two crewmembers on the second story received the panels as they came through the window at an angle. “All my guys were in retractable harnesses,” Hurt stated emphatically.
Consultants: Jaffe Holden (Acoustic)
Wrighton, Johnson, Haddon and Willams, Inc. (San Antonio)
Architect: Gensler, globally-recognized architecture firm and designers of the renowned
Houston Ballet Center for Dance, designed HSPVA’s new 168,000 square foot
building.
HSPVA was founded in 1971 and has been located in Houston’s Montrose area since 1981. It is Houston’s first magnet school. Groundbreaking for the $88 million facility took place on December 14, 2014.
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