2019 Archive : Ralph Lauren 50th Anniversary

Project Details

Fabric 1

Vinyl
Producer: Serge Ferrari North America Inc.
Supplier: Serge Ferrari North America Inc.

Fabric 2

Vinyl
Producer: Naizil Coated Fabrics Inc.
Supplier: Naizil Coated Fabrics Inc.

Fabric 3

Vinyl
Producer: Keder Solutions
Supplier: Keder Solutions

Engineer Company 1
Eventstar Structures

Design Company
Prodject

Architect Company
Eventstar Structures

Fabrication Company
Eventstar Structures

Project Manager Company
Prodject

Installation Company
Eventstar Structures

Please describe the project specifications

To celebrate Ralph Lauren’s 50th anniversary, the company took over Central Park’s Bethesda Terrace to host a fashion show for the ages. 10,000 sq. ft. of structures were erected to serve as the venue for this momentous occasion for such an iconic American brand.

What was the purpose of this project? What did the client request?

We were tasked with covering approximately 10,000 sq.ft. of space in New York City’s historic central park to serve as the venue for a major fashion show. Since it was an evening event, the client wanted the space to have see through views of the foliage of Central Park and the city skyline. They also required that the structure be designed and fabricated in a way that blended in with the rustic aesthetic of the Bethesda Terrace.

What is unique or complex about the project?

To cover the 140’ width at varying heights, three individual structures were deployed. To adapt to the terrace’s staircases, column heights had to be varied along the length of the structure. This eccentric design had a significant effect on the reactions required to be resisted. A combination of large steel and concrete ballasts were included in the design to support the uplift and overturning load requirements. Because of the high end finish aesthetic required, all ballasts were framed out and painted to hide the structural elements while also matching the rustic color requirements.

The aluminum members of the structure were all powder coated to blend in with the aesthetic of the terrace as best as possible. This included beams, columns, purlins and other framing components.

Clear vinyl roofing skins were fabricated with off-white reinforcement strips to allow for the views of the skyline and foliage as requested by the client. Fabric gutters were installed between the central structure and the two wings in order to prevent rain from entering the primary event space.

Installation of the structure proved extremely challenging given the footprint that needed to be built and the expedited timeline it needed it be built in. Projects of this significance and scale prove challenging in normal circumstances, but the stringent requirements of working in a historic portion of Central Park take it to another extreme.

What were the results of the project?

The 50th Anniversary Celebration of Ralph Lauren was one of the hottest outings in New York City for the entire year. The client was extremely happy with the end product, and the event was one of the most notable of New York’s Fashion week.

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