2021 Archive : Clay Center Sculpture Garden

Project Details

Fabric 1

Sheerfill II
Producer/Manufacturer: Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics Corp.
Primary Use: Main Fabric

Design Name
James Yost

Design Company
GAI Consultants, Inc.

Architect Name
Mike White

Architect Company
ZMM Architects

Fabrication Name
Angela Juarez

Fabrication Company
Eide Industries, Inc.

Subcontractor Name
Brian Bremer

Subcontractor Company
BK Fabrication

Project Manager Name
Rick McBride

Project Manager Company
Eide Industries, Inc.

Installation Name
Mike Stone

Installation Company
Eide Industries, Inc.

Please describe the project specifications

The Clay Center for the Arts and Sciences in Charleston, West Virginia wanted to expand its facility with a new Sculpture Garden to attract and enhance the visitor experiences. The design team of GAI Consultants (landscape architects) with ZMM Architects focused on creating a variety of comfortable environments for educational, dining, landscaping and entertainment purposes. An iconic tensile fabric structure was the solution to provide weather protection and shade coverage over the main event space for outdoor concerts, weddings, parties, and other social events. The Tension Structure division of Eide Industries were contacted directly to assist with the design-build of the new addition to the center. Sheerfill II PTFE fabric spans over the artistic frame layout, engineered for 115 MPH wind loads, to provide 2,424 square feet of coverage area.

What is unique or complex about the project?

The design and fabrication of the upright support posts were technically challenging to produce the final look to meet the Clay Center's expectations. The successful collaboration of GAI, ZMM and Eide ultimately led to the follow-up project of another tension structure at the Mountain Health Arena in the neighboring city of Huntington, WV.

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