Bridge Gateway Structure
Hartford, CT
Specialty Engineering
When the state of Connecticut commissioned an artist to adorn the entrance to new offices at 450 Columbus Blvd, they knew they needed to make a statement. They engaged the renowned sculptor David Boyajian to bestow one of his creations onto the building. David’s work resulted in a gateway sculpture that is graceful and complimentary to New England’s historic landscape and modern workings. The complex structure is fabricated from stainless steel tubes fabricated into curves of varying radii interwoven to resemble the wooded landscape throughout the state. Complex creations such as these push the envelope of structural performance and all parties knew they needed a highly capable engineer on the team. Conlon Engineering worked with David to define the geometry of the sculpture and mathematize it for structural analysis. We used the digitized geometry to analyze the structure in three dimensions and ensure it had the structural integrity needed. We reviewed the structural performance of the components, their interconnections with each other and their anchorage to the supporting structure, all while respecting the artist’s vision for the sculpture.
