GuildWorks ~ Architecture of the Air

Riverfront Pavilion Opens in spokane!

9/13/2019

GuildWorks is proud to have been a part of Spokane Riverfront Park's renovation. This multi-million dollar redevelopment included refurbishing the iconic Riverfront Park Pavilion and creating a new event space. Spokane Parks and Recreation celebrated completion of the project with a public grand opening on September 6th & 7th.

This extensive GuildWorks project began in Winter 2017 and took over 18 months before installation in Summer 2019. Advanced engineering of the existing Expo ‘74 historical cable net structure was required and new tension elements were incorporated to support our elegant design array. 72 custom-designed panels provide shade and beauty to the new outdoor gathering and event space.

Garrett Jones, interim director of Spokane Parks, said in a statement, “The Pavilion is now our community’s central gathering place and our lantern...It’s amazing to see how the transformation honors the past while bringing the city’s icon into the future.” We’re excited to have been a part of this signature project that also demonstrates how older structures can be refurbished to create vibrant public spaces for everyone to enjoy!Photo creds: Spokane Night Scenes and Leon Janssen.

GuildWorks Featured In "Specialty Fabrics Review"

9/7/2018

DANCING SKY

GuildWorks is proud to announce, that "Dancing Sky", a permanent installation in downtown Phoenix, Arizona, has started to gain national attention. Much appreciation, to the folks at Specialty Fabrics Review, an outstanding monthly print and online resource for essential information on the specialty fabrics industry, published by the Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI); which GuildWorks is a proud member.

This link may only be active for the next month or so, but we welcome to you to visit their website

September 1st, 2018

Art aloft: dancing with the breeze

Downtown Phoenix’s Arizona Center is undergoing a major transformation. One of the objectives was to open up the inward-looking space to connect it to the surrounding neighborhood, creating a more interactive and spontaneous experience for the public. The one-million-square-foot multi-use project includes shopping, restaurants, entertainment, office space and residential units. Creating space within the center where people can wander and relax was an important consideration.

The developers wanted a large-scale art piece that would fill the void in the long courtyard spaces—something dynamic and one-of-a-kind that makes a lasting impression. So they turned to Guildworks, a Portland, Oregon, firm specializing in tension structures and fabric.

The design was limited by installation requirements, and had to be anchored to an existing building without requiring major structural work. Because a fabric structure of this size could generate considerable wind loads, Guildworks designed "Dancing Sky", a tensioned net structure that allows the wind to blow through. Guildworks built a scale model of "Dancing Sky" to understand how the net system would work, as well as multiple full-scale mockups to make needed adjustments and fabricate the art piece accurately.

The installation consists of three interconnected tension net structures that measure more than 300 feet long, with some individual pieces measuring 115 feet. The two primary structures are supported by 70-foot tilted steel masts, and a smaller piece is suspended between them. Smaller fabric pieces are suspended between the nets as accents. For more information, visit www.guildworks.com.

To learn and see even more about this project, visit the link below for our video and additional photos,
as well as a case study from March 2018. Dancing Sky" Permanent Art Installation Downtown Phoenix >>>

Specialty Fabrics Review Article - Art aloft : dancing with the breeze.pdf
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"Dancing Sky" Permanent Art installation Downtown Phoenix

3/5/2018

Dancing Sky: As one walks through this space, looking up through layers of net and fabric, perspectives change and they experience an ever changing and artistic display. The shadows of net and fabric dance around the courtyard as the sun and light shifts through the day.

Tensioned Nets -vs- Fabric
One of the major limitations we faced; how to anchor a large scale installation to an existing building that was designed over 30 years ago without fabric structures being added in mind. In order to limit the otherwise tremendous wind loads that a fabric structure would generate, we decided to go forward with a tensioned net structure that would allow the wind to blow through. Though similar in many ways to tension fabric architecture, the use of nets required a fair amount of R&D. We built a scale model of the structure to help study the net system as well as multiple full scale mock ups to help us optimize the form and accurately fabricate the design.

The client contacted us because they were looking for something outside the box, some different than a typical tension structure. After a couple rounds of sketches and different concepts, we narrowed in on on this art installation to achieve the project goals.

•  One of a kind art piece that would make this space unique.
•  Large scale art to fill the void in the long courtyard spaces
•  Use of masts to bring the height above the roof height.
•  Anchored to existing building without requiring major structural work.
•  Dynamic and abstract complex forms

Riverfront Pavilion Opens in spokane!

GuildWorks Featured In "Specialty Fabrics Review"

"Dancing Sky" Permanent Art installation Downtown Phoenix

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