Arizona Center
​GuildWorks is quite proud to present this innovative permanent tension structure in the heart of downtown Phoenix, Arizona.  It's called "Dancing Sky", and this organic artistic expression of nets captivate the eyes.

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 ultimate intention was to showcase an incredible architectural feature that would set Arizona Center apart  and stand out as an urban-contemporary environment attracting new clients to  shop, dine, enjoy live music, events and more.   It is the perfect place to connect with friends and family.

Dancing Sky, is primarily formed from netting, as opposed to Architectural fabric, creating an ethereal and otherworldly environment which is the talk of the town and has started to gain national attention.

"The upgrades to the center bring a whole
new vibe to the heart of downtown Phoenix,"
Matt Root, managing partner for Parallel Capital Partners

Dancing Sky:
As one walks through this space and looks up through layers of net and fabric, perspectives change.  The visitor experience of the artistic display, is ever-changing. The shadows of net and fabric dance around the courtyard as the sun and light shifts through the day. 
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Tensioned Nets -vs- Fabric
One of the major limitations we faced; how to anchor a large-scale installation to an existing building, which was designed over 30 years ago without fabric structures in mind. 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, using 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. 

Design Requirements and Challenges:
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• Establish a visually stunning artistic environment that feels organic;
• Focus on creating visual interest throughout the space;
• Keep loading within building requirements for high wind events;
• Make a big visual impact within a large space;
• Open up the inward-looking space to connect it to the surrounding neighborhood;​

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 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.

GuildWorks approaches each projects uniquely, we determine the best course of action based on the demands and expectations.  Due to the complexity of this particular vision, we decided to take a traditional approach by starting the design process with gestural hand drawn sketches and building out physical three dimensional scale models. By taking this approach it allowed for more organically creative ideas to take shape, and through the fabric studies - possibilities were refined, then carefully measured and translated into CAD models for further development, engineering, and finite element analysis.  We humbly think the results are spectacular and very proud of our team.

Contact us today to start your project >>>

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