{"id":50,"date":"2012-05-25T17:40:32","date_gmt":"2012-05-25T17:40:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/compositesandarchitecture.com\/?p=50"},"modified":"2012-05-25T17:44:04","modified_gmt":"2012-05-25T17:44:04","slug":"interview-with-the-cascade-bus-shelters-engineer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kreysler.zaab.org\/?p=50","title":{"rendered":"Interview with the Cascade Bus Shelter’s Engineer"},"content":{"rendered":"

The \u201cCascade Series\u201d Art Shelters represent the culmination of a successful collaboration between artist and engineer and are an innovative use of an unconventional material in the public works realm.<\/p>\n

Walt Geiger, architect and artist, and John Marhoefer, Principle Engineer and CEO of\u00a0Entech Creative Industries<\/a>were part of the driving force behind the Art-in-Transit Initiative that introduced the functional art shelters.<\/p>\n

The Cascade Series is composed of four separate works of art along International Drive around the Orlando Convention Center that are used as functional bus shelters for the local transit company.\u00a0 Each is a compilation of two to five separate composite forms, each approximately three feet wide and fifteen to sixteen feet high, that together create shelter for bus riders from the intense heat and rain of central Florida.<\/p>\n

Scale models to represent the possibilities for the series were constructed as part of the process before the final designs were selected. As with every project, cost was a consideration, and forms that proved too expensive to fabricate were eliminated.\u00a0 Once the final designs were selected a laser scan was made, converting the forms into 3D CAD files. These were then scaled up and used to construct CNC\u2019d molds into which spun fiberglass, resin, and honeycomb core would be laid.\u00a0 Core thickness and lamination skin materials vary as needed on the various parts of the structures.\u00a0 A main focus during construction was on perfecting the joining techniques.<\/p>\n

In February of 2012, the Cascade Series civic functional art project was awarded the top prize by the ACMA in the category of Design: Most Creative Application.\u00a0 The judges cited the projects accomplishments of advancing the use of composites into civil structures in a unique and creative manner.<\/p>\n

I spoke with John recently about Cascade, and asked a few questions about the collaboration process and the issues in using composites for a public project like this:<\/p>\n

Question<\/strong>:\u00a0 Often when designers and fabricators collaborate on a project, issues arise due to the differences inherent in how these disciplines operate. \u00a0As your\u2019s is a long-standing collaborative relationship, can you go into more detail on how you two work together?<\/p>\n

John Marhoefer<\/strong>:\u00a0 Walt and I have known each other for over almost 20 years now and met originally by our work in the theme park industry.\u00a0 I think each of us recognized a similar ranging intellectual curiosity in each other and began an informal arrangement of idea sessions.\u00a0 These sessions or meetings on many occasions consisted of each of us elucidating the other on our respective areas of expertise.\u00a0 The ongoing commitment to the collaborative stemmed from an early recognition that together we were able to generate interesting ideas that we may never had come upon in isolation.\u00a0 So while there are certainly differences in our disciplines, it was those differences that came to be the source of synergistic ideas.\u00a0 The opportunities for cross-purposing means and methods common in one discipline or area to another in which those ideas were not being utilized seem to multiply at almost every occasion.<\/p>\n

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The art shelters are one example.\u00a0 Walt has several theses in his vocation and avocations.\u00a0 One is a commitment to art and another is community responsibility.\u00a0 In our collaboration we were exploring the potential for use of a honeycomb core material for use in non-linear forms.\u00a0 As the exploration developed Walt saw art forms in the structurally sound shapes that I came to know could be obtained.\u00a0 Through a set of fortunate circumstances this work resulted in moving art into public spaces while simultaneously advancing the use of composites in civic structures.<\/p>\n

Q<\/strong>:\u00a0 Whenever a non-traditional material is proposed for a building or public space there can be a lot of additional work involved in order to convince those in charge of its viability.\u00a0 Code issues make up a great deal of this struggle when it comes to building with FRP. What did Entech go through to get AHJ (authority having jurisdiction) approval for material choice?<\/p>\n

JM<\/strong>:\u00a0 There was a good deal of effort to accomplish this.\u00a0 Composites are a relatively new building material in civil construction.\u00a0 In fact as recently as 2006, the IBC (International Building Code) was entirely silent on the use of composites including FRP.\u00a0 In this case a combination of analysis and full scale testing was employed to meet the requirements.\u00a0 To the credit of building code groups and building officials and to the benefit of the public, the use of composites is slowly being accepted more and more.<\/p>\n

Q<\/strong>:\u00a0 Do you think it is being accepted too slowly?<\/p>\n

No I don\u2019t think so.\u00a0 Civil construction is rightly approached from a very conservative view.\u00a0 The standard of care is very high.\u00a0 So while composites have been utilized in other industries with increasing prevalence for decades, as a building material for civil works, composites is still in the very early stages of adoption.\u00a0 By contrast, take note of the fact that the ancient Romans utilized Portland cement, a now-centuries-old core building material widely used today.<\/p>\n

The field of composites, along with being relatively young, is incredibly diverse so it will take many years of academic and industry testing and research before we can expect to see the parameters for composites use codified in the way we see, say, steel is today.\u00a0 The frontier will get moved little by little- but it will get moved.\u00a0 And it did in this project.<\/p>\n

Q<\/strong>:\u00a0 Entech Creative does a lot of the special forms found in amusement parks, many of which are made out of FRP, which caused me to realize that a great majority of what we see walking around a place like Disney World is made out of FRP. \u00a0Do you think these applications help in convincing people on the merits of FRP for other applications in the built environment?<\/p>\n

JM<\/strong>:\u00a0 I suppose so but I believe that the issue involving adoption into the building codes is one other than a belief that FRP is a useful material.\u00a0 Theme parks are in effect special development areas with a foot so-to-speak in more than one camp.\u00a0 Certainly there is the jurisdictional control of the local building officials but with respect to ride\/attraction development in most states that falls within a separate purview \u2013 the department of agriculture in Florida for example.<\/p>\n

I do believe it likely that building officials exposed to theme park development may be more likely to consider the merits of composites as they are necessarily very often integrated into the developments.\u00a0 Still, in the parks, composites are almost exclusively cladding or components and are not part of the primary building structure.\u00a0 The applicable standards for rides though, most often based upon ASTM requirements, are such that the use of composites is much more established.<\/p>\n

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\u00a0Q<\/strong>:\u00a0 Any upcoming projects?<\/p>\n

JM<\/strong>:\u00a0 Lots and lots on the table.\u00a0 The one I\u2019m currently very excited about is the development of a disaster relief shelter that would be inexpensive, quick to make and install, and easy to ship.\u00a0 I think what will make this be able to happen is the again the use of a composite.<\/p>\n

We look forward to news of what will surely be many more groundbreaking projects from Entech Creative!<\/p>\n

\u00a92011 Walt Geiger Studios LLC, Raymond Martinot, photographer<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t