mjobrien architect

Architect Randall Stout designed the Taubman Museum of Art which was constructed through 2007 and 2008. As a former FOG employee, I was interested in seeing the ways that the complex curves that make up the walls and roof were built. This page has some of the images and video I took while visiting the project on weekends.

Randall Stout's website describes the project at this link. E-Architect has a good article with statistics and such at this link. The fabricator of the cladding and the backing panel was Zahner.

Some links to my video clips posted on you tube

• Jan. 2007 staging the steel around the site.
• Feb 2007 Masons bucketing concrete into CMU cores.
• Feb 2007 Masons bucketing concrete into a bond beam.
• Feb 2007 Concrete finishers using a walk-behind power trowel and the best tool ever made...the ride-on power trowel!
• More ride-on power trowel
• Hooking straps on a quad string (4 beams) to the crane
  
• A string of four beams is lifted on straps with tag lines
• The quad string is swung to steelworkers who catch the lower beam and place it
• A rigger prepares a load of decking for a crane lift with a pair of choker cables
• The rigger completes prep by installing a tag line
• Late March, a welder welds a moment connection on the roof framing
• Welder scrapes the flux and spatter from the moment weld to prepare for the second pass.
• Welders use a chain to twist a beam into a more perfect alignment
• Late May, cladding subs draw layout lines over the studs below on the zinc sheet underlayment
  
• Late May, cladding subcontractors install the surface cladding panel and the cleats that will hold it in place.
• Cladding subs install the first course of cladding, hooking the bottom of the panel to a continuous cleat.
• Overall view of late May 2007 progress with train passing.
• Late July 2007, workers install plywood sheathing onto metal studs
• Installing base course cladding at roof/wall flashing 1
• Cladding sub unclips safety harness to help with panel install
• January 2008, installing cladding on an overhanging building mass
• Installing cleats holding cladding panel overhead
• Jan. 2008, walking a glass panel to the install location beside a gradall
• Gradall assists glass installation 1
• Gradall assists glass onto frame 2
• Glaziers install retaining clips holding glass to frame. 3
• Glaziers complete retaining clip installation, close call working below lift bucket
• July 2008, Glaziers install upper floor glass from lift bucket 1
• Glaziers fit glass in upper floor frame 2
• Glaziers install retaining clips and reposition to install next lite.
• Glaziers move lite from inside, flip it around for exterior installation
• Overall view of glaziers 60 foot lift work platform
• Glaziers install one more with help from an interior chain hoist
• Glaziers install base retaining clip
• Almost completed view from corner
  

My photos of the construction