John Bosworth is no stranger to tricky, tough or downright strange construction projects. But that’s no surprise, especially after reading a feature story on Bosworth’s latest project in the print edition of Engineering New Record (ENR) earlier this month.
The Crystal Bridges Museum of Art in Bentonville, Ark., is the embodiment of a “tricky, tough” construction job. But it’s just the latest in a portfolio of impressive erection projects for Bosworth, who is the President of Bosworth Steel Erectors, Inc., a long-time IMPACT signatory contractor. Bosworth always likes a challenge, precisely because “that’s where the excitement is,” he said.
A challenge, according to Bosworth, is just another part of the creative process, especially when good union ironworkers have your back. “This has been both a creative and learning experience for us,” he said. “This feature is like being in the Sports Illustrated of construction.”
The 201,000 square foot museum fits in to all three of Bosworth’s categories: “tricky, tough and strange.” Nestled in a ravine amidst a 120-acre forest, construction of the project required union ironworkers to dam a creek and figure out how to balance and support some “tricky cable roofs” while designing a foundation that would prevent creek water from seeping into the base of the museum during heavy downpours or flash floods.
The roofs themselves will sit atop two buildings called “armadillos,” so named because of their shell-like structure. Jimmy Keppy, vice president of operations for Bosworth Steel, said that constructing the roofs was a “real engineering feat,” because, according to ENR, “Though cables are very efficient in tension, they stretch and deflect like hammock ropes, making the roofs and all their layers especially challenging to erect.”
“We’ve been an IMPACT signatory contractor since the beginning. This is another great job we can add to our portfolio of labor-management partnerships,” Bosworth said.
“I’d like to offer a big ‘thank you’ to IMPACT,” Bosworth added. “Their drug testing program helped us make sure that all our ironworkers are drug-free and safe on the job. They were outstanding!”
The Crystal Bridges Museum is set to open on schedule Nov. 11, 2011. Read the full text of “Artful Balancing” on ENR.com.
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