Chelsea, MA
Scope/Solutions
The interior installation, designed by Matt Trimble of Radlab, comprises two slatted walls using the moiré effect with segmented vertical ribbing. The walls divide the lobby from the adjacent networking cafe at One North of Boston, a new residential development in Chelsea. SGH provided structural engineering consulting services for the design of the walls.
The design was inspired by the Partita No. 1 in B-flat major: Gigue, by J.S. Bach, which was written for harpsichord, requires the performer to cross their hands. The melodic crossing back and forth led to a sinuous geometric composition that informed the plan and sectional qualities for the walls. SGH advised the designers on the behavior of the overall structural system that, by its nature, has multiple load paths. We helped determine how to maintain the connection between the musical inspiration and its resulting form.
SGH designed connections at the base of the wall, to prevent overturning, that were hidden within the lower sill plates. The connection, which was detailed to be flush, allowed the walls to appear as a continuous piece without the reality of the specific hold-down locations.
The designer used digital fabrication to manufacture the wood slats which required precise cuts to ensure the undulating shapes would read as intended. With experience on several projects that utilized digital fabrication, SGH was able to advise the designer on the process, which resulted in a successful installation.
Project Summary
