Shawmut Design and Construction completed the installation of the latest addition to the city's art scene, a half-acre aerial sculpture designed by world-renowned artist Janet Echelman that hangs over the Rose Kennedy Greenway. The net sculpture was made from colorful fibers that are 15 times stronger than steel and includes more than 100 miles of twine and over half a million knots. Shawmut installed the net sculpture by orchestrating six cranes in unison over the course of 20 hours to make precise connections to the four attachment points at One International Place, 125 High St., and the InterContinental Hotel. Shawmut facilitated the give and take that allowed the sculpture to float as high as 365 feet above the ground and span 600 feet over the Greenway.
The team worked with engineers (both in Boston and Seattle) and construction staff to plan the installation, from determining the force needed for each attachment point to ensuring the sculpture could withstand 50,000 pounds of force from winds up to 105 mph. Shawmut also worked with the city-approved lighting technician to install 44 individually-programmed custom LED lights to illuminate the sculpture at night. Shawmut utilized its expertise to collaborate with the Rose Kennedy Greenway Conservancy, Studio Echelman, Arup, and Autodesk to overcome challenges and make the process as efficient and seamless as possible.
"Installing this sculpture was as complex as building a high rise," said Micah O'Neil, senior project manager at Shawmut. "It was a great experience to help bring to life artist Janet Echelman's vision of reconnecting the city over the Greenway."
The team coordinated complex logistics to ensure everyone was safe and the process remained operational by carefully planning around critical conditions, including a highway off-ramp, tunnel, and fire station.
The sculpture - inspired by the transformation of Boston's waterfront following the Big Dig and the creation of the mile-and-a-half long Greenway - will remain suspended above the Rose Kennedy Greenway until October.
Shawmut is a $968 million national construction management firm with a reputation for completing extremely complex and logistically challenging projects for the most high-profile clients in the industry. As an ESOP (employee-owned) company, Shawmut has created a culture of ownership, proactive solution-making and forward thinking. Eighty percent of its business comes from repeat clients proving there is a strong focus on building lasting partnerships. Shawmut's unique business model allows project teams to better service clients by focusing their specialized expertise within one of the following areas: academic, tenant interiors, cultural & historic, healthcare & life sciences, hotel, restaurant, retail, and sports venues. Shawmut has offices located in Boston, Providence, New York, Miami, Las Vegas, and Los Angeles.