Fabric Duct Makes Expo Hall’s Roof Design Possible
PITTSBURGH, PA — Pittsburgh’s great tradition of suspension bridges is paid homage by internationally known architect Rafael Vinoly’s sloping suspended cable roof design for the Sports and Exposition Authority’s (SEA’s) new $354 million David L. Lawrence Convention Center.
While the stainless steel and glass crown made it possible for Rafael Vinoly Architects PC (New York, NY) and architectural partner HNTB (Kansas City, MO) to design what is believed to be the nation’s largest column-less exhibit hall, the roof’s perpetual flexing presented HVAC designers with a very difficult challenge of effectively distributing heating and cooling throughout the 250,000-square-foot space.