News

Under Construction – WTC3 updates

Progress is coming along nicely on the lobby of World Trade Center - Tower 3 with architecture firm Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners as the design architects, Beyer Blinder Belle as project architects, and fabricators Mariani Metal implementing the transit hall space. In recent news, the MTA opened the subway entrance at WTC3 for the first time since the events of 9/11. We at LED have been working over the past two years to provide specialty detail engineering (bomb-blast resistant glazing) and bespoke metal components for a majority of the lobby/transit hall and interior. The project comes with unique challenges to realize the design architect's detailed aesthetic vision and to satisfy the requirements of the Port Authority. When finished, the laser-welded, high-end stainless steel duplex components will elegantly support engineered security glazing to create a model of excellence for material usage, construction tolerances, and engineered design.

Glass Con Global 2018 – Hurricane and Bomb Blast

At this year's GlassCon, Will Laufs will be presenting Extreme Glazing Load Case Studies: Hurricane and Bomb Blast. The abstract will focus on large transparent building facades with minimal support structures that are subject to numerous project-specific safety requirements that challenge the engineer working to achieve this high level of performance. Two case studies respectively frame the arguments for hurricane-impact and blast resistance glazing: Ground Zero World Trade Center Tower 3 Entrance Lobby, NYC and Norton Museum Extension, West Palm Beach, Florida.

“Shelf Life” –Collaboration with LeCavalier R+D & LaufsED

  SHELF LIFE by LeCavalier R+D, was a finalist for the 2018 MoMA PS1 Young Architects Program. The proposal intervenes in the material systems of logistics to recontextualize a major but invisible part of many people’s daily lives: the industrial pallet rack. Therefore the project is made of RACKS, TRACKS, and STACKS. Laufs Engineer Design was proud to provide structural engineering support and lament it will not be realized this year.

Window to the Heart – Times Square Installation

Yesterday (February 1, 2018), Laufs ED’s collaboration with designers ArandaLasch + Marcelo Coelho was unveiled in Times Square for the annual Valentine Heart Design installation. As a commentary on the site as one of the most selfied places in the world, the designers proposed creating the worlds largest Fresnel lens out of custom high resolution 3D-printed blocks. The resulting assembly, from leaps and bounds in advancing 3D printing technology, provides alarming clarity and provides a new opportunity to rethink how we see fabrication of banal and spectacular objects and spaces. See additional pictures here.

Lecture – TU Braunschweig University

Will Laufs was invited to lecture at TU Braunschweig University in Germany about new 3D printed connections with structural load-carrying capacity.

BLDGWORKS – Wins top Honorable Mention for Dublin Footbridge

LED continues to enter the field of footbridge engineering design! Congratulations to BLDGWORKS for winning the top Honorable Mention in the AC-CA [DUBLIN] Contemporary Footbridge international competition. LED worked collaboratively with BLDGWORKS to develop interweaving triple cord trusses which permit the long spans, define and support the pathways, and create the overall composition of the concept. View a video of the project and additional information here.

Benjamin Cardozo Sentinels – LED to help sponsor

LED is honored to sponsor the local BCS Sentinels of Benjamin Cardozo High in Queens, NY. The Sentinels will be competing in FIRST (FRC), an international robotics competition in they are required to build a large fully-functional robot with the capability to completing certain assigned tasks with the aid of other teams. Last year, robots were required to stack large storage bins. This year's challenge involves robots working in teams to complete an obstacle course and reach a goal.

Pleated Inflation – Goes Up in France

Marc Fornes and The Very Many's striking steel amphitheatre pavilion has broken ground in Argeles-Sur-Mer, France. Engineered by LED, the dramatic computational sculpture uses parametric pleated ribs to gain stiffness. Combined with its curved profile in section, the system gains the structural benefits of a compressive shell. It opens to the public in September 2015 and will provide an informal amphitheatre for the city.