Tuesday, June 18, 2013

New Orleans Convention Center Project Wins Engineering Award


The New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center renovation, which re-configured the existing Hall A exhibit space into a new 60,000 square foot column-free ballroom with grand entryway, has earned Thornton Tomasetti, the international engineering firm that provided structural engineering work on the project, a 2013 Structural Engineering Association of Kansas and Missouri (SEAKM) Award.

The New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center Hall A Renovations took home the award in the “Other Structural Design Project” category.

New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center Hall A Renovations:

  • Thornton Tomasetti was chosen as the structural engineer for the renovation and expansion of Exhibit Hall A, as well as the addition of a new grand entryway at the 1.1 million square-foot New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, completed in January 2013, in time to host the NFL Experience during Super Bowl XLVII. The firm used 3D Revit modeling throughout the design phase to identify potential conflicts and solutions.
  • Thornton Tomasetti collaborated with the architect of record, “Manning Architects/Eskew+Dumez+Ripple, A Joint Venture,” and design architect LMN on the renovation.
  • The first part of the project included the $50 million expansion and renovation of Exhibit Hall A, increasing its size from 46,000 to 60,000 square feet for use as a state-of-the-art ballroom space. The project also included the addition of 26,000 square feet of pre-function space.
  • The second half of the project consisted of the construction of a new grand entryway in the northwest corner of the existing building. Thornton Tomasetti demolished the existing structure and designed a 45-foot curtain wall separating the indoor and outdoor spaces of the entrance.
  • A new vertical circulation capacity including elevators and stairs, and a cantilevered roof structure were also added to the convention center.

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