(New York – March 23, 2011) – Thornton Tomasetti, the international engineering firm, received three IDEAS² National Certificates of Recognition from the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC) for its structural design of Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, N.Y., New Meadowlands Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. and the Viva ELVIS Theater at ARIA Resort in Las Vegas, N.V.

The new Yankee Stadium revived many of the design themes that were stripped from the original during its 1974 renovation. The new stadium includes a 500-foot-wide scoreboard/video board with cantilevered end bays, and a suite level and upper deck seating that cantilevers 50 feet beyond the main level concourse, creating unobstructed views. A leading engineering challenge was the requirement for highly detailed, aesthetic connections, including the design of the trademark frieze, which also plays a structural role as the front girder of the canopy. Developing the project in a Tekla model enhanced the design review of these and other important exposed structural elements. The thought process from the beginning combined structural requirements and the highest level of aesthetics, resulting in a structure that is elegant both technically and visually. The stadium seats 54,000.

The 2.2-million-square-foot New Meadowlands Stadium boasts three concourse levels and three suite levels. The immense 910-foot by 740-foot facility is divided by only four expansion joints separating end zones and sideline structures. The service level and playing field is supported by concrete filled steel piles. Additional amenities include a wide pedestrian plaza, Hall of Fame facilities for both the Jets and Giants of the NFL, team stores, restaurants and a multitude of game-day entertainment activities. Thornton Tomasetti created a building information model that expedited the steel procurement and detailing, cutting the construction schedule by several months. The building information model was also used for coordination between precast stadium construction and steel construction, as well as MEP systems, virtually eliminating field issues due to interferences of components generally encountered during construction. The stadium seats 82,500.

Custom built for Cirque Du Soleil’s Viva ELVIS show, the Viva ELVIS Theater is the seventh permanent venue in Las Vegas for Cirque du Soleil. The 1,840-seat, 165,000-square-foot, all-steel theater is styled after a traditional opera house, featuring one of the largest proscenium stages in North America. Viva ELVIS Theater is nestled between the 60-floor ARIA Resort and the 32-floor Monte Carlo Resort, serving as an iconic centerpiece of the eight billion dollar CityCenter development. Given the structure’s prominent placement, particular attention was paid to the building’s exterior. A façade portraying undulating ribbons and gills is formed by curved structural steel supporting metal deck cladding; a system that provides visual appeal while remaining cost effective. Designed and constructed in less than three years, the entire structural package for this fast-track project was drawn in Revit from schematic design through construction administration.

Key Points

» Conducted annually by AISC, the IDEAS² awards recognize outstanding achievements in engineering and architecture on structural steel projects around the country.

» With nearly 100 entries received, the competition was keen again this year in AISC’s annual Innovative Design in Engineering and Architecture with Structural Steel (IDEAS²) building awards program.

» Projects must have been completed in the U.S. between January 1, 2008 and December 31, 2010.

» A significant portion of the framing system of the projects must be wide-flange or hollow structural steel sections. New buildings and renovations are eligible.

Executive Quote

Thomas Scarangello, P.E., chairman of Thornton Tomasetti
“It’s an honor to receive IDEAS² recognition for our work on Yankee Stadium, the New Meadowlands Stadium and Viva ELVIS projects,” said Tom Scarangello, P.E., chairman of Thornton Tomasetti. “The magnificent designs of these venues ensure that millions of spectators will fully appreciate the spectacular Cirque Du Soleil show, professional baseball, football and a wide variety of other entertainment and sports events for years to come.”

Supporting Materials

» American Institute of Steel Construction

About Thornton Tomasetti (www.ThorntonTomasetti.com)
Thornton Tomasetti is a leader in engineering design, investigation and analysis serving clients worldwide on projects of all sizes and complexity. With practices in building structure, building skin, building performance, construction support services and property loss consulting, Thornton Tomasetti addresses the full life cycle of a structure. We have supported clients working in more than 40 countries, with projects that include the tallest buildings and longest spans to the restoration of prized historic properties. Founded in 1956, today Thornton Tomasetti is a 550-person organization of engineers and architects collaborating from offices across the United States and in Asia-Pacific, Europe and the Middle East.

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