Superior Scaffold is now part of the 
A Masterpiece in Renovation – The Fisher Fine Arts Library, University of Pennsylvania
Once rejected, this now much appreciated “work of an artist”, as Frank Lloyd Wright declared, is being brought back to its former glory with a total exterior restoration!
With the help of GC, INTECH, masonry restoration specialists, Joseph Dugan, Inc., and engineers, Alternate Design Solutions, Superior Scaffold (a Sunbelt Company) provided the foundation for renewal artists to render a masterpiece in renovation.
The building’s exterior is undergoing critical restoration work that will target every inch of the facade, from the signature terra cotta tiles, sandstone walls, and copper roof to its doors and windows.
Originally built in 1891 from red sandstone, brick and terracotta, this porous material requires specialized care to ensure that it can serve future generations.
This 5 story, Venetian gothic styled, Frank Furness designed, library looked like part cathedral and part fortress. At the time, some thought the design was too avant-garde and eclectic but today, its style is actually praised and revered and is an historic landmark!
It was the University of Pennsylvania’s primary library until 1962 where it and housed the university’s art and architecture collections. The history of The Fisher Fine Arts Library is fascinating and well worth a read.
But I digress, we are here to talk about and artistic scaffolding masterpiece.
Look at it!!!!
The centerpiece is how our artisans scaffolded the two-story Rotunda Reading Room using a cantilevered design to span over the glass windows to support the massive scaffold built on top of it.
As you can see, steel beams had to be anchored to the structure itself and then positioned out to scaffolding as supports and then the rest of the scaffold erected on top. This is something we are known for doing.
Above the Rotunda Reading Room sits a two-story lecture hall/architecture studio with enormous skylights and wall windows that also posed great challenges for our scaffolders who needed to get crews access to every inch of this giant job.
We erected our system scaffold all the way to each roof area and around the decorative spires, figures and gargoyles around the top of the library.
Every aspect of this exterior is being cleaned, repointed, repaired and finished as new.
We also installed debris netting all around the perimeter for pedestrian protect as renovation work commenced.
Sidewalk sheds, canopies, overhead protection systems were also erected all around the library as school was open and students needed to get around the building.
We specialize in carefully crafting and installing scaffold around historic structures and are proud to be a part of this awesome renovation. Thanks to INTECH and Joseph Dugan for trusting us to get the job done safely.
And if you need to create a scaffold masterpiece, call Anthony at (267) 978-3634 or visit www.superiorscaffold.com.
Today’s musical number will take you back a few years but sums up the energy around this project. Enjoy!
And if the visual link gets removed, click here to rock out!
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