Metropol Parasol,Plaza de la Encarnacion - Adventures in Engineering

摘要

The Metropol Parasol is a unique hybrid structure near the center of the old quarter of Seville. Thisrnpaper describes its structural design within the context of the overall architectural design and as partrnof the urban rejuvenation of the Plaza de la Encarnación. The project includes a museum, a freshrnproduce market, retail space, an elevated plaza and a high-level cafe with panoramic walkways. Thernparasols, the most visible part of the public square, are a free-formed timber mega-structure,rnconstructed with a combination of timber, polyurethane, epoxy and steel. The engineering designrnensured the successful realization of the Metropol Parasol, which has become an integral part of thernurban fabric in the heart of Seville.rnThis presentation will focus mainly on the design of the 28-meter-high and 150-by-100-meterrntimber mega-structure, from concept stage all the way through to construction. The six blendedrnparasols resemble mushrooms and are manufactured from laminated veneer lumber (LVL) plates.rnThe design team selected elastic polyurethane coating sprayed onto the LVL planks to protect thernstructure against weathering. Based on an epoxy-adhesive for the bonded-in steel rods, thisrninnovativernand wellresearchedrnand testedrnconnectionrndetail isrnpost-curedrnin order tornincrease itsrnheatrnresistance inrnSeville’s hotrnclimate.rnThis paperrnhighlightsrnthe creativerndesignrnprocess atrnthe conceptrnstage, the use of various structural materials and the computational design tools necessary for thernsuccessful completion of the Metropol Parasol, Plaza de la Encarnación.