CEAC-2019-11-November

By Warren Brand
THE INTERSECTION OF FORM VS.
FUNCTION — FINDING AN OPTIMAL
BALANCE IN CAULKING ONE OF THE
NATION’S MOST ICONIC WORKS OF ART.
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Ni bla voluptas de aut magnimi, idigent ipsum
that this national treasure would endure for decades.
When CCG was awarded oversight of the initial Phase 1
condition survey of the fountain, the challenges were many
and complex. First, the integrity of the artistry had to take
precedence.
Second, each system associated with the fountain had to be
understood as a stand-alone system, but also how it interacted
with other, associated systems. For example, when new
LED lights were installed several years ago, there was less
heat in the towers. Heat in the towers tended to keep the air
warmer and, perhaps, humidity lower. When the heat was
reduced, algae growth increased. Further, due to less heat
being generated in the towers, the ventilation system, which
was sized properly during original construction, was now too
big.
Some of the systems and associated challenges included:
Water: Technically, there are several different water systems
associated with the towers. The first is the system controlling
water raining down from the top of each tower. Each tower
has its own “gargoyle” system that manages the water spewing
from the mouth of the faces. And, lastly, there is a system
for maintaining “the water skin” over the black pavers.
Corrosion: The towers are made up of an internal skeleton
of carbon steel support married with the stainless-steel
framework holding the glass block. The original architects,
Krueck + Sexton, did a brilliant job of ensuring that galvanic
corrosion was mitigated. Galvanic corrosion takes place when
dissimilar metals, in this case, carbon steel and stainless steel,
come into contact with one another. This can cause serious
accelerated corrosion, which happened decades ago to the
Statue of Liberty — which has a copper skin, but was originally
built with a steel frame.
Waterproofing: The fountain is unique in many ways, including
waterproofing issues. First, the basin, which is hidden
from public view by the black pavers, is massive, and holds
(Continued on page 40)
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