Architectural Image Manufacturing

(AIM) was assigned the task of creating an unusual collection of sculptures

for the drive leading up to the GICC that would be both artistic and functional.

The seven windsails will also

contain a complex lighting system enabling more than one million possible

lighting combinations. Due to the GICC's close proximity to Hartsfield

International Airport, the aim of the lights could not be straight up

into the sky.

The engineering for the windsail

was accomplished with cutting edge 3-D modeling software, which created

custom flat patterns for the 'aluminum skin' of the sculpture. In order

to fabricate this sculpture, the outside shapes must be unfolded into

flat shapes, similar to unfolding a large cardboard box. The only difference

is that this sculpture consists of shapes that are parabolic, elliptical

andalmost 50 feet tall.

The exterior aluminum skin

was installed with a special space-age acrylic adhesive called Versilok.

This fabrication technique requires that the exterior skin be installed

with special clamps and weights, much like furniture would be glued and

clamped together.

"Often, experienced welders

and fabricators from other industrieswill rub their hands over the finished

product with a perplexed look on their faces because they are intrigued

withthe absence of visible hardware and welds," said Bloodworth.

"This fabrication technique is very time-consuming, but the seamlessresults

are incredible."

What happens after the sculpture

is fabricated at AIM's Atlanta facility?

"Typically a structure

this large would be painted on site; however, our goal is for the finish

to be flawless and similar to that of a fine automobile," he added.

"This required some ingenuity to build a huge custom indoor spray-booth

in order to control the painting environment.It alsorequired special scaffolding

to be set up so the craftsmencan access and hand rubevery square inch

as theyprepareand paint this unique creation like a fine, custom car."

The shipment and installation

of these huge structures also requires some special planning.

The production facility of

AIM is only about eight miles from the GICC (as the crow flies) but the

logistics require a special delivery route to avoid hitting the low bridges

on the regular route.

The special routeincreases

the trip distance toover 30 miles. The trailers used to deliver the sculptures

have the lowest bed height of any logistics equipment available. The planning

also has requiredthe mounting ofa tall fiberglass pole to a vehicle that

will travel the route to make sure that the excessive height of the sculptures

will not hit any power lines or low-flying red lights.

According to Bloodworth, the

rigging and installation of these sculptures has taken many hours of engineering

and planning to make sure that the exterior finish of the windsails will

never come in contact with anything during the lifting. This requiredthe

production ofspecial steel carriers that bolt on with blind fasteners

and special rigging equipment that will set the sculptures in position

outside the GICC. The time from the drive to the GICC until the rigging

equipment is removed and the structures are securely in place is estimated

to be six to eight hours.

"We know that there is

nothing quite like these sevenartisticsculptures in the U.S.," said

Austin.

"This will be one of the

largest displays ofmonolithic metal artwork in theUS and we hope will

serve to inspire our guests and others who plan such facilities across

the nation and the world."

The windsails and exterior

sculptures were designed by the Atlanta architectural firm of Smallwood

Reynolds Stewart, Stewart and Associates.

The new Georgia International

Convention Center is located in College Park near Hartsfield International

Airport and will be the State of Georgia's second largest convention facility,

with the largest ballroom in the state.

The new building will open

for business in April and hold official grand opening activities in June

2003. As the centerpiece of the developing Gateway Center complex of hotels,

rental car agencies and airport transportation, it features a number of

unique architectural details, custom artwork and state-of-the-art capabilities.

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