Doors for Doris
TYLin provided structural engineering services for a temporary art installation that was located in Doris C. Freedman Plaza at the southeast corner of Central Park.
Doors for Doris by artist Sam Moyer was comprised of three stone portals ranging from 12 to 15 feet tall. The design team sourced the bluestone slabs from a regional quarry and performed material testing to determine the stone’s properties.
TYLin analyzed the ability of each portal to withstand temporary environmental loads. To achieve the perception of stacked pieces that the artist envisioned, TYLin designed and detailed hidden connections between each portal’s stone header and stone piers. The base plates for the portals and mosaic doors are hidden below the plaza pavers and attached to the existing slab with epoxy anchors.
Centered below the portals, each mosaic door was an independent structure made up of thick marble veneers embedded in glass fiber reinforced concrete (GFRC) panels that were clipped back to steel frames comprised of HSS steel sections. Careful coordination with the GFRC manufacturer ensured adequate thickness and bonding to the mosaic pieces.
Due to the temporary nature of the installation, TYLin designed all the connection details with ease of removal in mind. The firm also provided a suggested removal sequence for the end of the installation period.
Presented by Public Art Fund, September 16, 2020 - September 12, 2021
Courtesy Sam Moyer Studio and Sean Kelly, New York
Photos: Nicholas Knight, Courtesy Public Art Fund, NY