SUPERSTRUCTURE

The most spectacular time to be on site was certainly during the erection of the superstructure. I had minor inspections around the construction site during this phase, but the installation sequence was so fascinating to watch that I was happy to come out and document the process every chance I was afforded. As soon as the concrete chapels at the perimeter of the sanctuary were capped, a hairy nest of scaffolding was installed in the center of the sanctuary floor, on top of which a platform was laid down to support a compression ring that would capture the top part of each supporting vertical rib. The ribs were then trucked in, 5 at a time at the crack of dawn (so that the oversize load could avoid traffic), to be lifted onto the plaza, then up into place where crews at the bottom and top worked quickly to bolt the ribs down to its steel connection plates at top and bottom. The horizontal ribs came in next, followed by the outer ring of vertical ribs that would support the glass curtain wall. The scaffolding then remained in place for months afterward - well after the building had been enclosed, until the Oculus Ceiling and light fixtures were installed.

Scaffolding supports a compression ring which will connect to the top of each vertical glulam rib.

The compression ring at the top of the scaffolding can be reached by two sets of stairs.

Top view of the compression ring.

Glulam ribs are trucked into Oakland first thing in the morning in order to minimize encounters with traffic for the oversize loads. Each truck brings only 5 ribs at a time.

Glulam ribs are placed on the plaza for preparation before being lifted into place.

Ribs are wrapped for protection during transport.

Steel connection hardware is installed before ribs are mounted into place.

Paired lifts holding crew members working in tandem with the tower crane operator are all needed to position and connect the ribs.

Connecting the top of the rib to the compression ring.

Connecting the bottom of the rib to the top of the Reliquary Wall.

The first rib.

Ribs are connected in a alternating pattern across both sides of the Cathedral.

View of ribs from the bottom, before louvers are installed.

Louvers are cleaned and prepared on the ground before being connected to ribs.

Installing louvers.

View from the top.

View from the interior of the Sanctuary.

Installation of outer vertical ribs and organ shelf.

The outer ribs are separated from the inner ribs with a milled compression member - a detail that will be hidden from view once the glass curtain wall is installed.

A view through the Cathedral's superstructure to the shores of Lake Merritt beyond.

In the early morning when the sun is low in the sky, another view of the superstructure can be seen as its shadow is projected against the inside of the glass curtain wall.

Sunlight hits the louvers directly before the building envelope is completed.

A last cleaning by hand before the building is enclosed.