I found this picture in a online newspaper. It has a glass floor, and you can see 4000 feet straight down the Grand canyon. It's going to be supported by steel rods, and can take 120 people at a time. Sorry, I have no more information on this project.

Image saved to my computer, resized for forum, uploaded thru manage attachments as required. Please do not direct link images - JP

Very nice job for a window cleaner! :)

everyone take their shoes off! walk around in socks to help buff the glass...

this project will be sucessful until a bird from the endangered species list flies into it.

everyone take their shoes off! walk around in socks to help buff the glass...

this project will be sucessful until a bird from the endangered species list flies into it.

BTW your avatar would have a nice time inside it!

Here's a shot I took about month ago. About the same angle!

I can't imaging the engineering required to support a cantilever like the one shown. I'm sure this is has to be a simplified, pie-in-sky version that could never be built as shown. Where are the steel rods going to be located. You would have to sink steel 1000 feet into the side of the canyon wall to make this work.

I was out there with my son and daughter 3 and 7 years old respectively and it was terrifying trying to keep the kids away from dropoffs that would go a quarter mile or more. This lookout would only heighten the terror. I doubt very much that my wife would walk out on such a structure.

Yes, I have no idea how they are going to build this thing? Anyway, I hope it never gets buildt, cause I think places like the Grand canyon should be kept like mother earth intended it. I have never been to the Grand canyon, but if I should ever see it, I would hope to see it unspoiled.

Plus it just looks wierd, phallic and has zero contextual relationship with the site.

Some more INFO (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,11069-1751005,00.html) about the thing.

What the hell does "bottle out" mean? Is that a drinking term? Last paragraph of the article.

I guess it won't be long before they start hanging casinos over the edge. What an awful prospect. In my area the National Parks is buying all the homes that are within in the boundaries of the National Lakeshore near Lake Michigan and returning these areas to a natural state. Seems the Native Americans are going the other direction. Seems that we (the people of the USA) are destined to make the same dumb mistakes over and over again.

What the hell does "bottle out" mean? Is that a drinking term? Last paragraph of the article.

I guess it won't be long before they start hanging casinos over the edge. What an awful prospect. In my area the National Parks is buying all the homes that are within in the boundaries of the National Lakeshore near Lake Michigan and returning these areas to a natural state. Seems the Native Americans are going the other direction. Seems that we (the people of the USA) are destined to make the same dumb mistakes over and over again.

Hmmmm... :wondering ; hanging casinos... what a great idea! And what do you mean dumb mistakes? :rolleyes:

Bottle out - lose courage or lose conviction / Lose your bottle - lose courage

Expect me to walk out on that thing ? - What in these shoes?

My wife wouldn't get near that thing.....and I have to admit I wouldn't either....gives me the willes just looking at it. but then I gave up rollercoaster rides some time ago also.

Tom

Hmmmm... :wondering ; hanging casinos... what a great idea! And what do you mean dumb mistakes? :rolleyes:


Our effort to overbuild every square corner of earth and, in particular, our effort to screw up our beautiful vistas with nasty, over commercialized, crap. You would think (at the risk of sounding like a racist) that the Native Americans would look back on their own history and understand the importance of preserving our natural environment. :bang head

Come on guys its not like climbing out along a tree branch to have a look down the cliff.

I'm with you Richard, architectural merit aside, I'd be out there in a shot (double shot, if it's bourbon we're talking about). Love that in control / not really feeling!

I'm with you Richard, architectural merit aside, I'd be out there in a shot (double shot, if it's bourbon we're talking about). Love that in control / not really feeling!

I'd probably do my standard, wait till theres 20 people out there, jump up and down and state loudly 'Wow this thing really deflects". My girl friend hates that, specially when I do it in lifts.

I'm with you Richard, architectural merit aside, I'd be out there in a shot (double shot, if it's bourbon we're talking about). Love that in control / not really feeling!

here here. got a scare the shit out of your self every now and then to know you're alive.

but, should it be built? I think not.
:cheers:
dk

here here. got a scare the shit out of your self every now and then to know you're alive.

but, should it be built? I think not.
:cheers:
dk

In it's current form I agree, but in some form I'd consider it. I strongly believe that observation and appreciation can lead to better conservation.

The same issue surrounds my sport of climbing, access and development of cliffs does cause damage, however climbers in general have a greater respect I feel for the environment in general and strongly support conservation measures for sensitive areas.

What about the mystery of things. The romance of the unknown. In an age where absolutly everything is exposed with reality TV, shock this shock that....what is the harm in the charm of a cliff face that can't be seen and becomes something larger or more meaningful when manifested in the imagination.....blah.blahh.....blah.....I do not like that ugly, nasty structural proposition.

What about the mystery of things. The romance of the unknown. In an age where absolutly everything is exposed with reality TV, shock this shock that....what is the harm in the charm of a cliff face that can't be seen and becomes something larger or more meaningful when manifested in the imagination.....blah.blahh.....blah.....I do not like that ugly, nasty structural proposition.

agreed... agreed... :cheers:

cheers
Trevor

What about the mystery of things. The romance of the unknown. In an age where absolutly everything is exposed with reality TV, shock this shock that....what is the harm in the charm of a cliff face that can't be seen and becomes something larger or more meaningful when manifested in the imagination.....blah.blahh.....blah.....I do not like that ugly, nasty structural proposition.

Haven't you noticed that this romance is dying? over the past 24 years we've put people on the moon, explored the titanic, etc. etc. the world is getting smaller. I now have friends halfway around the globe due to forums like these.

I've always thought that the gorge or canyon is more meaningful from the suspension bridge rather than looking from the edge of the cliff. Two different spaces: outside the gorge and floating or within the gorge. Shouldn't we, in the interest of exploration and broadening our scope of architecture, explore the idea of inhabiting that space? Imagine if our imaginations came true! Otherwise, if that weren't true, we'd never have hope for it to come true, and then what would be the motivation to even imagine? I don't think we'd have electricity, phones, cars, etc...

...and I don't even watch reality TV...it is still TV, not reality.

But I must agree that there surely is a better way of doing what we already see here...

tr

New image. Check out the architect's WEBSITE (http://mrjarchitects.com/index.html).
And more information at ARCHIDOSE (http://mrjarchitects.com/index.html)

Road Runner is missing

In it's current form I agree, but in some form I'd consider it. I strongly believe that observation and appreciation can lead to better conservation.
Then people should go there and observe and appreciate. But nature, not a building.
And what about the destoyed scenic view from the opposite side?

Road Runner is missing
:D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D

So is the box that says Acme!

See that Cafe...don't need it. See the building leading to the 'tongue'...don't need it. Coming next, the service station to fill the gas tanks of the vistors and cafe people. Next the crappy hotel. The the video rental shop, the casino, the Subway Sandwich Shop, the cheap fake Indian trinkets made in China. Don't need it.

This is nothing but a money grab and to hell with the views and the Canyon. If they want thrills, take the railings off the existing lookout points.

And what's with that quasi-adobe roof scape? You know what will be up there? A commercial roof system and a gang of HVAC equipment.

Maybe we should move this thread to the "back to the drawing board" section. What do you think? :wondering

Forgot the signage.

Beep Beep

:D

I looked, but couldn't find the right one. Nice work. Beep Beep.

Beep Wasn't the one I wanted either but beggars can't be choosers Beep

Gentlemen ( and ladies of course!)

Some things are sad, some things seem simply stupid ( this is as harsh a comment as I am capable of ) This proposal seems to be both, a stupid proposition by a sponsor and a saddening solution by a professional.

I can't even find the humor you've seen in it, although Chuck Jones certainly would have.

Saludos

Juan

Beep, Beep! Does seem like a bad joke.

Another link:

http://www.snopes.com/photos/architecture/skywalk.asp

They are building this thing. Interesting system where they built the complete steel platform and then slid it out of the edge.

reference:
http://www.grandcanyonskywalk.com/construction.html
also there is a movie:
http://www.grandcanyonskywalk.com/home.html

It never fails to amaze me that the number of ways to screw up something natural for a quick buck just grows and grows. Is that 120 normal sized Americans or 120 supersized ones? Does it have a diving board?

Isn't this canyon protected by the Unesco ?
This is a crime, really.
Exemple :
Look what has become the belgian seaside (Westende)

... and what it had to look like. This is the french side of the same thing. Here Wissant, côte d'Opale.

Does it strike anyone else that this project is in the same vein as the “Worlds Tallest Phalli…erm….Building/Tower” schemes we’ve seen the past few days? Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should…

Also, my avatar is not amused by the cheap efforts to make him the butt of cruel jokes. He is, after all, Wile E. Coyote, suuuuuper genius.

Beep beep, indeed.

The depth of the beams in the construction photo seem much deeper than in the rendering. Suprise! And who the hell is going to clean the underside of the glass walkway?!

It ugly as hell. It's a tourist destination created in the middle of a natural and protected setting. I have issues with the construction and design for both of these reasons. But, if I'm there...I would check it out in a heartbeat. I would walk out there and spit over the glass just to see it disappear into the chasm.

I just don't understand how the construction of this would heighten the awareness of the beauty of the park?! Does the view suck now? I don't think so. Nothing is quite good enough. We can improve on everything. If you want to get out into the void...just build a simple cantilevered slab. Lose the commercialism, the cafe, the giftshop, etc. Or put that stuff by the parking lot, away from the edge.

This isn't rocket science. A perfect example of doing it because we can! Not because it should be done. The more I type, the more irritated I get. Better get outta here before I drop an anvil off a cliff onto an unsuspecting cayote with a rocket strapped to his back.

Inspiration maybe? A Fraggle Rock tie in can not be far off. Perhaps they will rename the skywalk Trash Heap's Nuva Ring or something like that?

I recall a student in school proposing a similar idea to this. It did not go over well in juries either. Obviously this architect was under pressure for the project to "blend in" with its context, but surely there could have been a less knee-jerk way of approaching this problem.

The depth of the beams in the construction photo seem much deeper than in the rendering.

Yes I noted that, apparently they are counting on rounding th edges to make it appear smaller, but they seem to be tall beams over of over ten feet high.

I think it will also be interesting to see how the glass panels work. Rigid rounded glass panels along a long cantilevered structure pose a technology challenge. Remember how Pei's glass panels flew out of Boston's John Hancok building?

I remember the stories about the Hancock Building. I think that they discovered that the panels would change color slightly from deformation, just before popping out. They employed spotters in sorrounding buildings with binoculars to watch for the color change. They had a crew on hand in the building to remove the panels before they popped. Didn't that building win a 25 year award from AIA?

Gentlemen ( and ladies of course!)

Some things are sad, some things seem simply stupid ( this is as harsh a comment as I am capable of ) This proposal seems to be both, a stupid proposition by a sponsor and a saddening solution by a professional.

I can't even find the humor you've seen in it, although Chuck Jones certainly would have.

Saludos

Juan

Agree with most on here- but are you telling me that you won't go there just because of principle??

Sure its ugly, and its out of context and a money grabber, but you deep down would love to do it!! Wouldn't you?? ;)

Ps- if only to do Richard's suggestion of jumping up and down on it!! :D

Agree with most on here- but are you telling me that you won't go there just because of principle??

Sure its ugly, and its out of context and a money grabber, but you deep down would love to do it!! Wouldn't you?? ;)

Ps- if only to do Richard's suggestion of jumping up and down on it!! :D

I agree, I think it could be a money maker. I would certainly stop if I happen to be nearby to try to walk on it.

I would boycott it .. ie avoid it .. it has no right being there .. totally Crass

This is a World Heritage Site .. Yes? No?

How could it be allowed to happen ?

I will add another couple of names to my list come the revolution.

I know what you mean Red, it's ugly, but the Canyon is incredibly large. It can be considered a "removable" item. It's not like if you carved a face on the canyonside.

On the other hand we have to weight what about people going there on their own and getting all the place dirty and destroying the landscape or going by helicopter and probably deteriorating it.
I'm not saying it's good, but at least it might help to keep people contained.

check out the video bottom of the page..

:D :cool: :)


Link (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdxUhVyzLRM#)

thread merged.

einstain, please do a search before posting.
i have also changed your link, it's better to use a direct youtube link to the specific video (click the 'share' button to find out the URL)

Check the construction development HERE (http://archidose.blogspot.com/2007/02/skywalk-update.html) or the official page HERE (http://www.grandcanyonskywalk.com/home.html).

Walk was opened today (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070320/ap_on_re_us/grand_canyon_skywalk)

The support beam looks so much larger than the original concept! Not even rounded edges.

They also went for a smaller standard sectional glass railing, the original seemed very difficult to build.

This is a World Heritage Site .. Yes? No?

How could it be allowed to happen ?

Because it's on the Hualapai Indian Reservation, not the national park. You can still go see all the "unspoiled" touristy parts of the canyon. The skywalk doesn't even have a paved road to it yet. The tribe is depending on the income from this.

"When we have so much poverty and so much unemployment, we have to do something," Sheri Yellowhawk, told the Associated Press news agency.

Isn't this a travesty!

Even though the original concept was pie in the sky (!), this is just crude, and they actually had an architect involved!
OK, build if you really must, and I think that is questionable, but if you must build at least make it exceptional.
I think it needed a world class architect on it. It is so clumsy and lacking refinement. That huge, deep, crude beam and the funny little rails along the bottom edge - presumably they are so some poor guy can get underneath to clean it.
If thats what it takes to cantilever out then it wasn't worth it.
I hope it blows away one night.

Sadly it seems it was overdesigned structurally to hold a couple of Mack trucks filled with elephants during an earthquake cruising on top of the edge, an not even bend slightly.