Lecture | NASCC: The Steel Conference

Principal Ken Jones was joined by associates from Walter P. Moore and Patriot Erectors to take attendees of the 2017 NASCC Steel Conference for a lap on the inside track as they broken down the design, development, and execution of the iconic Observation Tower at the Circuit of the Americas.

In both its design and construction, the Observation Tower embodies the sense of precision, lightness and sleek dynamism associated with racing. Evoking the notion of split-second speed, the landmark structure reflects the spirit of the Circuit of the Americas and serves to establish the emerging identity of the complex as a world-class recreation and entertainment destination.

With less than a year to complete the venue in time for the inaugural race, final engineering, fabrication and erection of the Tower had to occur inside an extremely compressed timeframe. In order to expedite completion, the architectural, structural, and fabrication teams coordinated design solutions, detailing and construction strategies via a fully-connected 3D model instead of traditional paper drawings. This method allowed for agile, efficient communication between teams, and the project’s general contractor has estimated that it saved three months over traditional delivery methods.