Walkway to Train Platform, Beverly, Mass.
Retrofit Team
Architect: AECOM, Boston
Materials
Working with an existing precast concrete panel bridge, the manufacturer fabricated the walkway columns, beams and supporting roof structure, as well as the mesh and louvers along the walkway’s sides.
The white-glazed canopy is made from single-panel 16-millimeter Pentaglas and was required to meet a strict wind-uplift load of 86 psf. The full corridor runs 237-feet long and 12-feet wide, crossing over a main street. Another 1,500 square feet of Pentaglas was installed on the parking garage’s top floor bringing daylight into an otherwise dark space.
Walkway Manufacturer and Installer: CPI Daylighting
The Retrofit
The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority desired “a safe, comfortable and accessible passage between the parking garage and the commuter rail platform with an affordable product that would also fit aesthetically within the up-and-coming neighborhood,” explains Christopher Souza, an architect with AECOM.
AECOM relied on the corridor manufacturer for its one-source approach because of the fast-paced design and construction schedule. “The versatility of the Pentaglas canopy and framing system allowed us to get creative with the concept from the aluminum louver infill panels to the custom stainless-steel wire mesh protective screening,” Souza adds. “The stainless-steel wire mesh screening was particularly challenging to get detailed correctly.”
Working within a short timeline while confined to a tight space surrounded by apartment buildings required a high level of coordination and thoughtful scheduling.