Continuing on my travels from from my last blog "Inspired to use Revit Structure 2010 Bridge Extension", after crossing the historic Hoover Dam, we drove onward to the west side of the Grand Canyon to see the "Grand Canyon Skywalk". To get to the Skywalk we had to travel down Diamond Bar Road whick is currently being improved.We traveled 14 miles of non-paved, graded, dusty, but passable road. This is well worth it to see this architectural marvel.
The Skywalk was completed in March, 2007 after 2.5 years and 30 million dollars worth of hard work and engineering. This structure weighs an astonishing 1.571 million pounds, and was built to withstand an excess of 71 million pounds in weight on top of it. (That’s the equivalent of 71 fully-loaded 747 airliners piled one on top of the other!) This amazing ability to withstand weight as well as the forces of nature is due to theSkywalk’s 2 inch thick steel frame which is designed specifically to flex in the heat, cold, and wind. This frame is anchored to the Grand Canyonby casens and micro piles measuring 46 feet down into the solid bedrock. The specially-made German glass which forms the platform for our guests to walk the experience also plays a big part in the durability and beauty of Skywalk. Each of the 46 panes forming the walkway are constructed of 5-layers of glass bonded together and laminated, weighing in at 1,200 lbs a piece, and making the glass incredibly strong while still providing a crystal-clear view of the canyon below.
To learn more and to see more photos, see website: http://www.grandcanyonskywalk.com/index.html
David Jin dreamt up the idea for the Skywalk and commissioned Mark Johnson, http://www.mrjarchitects.com/index.html, to design it in 2003.
The future plans of the Skywalk that was mentioned on my tour, is putting in a 4 star restaurant and hotel. They are also enlarging the Airport that is currently near the skywalk.
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