Tall order

Citation

(2000), "Tall order", Anti-Corrosion Methods and Materials, Vol. 47 No. 4. https://doi.org/10.1108/acmm.2000.12847daf.004

Tall order

Keywords Joseph Ash Galvanizing, Steel, Galvanizing

Joseph Ash Galvanizing has reached new heights by galvanizing what is believed to be the tallest sculpture in the UK - a 40-ton steel structure called "Quantum Cloud" (Plate 1).

Plate 1 Antony Gormley "Quantum Cloud"

The sculpture - 29 metre high by 16 metres wide by 10 metres deep - is the creation of sculptor Antony Gormley and was commissioned by NMEC (The New Millennium Experience Corporation) six months ago.

Fred Haycock, divisional manager, Joseph Ash Telford, said: "It is a privilege to be involved in such a unique project. Sculptures which are not galvanized will have up to a ten-year life span before corrosion really takes hold. Sculptors like Antony Gormley, who opt for galvanizing, are ensuring that their creations can be appreciated for many years to come.

"We have a reputation for galvanizing the unusual and this is why we were chosen. Some of our previous projects include the 26ft Jubilee Fountain which stands outside the Houses of Parliament, the 28ft sculpture of three egrets at Birmingham International Airport and the 30ft dragonfly set on a 40-metre pole on a traffic roundabout in Bristol. We enjoy the variety and the sense of achievement when everything is in place."

The sculpture is made from approximately 3,800 galvanized steel 70 x 70mm square hollow sections, 1.5 metres long. These are welded together to create a geometrically complex "cloud" of steel. Positioned within the "cloud" is an increased density of tubes creating the image of a man.

"Quantum Cloud" will stand on four cast iron caissons, four metres above high tide level, in the Thames, adjacent to the Millennium Dome.

The project has been managed by consulting structural engineers, Elliott Wood Partnership.

Details available from: Joseph Ash Galvanizing, Tel: +44 (0) 171 987 5070.