Aluminum Structure Perfectly Suited for the Open Seas
OpenAire Inc., the world’s premier designer, manufacturer and installer of custom retractable roof enclosures and operable skylights, has completed a new retractable roof structure for the indoor pool on Royal Caribbean International’s latest ship, Quantum of the Seas.
The ship, dubbed the “world’s first SmartShip” by Royal Caribbean, features stunning new innovations in hospitality and technology. The 167,800-tonne ship was built by Meyer Werft in Germany and features new attractions including 18 restaurants, indoor skydiving and bumper cars. Early reviews of the cruise ship have been enthusiastic raves.
OpenAire designed, manufactured and constructed two sleek and modern lean-to enclosures on either side of the indoor pool, allowing the aquatic area to be open to the bright sunshine and fresh air of the open seas, but to close quickly and quietly in the event of cold, wind or precipitation. Each enclosure measures 36’ x 103’ with a 14’ high front wall, and a vertical glass end, and features a roof with multiple glass panels that retract from the eave and stack at the top of the enclosure. The vertical walls consist of multiple glass panels that slide down from the top and stack at the bottom of the wall. With 75 percent of the roof open and 67 percent of the wall, this is truly an open air pool.
“In the beginning, this high-end, customized project challenged our team on almost every aspect because of its irregular shape, the way that the customer wanted it to operate, the non-land based support and the construction method,” says William Yu, Director of Engineering of OpenAire. “Throughout the project’s life, our team proved once again that we can deliver the mechanically functional, structurally sound and architecturally pleasing end results our customers expect, leading to 100 percent customer satisfaction.”
The custom-designed structure is constructed of extruded aluminum profiles made of structural alloy 6061 T6. The thermally broken, all-aluminum framing is maintenance-free, resistant to corrosion caused by salt air and caustic chloramines. Apart from its durability, aluminum appealed to Royal Caribbean because it is lighter weight than traditional steel, therefore contributing less to overall weight of the ship and resulting energy use.
“While it’s hard to stand out on a ship that features robotic bartenders, bumper cars and roller skating, Quantum of the Seas is a highlight in our portfolio of work,” says Mark Albertine, President and CEO of OpenAire Inc. “We’re proud to have worked with Meyer Werft to build this amazing enclosure, and we are pleased to announce that our structures will feature on the next three Royal Caribbean ships, including the Anthem of the Seas and the Ovation of the Seas.”
To learn more about OpenAire Inc.’s over 600 past projects and capabilities, visit https://www.openaire.com/. For more details on this project, please send an e-mail to sales@openaire.com. OpenAire is currently exhibiting at the Big5 International Building and Construction Show, November 17-21, 2014 at the Dubai World Trade Centre at location 1E17. OpenAire is also exhibiting at IAAPA Attractions Expo at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida, USA, November 18-21, at booth #1837.
