Allianz exercises their awarded top of the building signage rights to 1633 Broadway in NYC with some monster channel letters. How they got them there is a story unto itself. Read on...
安联公司坐落于纽约市的百老汇大街，显著大气的标识为整座大厦的外观锦上添花，同时，建筑顶部的标识也象征着企业的地位和荣誉。那么，安联标识是如何设计和安装的呢？接下来本文将为大家详解安联标识的安装过程。
In acquiring that office space they were also awarded signage rights to the top of the building. Allianz decided that they would locate a sign with their name and logo on the top of the building, with an identical sign on each side.
安联公司初在建造这座办公大楼时，他们就计划要在建筑物的顶部设计一个具有代表企业形象的标识，并且决定在大厦的每侧都安装一个相同的标识。
Spectrum Signs channels Allianz ID
Spectrum Signs负责安联标识的设计
Spectrum Signs Inc. (Farmingdale, NY) was commissioned to implement this sign project, and was responsible for fabricating the Allianz signage. The design of the Allianz sign was created by Gensler, (NY, NY), a global architecture firm, who provided concept drawings to Spectrum Signs, upon whom transformed the conceptual design into the final sign structure of a series of closed-face channel letters against an aluminum backplane. Once finished with fabrication, Spectrum teamed up with Empire Erectors and Electrical Co. (Bronx, NY), who were the prime movers in installing the completed signs on the upper reaches of the building top.
来自纽约的Spectrum Signs公司被委托执行这个标识项目的制作，安联标识的设计是由Gensler负责，该公司是一家全球性的建筑公司，他们先为Spectrum Signs公司提供标识设计的概念图，然后再将概念转化为实际操作——制作一系列封闭式的槽型发光字。一旦完成设计与制作的工作，SpectrumSigns公司就与Empire Erectors公司合作，将标识安装在建筑物的顶部。
( a channel letter has been fabricated, and mounted against its wall panel. Interior lit LEDs are in the process of being installed within the channel letter.)
（首先，他们制作了一个槽型发光字，并安装在其墙板上，然后将LED安装在槽型发光字中。）
As the Allianz signage was designed, as described by Mike Gyscek, Spectrum Vice President, "the final display was completed as a closed face channel letter sign back lit with Sloan Great White 3Y Series (6500 k) LEDs. There were a total of 12,000 LEDs used to illuminate the four signs. Each 12-foot high channel letter had painted aluminum returns with a clear Lexan face covering it. Matching each Lexan face was a white 3M diffuser film behind the Lexan. On the Lexan surface was a 3M Dual Color film. During the day the sign face appears blue and at night when illuminated, appears white." Once finished, each channel letter was mounted on its own aluminum background panel (22-feet tall and various widths, depending on letter width it held in place). Altogether each Allianz sign face required ten panels (total sign face was 22-feet x 100-feet) to fully present its corporate name and logo on each side of the building.
对于安联标识的设计，Spectrum Signs公司的副总裁Mike Gyscek描述道：“标识是以3Y系列槽型发光字的方式呈现，内部共有12,000 个LED模组。每个12英尺高的槽型发光字的表面都覆盖上了一层热塑聚碳酸酯薄膜，这种热塑聚碳酸酯薄膜的表面是双色的，白天使标识显示为蓝色，夜间使标识显示为白色。设计一旦完成，每个字母都安装在铝质面板上，每块铝质面板高22英尺，宽度各不相同，宽度取决于固定字母的宽度。安联标识共需要十个面板（总标牌面积为22英尺×100英尺），以便在建筑物的每一侧充分的显示。
"We, in turn not only fabricated the sign system, but also figured out the engineering to hang the signs from the sides of building," stated Gyscek. "Essentially we came up with the concept of placing a series of steel beams horizontally along the building columns and hanging the sign segments like a giant billboard clamped in place on the side of the building."
Gyscek说：“在这一个项目中，我们不仅制造出了这个标识系统，而且还设计出了从建筑物两端挂起标识的方法，总结了如何将钢梁水平放置在建筑的立柱上、如何将标识挂在建筑物的侧面。
Hanging out on Broadway
百老汇的一道亮丽风景线
As for attaching the signage to the building, along the rooftop of 1633 Broadway was a series of vertical building columns projecting from the roof to an upper horizontal concrete slab to which each column connected to. The concrete slab in turn held a horizontal platform that encircled the building .
位于百老汇的建筑物的楼顶都是一系列垂直立柱，从楼顶到每个立柱都是由混凝土板连接而成，混凝土板依次设有水平平台围绕着建筑物。
R. Scott Lewis who engineeredthe solution for installing the Allianz signs on 1633 Broadway, had suggested using a series of horizontal square steel tubes (ten-inch square) which would span from building column to building column. "Each side of the building had a set of three horizontal steel rails inserted in place for each Allianze sign to hang from the building. Each selected column had its outer sheet metal aluminum enclosure removed at its point of entry so the horizontal steel tubes were able to be permanently attached to the building column. On the steel tubes were welded a series of angel iron plates upon which each sign segment was connected to."
设计安联标识的Scott Lewis说：“建筑物的每一侧都有三个横向的钢管，每个钢管大约十英寸。每根安装标识的柱子的金属外壳要先被移除，钢管才能永久性地附着在建筑物的立柱上，此外，在钢管上，也焊接了一系列铁板，目的是将每个标识连接在其上。”
Empire Erectors creates sign lift-off
帝国建设者公司负责安装安联标识
Once each sign was completed, at the appropriate moment, each sign segment was trucked to the worksite (1633 Broadway) where its installation was handled by Empire Erectors who were tasked with getting the signs off the street and lifted to the building roof for placement on each side of the building.
在标识制作完成后，会被卡车运送到百老汇大街，所有的安装工作由Empire Erectors公司处理，负责将标识设定位好，提升到建筑物的楼顶，以及建筑物的每一侧。
To do so involved a series of very clever custom-built hoisting systems incorporating several unique rigging components, including a custom designed winch, a custom-built carrying rig which locked up and lifted each sign panel segment up the side of the building. Finally, on the roof was a custom-built trolley rail system which was set up to move each sign segment to a specific location to be lowered for final placement on the side of building.
在安装过程中会涉及一系列重要的起重系统，包括几个索具组件、定制型绞车、运载装置等，这些工具共同作用将帮助标识吊起，然后锁定在建筑物的侧面。此外，他们还在楼顶设置了一个小车轨道系统，该轨道系统能将每个标识分段移动到特定位置，以便更好的固定在建筑物的侧面。
Rooftop lift without a crane
没有起重机
"To begin the lifting process, each building side," James Ramsburgh company Vice President noted, "required a sidewalk bridge installed by York Scaffolding whose surface acted as a base for storing and preparing each sign segment for hoisting to the rooftop. The first procedure was taking delivery of each Spectrum Sign Allianz panel segment and transferring it from the flatbed to the top of the sidewalk bridge. Because all the panels were delivered as extra-wide loads, Empire Erectors could only receive the sign panels at night as extra-wide flatbeds can only travel on city streets from midnight till 6:00 AM.
James Ramsburgh公司的副总裁表示：“为了使安装过程进行得顺利，首先，我们需要利用脚手架来搭建人行道桥梁，作为将每个标识吊起到楼顶的基地。其次，将面板转移到人行道桥梁的顶部，要记住，所有面板都是超宽负载的，所以，帝国建设者公司只能在晚上运输，从午夜到早上6:00前就赶往施工地。”
(Channel letter sign panel rides the rails! The sign segment is mounted on a custom lifting rig which is locked in place against the window washing tracks. While the sign panel rides the tracks to the rooftop, Spectrum Sign installers accompany the sign segment to make sure the segment travels safely on its half-hour ride to the roof.)
（槽型发光字被安装在起重机上，锁定在与滑行轨道相对的位置，然后将标牌移动到楼顶，Spectrum Sign公司的安装人员确保将这段在半小时内安全地运送到楼顶。）
"Our biggest challenge was getting the signs to the top of the building, as there was no crane available or capable to provide a 750 + foot lift to the building top. And even if there was, once each sign segment was in motion, it would have proven impossible to control the effect of the wind on the panel and its natural swaying tendencies as each sign segment was hoisted towards the roof."
我们面临的最大挑战是，在没有起重机、也没有750升的脚踏升降机情况下，如何将标识放置到建筑物的顶部。除此之外，每一个标识都是分阶段被提升到楼顶，在此过程中很难控制风和其他阻力对面板所产生的影响，导致面板左右摇摆。
Inevitably the solution for lifting the signs to the roof was right in front of them. Already in place along the sides of the building was a vertical track system used by the building's window washing scaffold. Empire Erectors took advantage of that vertical track, and built a custom designed winch and rigging system that also worked from the window washing track. They further built a custom designed hoisting rig upon which each Allianz panel sign segment was clipped into and that in turn was connected to the rooftop custom winch. The rig was designed to be locked into the window washing tracks to carry the channel letter panels up the side of the building with no worries about sway or wind to affect the sign panel's passage to the rooftop.
后来，在没有起重机的情况下，他们找到了将标识提升到楼顶的解决办法。沿建筑物两侧，有一个清洗建筑物外部的垂直轨道系统，他们利用这条垂直轨道，建立了一个绞车、一个索具系统，和一个定制的起重机。每个标识面板被连接到楼顶的绞盘上，钻机被锁在窗户洗涤的轨道上，以便将面板稳定地吊起，安装在建筑物的侧面，而不用担心各种阻力导致标识面板摇晃。
Once on the roof, the sign segment was transferred from the winch to a custom-built rooftop trolley with chain falls, which is a rigging device to help lift and lower the sign segments in place. The trolley was then moved along the rooftop to the sign's proper roof position where the sign panel was lowered in place. Once positioned properly, the sign panel was attached to the steel structure by bolting the panel to the sign structure on side of the building.
当所有标识运输到楼顶后，会脱离绞盘，被转移到带有链条的定制推车上，推车是一个索具装置，用来运输标识。然后将手推车沿着楼顶移动到标识要放置的正确位置。一旦正确定位后，将标识面板固定在建筑物侧面的钢管上就完成整个安装了。
( Black boxes are the transformers that illuminate the letters. The boxes were intentionally located at the bottom of the framing to allow for ease of changing should they need to be replaced.A sharp-eyed reader who looks closely at the photo will see chains hanging from the service access panels. Those chains are attached to the removable access panels which guarantees that the panels cannot fall down to the sidewalk during servicing. )
（图中的黑盒子是照亮字母的变压器，将黑盒子放在框架的底部，是以便在需要更换时方便更换。仔细观察照片将会看到检修面板上悬挂的链条，这些链条连接到可拆卸的检修面板上，能确保在维修过程中，面板不会跌落下来。）
As each part of the Allianz sign project reached completion, sign inspector John Carmona, who reported to R. Scott Lewis reviewed each completed section. Inevitably it took approximately 20 plus inspections to look at each part of the install process, with several different visits to each side of the building. "Altogether there were three types of inspections," stated Cormona.
Cormona说：“随着安联标识项目的完成，我们回顾了项目的每个部分，大约需要花20次来检查安装过程的每个细节，并对建筑物的每一侧进行不同的检测。我们通过以下三种方式来检测。”
1) An inspection of the skybridgefor each side of the building
1）检查建筑物每侧的天桥。
2) Inspections of all the welds and boltings of sign components being attached to structural steel.
2）对标识部件的所有焊缝和螺栓处进行全面检查。
3) A final inspection of entire sign once it was fully attached to horizontal rails.
3）完全坐落于水平轨道后，对整个标识进行最终检查。
Skyline presence
天际线的存在
Once completely installed on all four sides of the building, and illuminated for night viewing, Gyscek noted how amazing it was to see the Allianz sign being visible throughout the entire Manhattan midtown area. "It was even visible across the Hudson River from the New Jersey side and as well, close-up from most of Times Square which was right below it."
安联标识就这样被安装好在建筑物的四面，在夜色中照亮了整个百老汇街道，Gyscek指出：“在整个曼哈顿地区都能看到安联标识，它是多么令人惊讶。甚至从新泽西的哈德逊河、距离正下方的时代广场，也可以近距离的观赏到安联标识。”
(The Allianz channel letters sign has been completely mounted in place between rooftop vertical columns. Note above the sign are the outriggers used to lower sign segments down to the horizontal steel rails to be bolted in place on the rails. In total, four of these channel letter signs were created, with one for each side of the building.)
（安联标识已经完全固定在楼顶垂直立柱之间。标识上方是由水平钢轨的外伸支架支撑，将其固定在导轨的位置，安联标识总共有四个，分别镶嵌在建筑物的每一侧。）
