What was once Guinness World Records has been transformed into Hard Rock Cafe’s latest museum attraction called Hard Rock Vault. In the highly competitive tourist market of Orlando, Florida average signs and structures simply do not garnish the same attention nor generate business, as the unusual. When Guinness decided to build a museum in the heavily developed International Drive area of Orlando, an ordinary pyramid just wouldn’t do- it was to be built upside down! The first of many challenges presented to CST was to develop an enclosure system design which would appear to be a complete pyramid yet conceal a conventional ridged roof system.

The next challenge was anchoring the unusual structure, as one could imagine, the loads at the building interface were tremendous. The final challenge was the installation of the structure. How does one erect an upside-down pyramid? Especially when the building cannot be readily used as a platform and two of the pyramid corners overhang functional sidewalks and streets.

CST’s answer to the first two challenges presented was the selection of the all-aluminum Omni*Hub spaceframe system for the primary framing. The Omni*Hub system was selected based on its inherent geometrical freedom and ability to accommodate significant loads, including the anchor reactions at the building interface. A separate all-aluminum mullion system was then attached to the outer hubs of the spaceframe system, allowing for the creation of a small parapet, and concealing the conventional ridged roof and sizable water drainage system.

The final challenge, installation, was answered in part due to the lightweight nature of aluminum. The pyramid was assembled from the peak upward towards the roof in an adjacent parking lot. The mullion system was also attached at this time. The unclad structure was then lifted by crane into position. Once secured to the supporting building structure, the roof system and painted aluminum panels were installed and finished with contrasting silicone joints. This installation method allowed for minimal site, roadway and pedestrian disturbance, as well as rapid assembly.

Client: Jim Patterson Group Vancouver, Canada Ripley Entertainment, Orlando, FL
Contractor: The Nassal Company, Orlando, FL
Designer: Idletime Network, Windermere, FL
Structural Engineer: Walter P. Moore & Assoc., Orlando, FL