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[music]
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[Jay]
How do you construct
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a 1,400-foot office building
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that towers over
one of Manhattan's
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busiest train stations?
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This massive excavation was two
feet from millions of commuters.
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[Jay] How do you realize
an architect's vision
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for a wine museum that's all
dizzying curves?
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[Corina] It looks like a giant
decanter of delicious wine
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just waiting to be tasted.
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[music]
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[Jay] And what happens
when you set out to build
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a parking garage that's a work
of architectural beauty?
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This is where we thought,
"Oh, my God, architects,
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I think they're gonna kill us."
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[music]
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[Jay] This is the age
of the extraordinary.
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[Dr. Agbedor]
It's totally different
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from anything around it.
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It's like a visitor
from another planet.
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[Jay] Where ingenious engineers
have unleashed
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unchecked creativity.
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Now, their secrets are revealed
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as we discover
the amazing stories
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of their construction.
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[Mat] You look at this building
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and your brain
just screams at you,
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"This building does not
make sense!"
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[Jay] To try
and understand...
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...how did they build that.
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When you think of the world's
greatest skyscrapers,
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chances are many of your
favorite, most iconic examples
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can be found in New York City.
And that isn't about to change,
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because with space
on Manhattan Island
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in increasingly short supply,
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it seems that now
more than ever,
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when it comes to building big
in the Big Apple,
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the only way is up, and up,
and up, and up.
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[music]
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[Jay]
The Manhattan skyline
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is one of the most instantly
recognizable on the planet.
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And Midtown is home to some
of its best-loved buildings.
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It's the heart of the world.
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From a structural engineer's
perspective, this is the place.
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[Jay] The thought
of making it better
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is difficult to imagine.
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But in 2015,
work began on a tower
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that aimed to do just that.
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[music]
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[Dr. Mabry] It is breathtaking.
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It tapers into the sky like
it's reaching for the stars.
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[Jay] Building
the 1,400-foot-tall tower
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would mean surgically
excavating 60 feet down,
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right next to Grand Central.
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Demolishing an entire city block
in New York City,
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Midtown Manhattan,
is not an easy task.
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[Jay] At $3.3 billion,
it would be the most expensive
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office building
in America's history.
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This wasn't just
a significant investment.
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This was an all-in bet
by this company.
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And there was no margin
for error.
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[Jay] Five years
and 26,000 tons of steel later,
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this is One Vanderbilt.
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So, how did they build it?
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Completed in 1930,
and at 1,046 feet tall,
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the Chrysler Building became
the world's tallest building.
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That is, until a year later,
when it lost its crown
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to the 1,250-foot-tall
Empire State Building.
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Almost a century later,
Midtown Manhattan has one of
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the highest concentrations
of skyscrapers in the world
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and is home to some
of the biggest names
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in global business.
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But some of its office buildings
are showing their age.
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Quite frankly, Midtown was
becoming a bit tired, a bit old.
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You know, the average
building age in Midtown
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was over 75 years old.
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[Jay] Companies are beginning to
look
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for modern offices elsewhere.
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[Marc] We had to fight back.
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We had to swing that pendulum
back in favor of Midtown,
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because that is where
Grand Central is.
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That's where you have
the subway lines,
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the commuter transit hubs,
the busses.
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[Jay] Marc Holliday's vision is
for
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a cutting-edge tower
right next to Grand Central,
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which will replace an entire
block's worth of buildings.
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Securing the site takes 10 years
of negotiations with the city
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and some 200 tenants,
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and a commitment of
$220 million worth
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of public improvements
in and around the station,
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Now they need a design
that will do justice
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to the iconic neighborhood.
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I wanted One Vanderbilt
to essentially be a modern
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interpretation of those
great historic buildings.
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[Jay] He brings in architects
Kohn Pedersen Fox.
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[James] You know, what we
arrived at was a tapered form.
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And then we broke that
singular form into two,
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and then three and then four.
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There's almost the implication
of some appearance of infinity
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because of that tapering
to nothing.
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[Jay] It's a striking,
beautiful design.
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Building it, though,
will be far from easy.
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First, the team will need
to excavate down 60 feet
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beside the station
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in one of the most
commuter-dense corners
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in the world.
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To create a foundation
strong enough
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to support the tower,
all 1,401 feet of it,
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they'll need to execute
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the biggest continuous concrete
pour in New York City's history.
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On a building of this scale,
time is money,
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so the construction crew
will need to find a way
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of getting the 26,000-ton
steel frame up
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as quickly as possible.
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While the engineers will have
to make sure that the structure
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can handle a dramatic cutout
at street level
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designed to open up views
to Grand Central.
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If they pull it off,
they will have created
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1.7 million square feet
of 21st century office space.
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And a new landmark for the city.
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This, at the time, was the most
expensive commercial project
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ever built in the United States.
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And when you're dealing
in billions of dollars
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in one single investment,
you gotta make sure you deliver
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on time, on schedule.
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[Jay] The $3.3 billion budget
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calls for the project
to be finished by October 2020.
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In early 2015,
the clock starts ticking.
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It takes 19 months to clear
a block's worth of buildings.
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Then, in the summer of 2016,
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the team prepares to start
excavating the foundations.
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[music]
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It's a massive challenge
and risks damaging
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surrounding buildings,
including Grand Central.
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[music]
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How are we going to core
60 feet down into the ground
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to pour new foundation
on top of active railways
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when a party wall,
which was only a few feet thick,
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separated this site
from millions of commuters?
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Any failure, we would be
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sort of looking right into
the morning rush hour.
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The pressure to not destroy
one of New York's
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most iconic landmarks is huge.
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[Jay] The team has to brace
the surrounding structures
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with specially built
piers and beams,
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then remove ton upon ton
of rock.
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It would be great if they would
let us blast,
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but they don't let you blast.
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We would have to break apart
the rocks with hammers.
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We had a large excavator
up at street level
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that would reach down
and bucket the material out
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and load it into trucks.
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[Jay] It takes 10 months.
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But by early 2017,
the job is done
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without damaging
the surrounding buildings
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or disrupting a single train.
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[Marc] They did an amazing,
immaculate, surgical job.
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There were people commuting who
had no idea that two feet away,
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uh, these excavating machines
were drilling and removing rock.
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[Jay] With the deadline
in just three years' time,
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the team moves on
to the challenge
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of constructing the foundations.
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[Edward] You can imagine
a 1,400-foot-tall building
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with this many
million square feet,
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how much it weighs
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and how big the foundation
has to be.
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[Jay] The plan is
to drill rock anchors
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connected to one another
with a huge slab
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100 feet wide and long,
9 and a half feet deep.
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It will be made from
4,200 cubic yards of concrete,
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and reinforced with
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a million pounds
of recycled steel.
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To maintain its strength,
400 truckloads of concrete
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will have to be poured nonstop.
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Midtown is one of the busiest
business and tourist districts
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in the entire world.
Space is extremely limited.
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So the coordination of every
single construction vehicle
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had to be planned
with the utmost precision.
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[Jay] On Friday,
February 3, 2017,
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selected traffic lanes
around the site are closed.
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They wait for the rush hour
to pass.
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The starting gun is fired.
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Then 40 trucks begin
feeding pumps
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stationed around the hole.
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Each one of those concrete
trucks had to be unloaded
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within two hours
of leaving the plant.
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[Jay] To make things
more complicated,
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the concrete is arriving from
four separate locations
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in the city.
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[Brian] After two hours,
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it can start to set
within the drum.
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[Jay] They can only hope
that traffic's in their favor.
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[music]
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[Jay] In Midtown Manhattan...
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...the concrete foundations
needed to support
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a huge new skyscraper
must be poured without stopping.
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If you stop,
you create a joint,
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a real joint that you don't want
to have in the slab.
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[Jay] To avoid this, the crews
are working round the clock.
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We had 40 trucks,
over 400 loads of concrete.
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[Jay] Twenty-seven hours
and a Herculean effort later,
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the biggest continuous
concrete pour
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in New York City history
is complete.
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[music]
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It's now summer 2017,
and with three years left
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to finish the job
work begins on the tower.
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[Ellie] When building
high-rise buildings,
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construction engineers
will often start
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with a central core.
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This is the spine of the
building and gives it rigidity.
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[Jay] The problem is,
building the concrete core
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requires a huge tower crane
that will block the other cranes
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on site until the core is
high enough.
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And that means work
on the steel frame
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will have to be put on hold.
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[Marc] Every month of delay
would cost this project
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$20 million per month.
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If that's not enough incentive
to make sure that you get done
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not just on time,
but ahead of schedule,
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then I don't know what is.
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[Jay] To speed things up,
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they decide to flip the process
on its head.
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First, the engineers design
an extra-strong steel frame
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that can support itself
for 12 stories
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without the concrete core.
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To build it, they used two
ingenious self-climbing cranes
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that essentially
raise themselves up
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on the steel structure
as each floor is created.
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You have to spend more money
on steel to have the stability
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to have the tower cranes climb
up within the core themselves.
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[Jay] The extra cost
is more than recovered
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by the steel-first approach,
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which shaves four months
off the schedule.
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The team quickly
follows behind,
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creating the central supporting
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concrete core
and pouring the concrete floors.
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Once we have concrete
on metal deck,
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we can start getting ready
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to enclose the building
to get us watertight.
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[Jay] Meanwhile,
the engineers embrace
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their next challenge.
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At the fifth floor,
the architects want
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to cut away a section
of the building
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to open up the view
from the street
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to its historic neighbor.
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One of the goals of the design
of the building is to honor,
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and respect, and celebrate
Grand Central Terminal.
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It's a well-loved building.
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00:13:35,716 --> 00:13:38,385
It's one of the greats
of our city.
250
00:13:38,485 --> 00:13:40,955
[Jay] The problem is that
the design leaves a corner
251
00:13:41,055 --> 00:13:44,190
of the vast building
hanging in mid-air.
252
00:13:45,859 --> 00:13:48,729
The team need to find a way
to transfer the forces generated
253
00:13:48,863 --> 00:13:51,264
by the huge tower
safely into the ground.
254
00:13:53,600 --> 00:13:55,802
They use something called
transfer trusses.
255
00:13:55,902 --> 00:13:57,237
These are essentially
256
00:13:57,337 --> 00:13:59,740
zig-zagging pieces of steel
joined together
257
00:13:59,840 --> 00:14:02,376
that transfer the weight
from one column on the outside
258
00:14:02,476 --> 00:14:06,647
of the building
to another further back.
259
00:14:06,781 --> 00:14:08,382
[Jay] On a building
of this scale,
260
00:14:08,482 --> 00:14:10,251
they have to be strong
and stiff enough
261
00:14:10,317 --> 00:14:14,088
not to flex under
the enormous weight.
262
00:14:14,154 --> 00:14:16,790
The deeper you make it,
the stronger it is
263
00:14:16,890 --> 00:14:21,028
and the stiffer it is.
And they're floor-to-floor deep.
264
00:14:21,128 --> 00:14:24,131
[Jay] To make them,
huge pieces of steel
265
00:14:24,264 --> 00:14:27,501
weighing as much as 22 tons
and up to 30 feet long
266
00:14:27,634 --> 00:14:31,805
and 3 feet wide
are specially prefabricated
267
00:14:31,905 --> 00:14:35,041
before being put together
on site.
268
00:14:35,142 --> 00:14:38,979
Now the rest of the tower
can begin to rise to the sky.
269
00:14:41,381 --> 00:14:42,983
Taking inspiration
from Grand Central's
270
00:14:43,117 --> 00:14:44,685
Oyster Bar ceiling,
271
00:14:44,785 --> 00:14:47,053
its clad in
glass and terracotta panels
272
00:14:47,153 --> 00:14:51,825
are as energy efficient
as they are beautiful.
273
00:14:55,496 --> 00:14:58,198
Thanks to the steel-first
construction method,
274
00:14:58,299 --> 00:15:00,200
by September 2019,
275
00:15:00,300 --> 00:15:03,770
they're ready for
the building's crowning glory.
276
00:15:03,870 --> 00:15:06,606
A 128-foot-tall spire,
277
00:15:06,706 --> 00:15:12,045
which has to be hoisted
1,314 feet into the air.
278
00:15:12,179 --> 00:15:14,214
[James] It's actually
a very big piece of building.
279
00:15:14,314 --> 00:15:18,519
It weighs more than, you know,
30 houses put together.
280
00:15:18,619 --> 00:15:21,755
[Jay]
On September 18, 2019,
281
00:15:21,855 --> 00:15:25,525
a crew wait on the top floor
to install it.
282
00:15:25,659 --> 00:15:29,397
The signalman gives the
all clear.
283
00:15:29,497 --> 00:15:31,198
Slowly the load is brought
all the way up
284
00:15:31,298 --> 00:15:34,668
to the top of the building.
285
00:15:34,769 --> 00:15:39,339
The crane operator swings
the load over into the position.
286
00:15:39,472 --> 00:15:41,541
They start putting
some bolts in.
287
00:15:41,641 --> 00:15:44,945
They detach it from the crane.
288
00:15:45,045 --> 00:15:47,781
The spire's complete.
289
00:15:47,881 --> 00:15:51,886
It was just the moment to me
that signified we were there.
290
00:15:51,986 --> 00:15:53,720
We were all the way at the top.
291
00:15:53,854 --> 00:15:55,989
It was kind of a piece
of urban theater.
292
00:15:56,089 --> 00:15:58,358
You'll never forget it.
293
00:15:58,458 --> 00:16:01,028
[music]
294
00:16:01,128 --> 00:16:02,863
[Jay] In September 2020,
295
00:16:02,929 --> 00:16:07,401
what's then the most expensive
office building in New York City
296
00:16:07,501 --> 00:16:08,736
stands complete.
297
00:16:09,637 --> 00:16:11,605
Incredibly, despite
the challenges of building
298
00:16:11,739 --> 00:16:13,607
through the COVID-19 pandemic,
299
00:16:13,707 --> 00:16:17,277
the team finishes
one month early.
300
00:16:18,512 --> 00:16:21,582
It's the greatest achievement
this company has ever
301
00:16:21,682 --> 00:16:26,920
been party to, and we're
proud of it every single day.
302
00:16:27,688 --> 00:16:30,590
[Jay] Four years later,
it's flying in the face
303
00:16:30,690 --> 00:16:31,959
of a challenging market,
304
00:16:32,059 --> 00:16:36,897
with 99% of the offices
occupied.
305
00:16:36,997 --> 00:16:38,866
And for the price of a ticket,
306
00:16:38,966 --> 00:16:43,937
anyone can enjoy the view
from the 91st floor.
307
00:16:44,037 --> 00:16:47,374
I think that One Vanderbilt
is this generation's
308
00:16:47,474 --> 00:16:48,909
Empire State Building.
309
00:16:49,042 --> 00:16:51,512
[music]
310
00:16:51,612 --> 00:16:54,047
[Jay] Thanks to its use
of recycled materials,
311
00:16:54,148 --> 00:16:57,918
energy-efficient lighting,
and high-performance glazing,
312
00:16:58,018 --> 00:17:01,555
the building is at the forefront
of sustainability.
313
00:17:03,457 --> 00:17:06,193
Even while its delicate
terracotta cladding
314
00:17:06,293 --> 00:17:09,563
and dramatic spire
honor the past.
315
00:17:09,663 --> 00:17:12,733
[music]
316
00:17:12,833 --> 00:17:15,903
The Vanderbilt project
is the kind of experience
317
00:17:16,003 --> 00:17:20,741
I'll never have again,
and one that connects me to
318
00:17:20,841 --> 00:17:23,343
New York City.
319
00:17:24,611 --> 00:17:27,214
One Vanderbilt is
one of the stars in my crown,
320
00:17:27,314 --> 00:17:29,083
I guess you could say.
How is that?
321
00:17:29,149 --> 00:17:33,486
[music]
322
00:17:36,122 --> 00:17:42,095
[music]
323
00:17:46,466 --> 00:17:48,635
It goes without saying
that the best wine in the world
324
00:17:48,735 --> 00:17:50,671
does not come in a box.
325
00:17:50,771 --> 00:17:52,005
So when the French city
of Bordeaux
326
00:17:52,105 --> 00:17:54,642
wanted to build the best
wine museum in the world,
327
00:17:54,742 --> 00:17:56,576
they weren't going to put that
in a box either.
328
00:17:56,677 --> 00:17:59,213
Oh, no,
I'm getting iridescent aluminum.
329
00:17:59,313 --> 00:18:01,749
I'm getting printed glass.
330
00:18:01,849 --> 00:18:04,418
I'm getting a sparkling building
that's seriously
331
00:18:04,518 --> 00:18:05,719
worth celebrating.
332
00:18:05,852 --> 00:18:07,388
Cheers.
333
00:18:07,521 --> 00:18:09,890
[music]
334
00:18:09,990 --> 00:18:12,259
[Jay] If you love wine,
likelihood is
335
00:18:12,359 --> 00:18:16,196
you've heard of Bordeaux
in southwest France.
336
00:18:17,197 --> 00:18:21,735
But these days, it's also famous
for an intoxicating museum.
337
00:18:21,835 --> 00:18:27,074
[music]
338
00:18:27,174 --> 00:18:29,209
[Corina] It looks like a
giant decanter of delicious wine
339
00:18:29,343 --> 00:18:31,978
just waiting to be tasted.
340
00:18:32,079 --> 00:18:36,750
[Jay] A swirling, curving,
150,000-square-foot building.
341
00:18:38,819 --> 00:18:41,588
[speaking French]
342
00:18:45,626 --> 00:18:49,396
[Jay] Creating the curves
tested its engineers.
343
00:18:49,496 --> 00:18:51,398
[music]
344
00:18:51,532 --> 00:18:55,135
[speaking French]
345
00:18:55,235 --> 00:18:56,971
[Jay] And forced
its builders to climb
346
00:18:57,071 --> 00:18:58,572
to new heights.
347
00:18:58,705 --> 00:19:00,441
Literally.
348
00:19:01,408 --> 00:19:06,914
Imagine dangling from a harness
at 165 feet trying to put these
349
00:19:07,014 --> 00:19:10,584
delicate glass panels
onto the building.
350
00:19:10,684 --> 00:19:15,589
[Jay] This is Cité du Vin--
the City of Wine.
351
00:19:15,689 --> 00:19:19,526
It took three years
and $47 million to create.
352
00:19:20,761 --> 00:19:22,996
So how did they build it?
353
00:19:23,096 --> 00:19:26,633
[music]
354
00:19:31,739 --> 00:19:34,108
[Jay] It's 2008,
and the city of Bordeaux
355
00:19:34,174 --> 00:19:37,377
in southwest France
has a big problem.
356
00:19:39,179 --> 00:19:41,549
Despite the world famous wines
357
00:19:41,649 --> 00:19:43,851
produced in the surrounding
countryside,
358
00:19:43,951 --> 00:19:47,854
with no central attraction
to pull in wine lovers,
359
00:19:47,954 --> 00:19:51,958
the city itself is not
attracting as many tourists
360
00:19:52,058 --> 00:19:53,861
as it wants.
361
00:19:53,961 --> 00:19:57,831
[speaking French]
362
00:20:10,377 --> 00:20:12,913
[Jay] The city decides
it needs a new museum
363
00:20:13,014 --> 00:20:15,315
dedicated to wine.
364
00:20:16,984 --> 00:20:19,986
Its ambition goes beyond
celebrating the local industry
365
00:20:20,087 --> 00:20:25,325
to tell the story of wine's role
over the last 8,000 years.
366
00:20:34,368 --> 00:20:39,006
[Jay] Such a grand ambition
requires a building to match.
367
00:20:39,106 --> 00:20:43,177
Architect Anouk Legendre takes
a research trip to Bordeaux,
368
00:20:43,277 --> 00:20:47,881
where she tastes a wine so good,
it helps inspire the design.
369
00:21:05,966 --> 00:21:07,801
[Jay] Anouk and the team
come up with a building
370
00:21:07,901 --> 00:21:12,906
that swirls and curves like the
wine being aerated in the glass
371
00:21:13,006 --> 00:21:16,643
before rising up
into a dramatic tower.
372
00:21:17,544 --> 00:21:19,146
But its complex shape
gives the engineers
373
00:21:19,246 --> 00:21:20,881
a daunting set of challenges
to overcome.
374
00:21:22,349 --> 00:21:25,819
They'll start by building
foundations and a concrete core
375
00:21:25,953 --> 00:21:30,390
to support the floors
and form the spine of the tower.
376
00:21:30,490 --> 00:21:33,860
It will climb 165 feet.
377
00:21:33,960 --> 00:21:36,963
But then things
get really tricky.
378
00:21:37,064 --> 00:21:39,366
To create the unique
curving form,
379
00:21:39,466 --> 00:21:42,636
they'll need to design and build
a complex superstructure
380
00:21:42,769 --> 00:21:45,772
from 600 individual pieces.
381
00:21:45,905 --> 00:21:48,909
Then they'll have to wrap it
in a waterproof membrane
382
00:21:49,009 --> 00:21:51,445
before embarking
on the huge challenge
383
00:21:51,545 --> 00:21:54,715
of cladding the bulbous,
swirling shape
384
00:21:54,815 --> 00:21:57,117
in sheets of aluminum and glass.
385
00:21:57,217 --> 00:22:00,354
It will be a task like none
the team has ever faced.
386
00:22:00,487 --> 00:22:02,789
[music]
387
00:22:09,463 --> 00:22:12,832
[Jay] Work begins
in January 2014.
388
00:22:15,002 --> 00:22:18,105
The team lays the foundation,
then start to build upwards
389
00:22:18,205 --> 00:22:22,009
using concrete columns
and floor slabs.
390
00:22:22,109 --> 00:22:26,380
So far, so straightforward,
but now they have to figure out
391
00:22:26,480 --> 00:22:29,016
how to create the building's
undulating form
392
00:22:29,116 --> 00:22:31,551
around this concrete core.
393
00:22:31,685 --> 00:22:33,187
The architect's idea
394
00:22:33,287 --> 00:22:37,090
is to create a vast, curved
structural frame to sit on top.
395
00:22:44,865 --> 00:22:47,367
[Jay] Simple in principle,
but the irregular shape
396
00:22:47,467 --> 00:22:52,373
of the frame means it's made up
of 600 individual curved pieces,
397
00:22:52,473 --> 00:22:56,042
no two alike.
Making them won't be easy.
398
00:22:57,144 --> 00:22:59,880
Curves are so much harder
to build than straight lines.
399
00:23:00,013 --> 00:23:03,483
They take more skill,
more time, and more money.
400
00:23:04,985 --> 00:23:07,188
[Jay] Building a frame
as complicated as this
401
00:23:07,288 --> 00:23:11,625
from steel would be
astronomically expensive.
402
00:23:11,725 --> 00:23:14,427
So the team looks to a material
that's even stronger,
403
00:23:14,527 --> 00:23:18,565
but also
a fraction of the price.
404
00:23:18,632 --> 00:23:20,968
[Corina] Glue-laminated timber
is made up of layers of wood
405
00:23:21,068 --> 00:23:23,570
all glued up on top
of one another.
406
00:23:24,938 --> 00:23:27,040
[Jay] The layers make it
exceptionally strong,
407
00:23:27,140 --> 00:23:29,309
but also lightweight.
408
00:23:29,977 --> 00:23:32,579
[speaking French]
409
00:23:40,120 --> 00:23:44,324
[Jay] Glulam is sustainable
and versatile.
410
00:23:44,458 --> 00:23:46,026
You can create
much longer lengths
411
00:23:46,126 --> 00:23:48,295
than with standard timber,
412
00:23:49,229 --> 00:23:52,232
and it can be transformed
into almost any shape
413
00:23:52,332 --> 00:23:53,567
thanks to technology
414
00:23:53,667 --> 00:23:56,770
which is quite literally
cutting edge.
415
00:23:56,903 --> 00:23:59,072
[music]
416
00:23:59,172 --> 00:24:01,241
[Corina] Computer-controlled
mills are a high-tech way
417
00:24:01,342 --> 00:24:02,442
of cutting timber.
418
00:24:02,543 --> 00:24:05,412
You can program the shape
that you want,
419
00:24:05,512 --> 00:24:07,614
and the machine does the work.
420
00:24:07,714 --> 00:24:10,617
[Jay] The cutting machine's
set to work creating the arches,
421
00:24:10,717 --> 00:24:15,622
each up to 100 feet wide,
uses 42,000 cubic feet
422
00:24:15,722 --> 00:24:18,892
of glue-laminated French spruce
and Douglas fir,
423
00:24:19,026 --> 00:24:20,694
all of it renewable.
424
00:24:21,461 --> 00:24:23,931
Now, the arches can be
transported to the site,
425
00:24:24,031 --> 00:24:27,368
where, like the ribs
of an enormous whale,
426
00:24:27,468 --> 00:24:29,536
the structure takes shape.
427
00:24:31,238 --> 00:24:34,174
Finally all 600 pieces
are assembled.
428
00:24:34,307 --> 00:24:36,343
[music]
429
00:24:43,917 --> 00:24:46,187
[Jay] The team now
has its next big challenge
430
00:24:46,287 --> 00:24:49,023
to grapple with.
431
00:24:49,123 --> 00:24:51,524
To create a shimmering liquid
effect,
432
00:24:51,658 --> 00:24:54,227
the architect wants to clad
the lower part of the building
433
00:24:54,327 --> 00:24:56,797
in shining aluminum,
which morphs
434
00:24:56,897 --> 00:24:59,967
into golden glass panels
on the tower.
435
00:25:00,067 --> 00:25:01,768
It's inspired by
the colors of the river,
436
00:25:01,868 --> 00:25:04,571
the sky and the surrounding
buildings.
437
00:25:12,245 --> 00:25:14,948
[Jay] Installing the facade
won't be easy, though.
438
00:25:15,048 --> 00:25:17,517
The awkward,
bulbous shape of the building
439
00:25:17,617 --> 00:25:20,487
makes access difficult.
440
00:25:21,021 --> 00:25:24,491
[speaking French]
441
00:25:36,804 --> 00:25:38,772
[Jay] To solve the problem,
the team calls in
442
00:25:38,906 --> 00:25:40,774
specialist workers.
443
00:25:55,088 --> 00:25:56,623
[Jay] They first
seal the building
444
00:25:56,723 --> 00:25:58,792
with a waterproof membrane.
445
00:26:00,961 --> 00:26:03,863
Now they must add the fixings
for the cladding.
446
00:26:03,997 --> 00:26:06,566
These have to be strong enough
to cope with high winds
447
00:26:06,666 --> 00:26:08,768
in the exposed
riverside setting.
448
00:26:18,378 --> 00:26:20,514
[Jay] But securing
the glass without spoiling
449
00:26:20,614 --> 00:26:23,216
the building's sleek look
is a tall order.
450
00:26:27,020 --> 00:26:28,989
[music]
451
00:26:29,089 --> 00:26:32,426
[Jay] In Bordeaux,
southwest France,
452
00:26:32,526 --> 00:26:34,161
the team behind
a new wine museum
453
00:26:34,228 --> 00:26:35,362
must find a way
454
00:26:35,463 --> 00:26:37,098
to fix glass panels
to the building
455
00:26:37,231 --> 00:26:39,966
without compromising
the architect's vision.
456
00:26:52,413 --> 00:26:56,049
[Jay] The elegant solution
is a specially designed system
457
00:26:56,183 --> 00:26:58,251
which holds the glass
at either side,
458
00:26:58,385 --> 00:27:01,421
but not at the top or bottom.
459
00:27:01,522 --> 00:27:05,425
It leaves each panel free
to move in response to the wind,
460
00:27:05,526 --> 00:27:09,329
without transferring any force
to the neighboring panes.
461
00:27:10,430 --> 00:27:12,465
[music]
462
00:27:19,774 --> 00:27:22,442
[Jay] First,
the aluminum goes in.
463
00:27:22,542 --> 00:27:25,145
Then comes the most
challenging part--
464
00:27:25,279 --> 00:27:29,116
installing 980 pieces of glass.
465
00:27:29,216 --> 00:27:32,052
[music]
466
00:27:32,152 --> 00:27:33,954
Each has been
specially screen printed
467
00:27:34,054 --> 00:27:36,056
with an intricate design,
468
00:27:36,157 --> 00:27:38,826
and each fits
only in the position
469
00:27:38,959 --> 00:27:40,860
it's being designed for.
470
00:27:46,400 --> 00:27:47,935
[Jay] By December 2015,
471
00:27:48,035 --> 00:27:50,637
after four months of
working around the clock,
472
00:27:50,771 --> 00:27:54,040
it's time for
the moment of truth.
473
00:27:54,140 --> 00:27:57,110
Now, though, it's not just
the complex puzzle
474
00:27:57,210 --> 00:27:59,779
they have to worry about,
but the weather, too.
475
00:28:18,498 --> 00:28:20,067
[Jay] All eyes are
on the workers
476
00:28:20,167 --> 00:28:22,069
as they lift the final piece
into place.
477
00:28:22,169 --> 00:28:24,738
[music]
478
00:28:32,813 --> 00:28:35,983
[music]
479
00:28:36,083 --> 00:28:37,517
[Jay] In June 2016,
480
00:28:37,617 --> 00:28:40,587
the museum finally
opens to the public.
481
00:28:42,289 --> 00:28:46,059
The swirling, curving facade
glitters in the Bordeaux sun,
482
00:28:46,192 --> 00:28:49,496
reflecting the waters
of the River Garonne.
483
00:28:57,637 --> 00:29:00,441
[music]
484
00:29:00,541 --> 00:29:02,943
[Jay] Inside,
the exposed timber ribs
485
00:29:03,076 --> 00:29:04,578
of the structural frame,
486
00:29:04,678 --> 00:29:06,847
reminiscent of the inside
of a ship
487
00:29:06,947 --> 00:29:09,350
or maybe a wine barrel,
488
00:29:09,450 --> 00:29:13,354
cradle 32,000 square feet
of exhibition space.
489
00:29:13,454 --> 00:29:16,857
It attracts over
390,000 visitors a year
490
00:29:16,957 --> 00:29:18,592
from all over the world.
491
00:29:18,725 --> 00:29:19,826
[music]
492
00:29:30,570 --> 00:29:34,441
[Jay] Inside, the glulam frame
that made the building possible
493
00:29:34,575 --> 00:29:36,943
is reminiscent of a wine barrel.
494
00:29:37,043 --> 00:29:41,581
It cradles 32,000 square feet
of exhibition space.
495
00:29:54,361 --> 00:30:01,668
[music]
496
00:30:04,872 --> 00:30:06,107
Asked to put together a list
497
00:30:06,207 --> 00:30:08,909
of the most stunning buildings
in the world,
498
00:30:09,009 --> 00:30:11,578
chances are it won't include
a parking garage.
499
00:30:11,678 --> 00:30:14,248
Well, that's about to change,
because down in Miami,
500
00:30:14,348 --> 00:30:16,349
there's a seven-story beauty
that not only has room
501
00:30:16,449 --> 00:30:17,751
for 300 cars,
502
00:30:17,852 --> 00:30:20,120
it also has its own shops,
restaurants,
503
00:30:20,220 --> 00:30:23,590
and a penthouse apartment
with views to die for.
504
00:30:23,723 --> 00:30:25,992
Parking has never looked
this good.
505
00:30:26,092 --> 00:30:27,694
[music]
506
00:30:27,794 --> 00:30:29,630
[Jay] What do you get when you
take a developer
507
00:30:29,763 --> 00:30:32,399
determined to make his mark,
508
00:30:32,499 --> 00:30:37,171
architects with a reputation
for building the unusual,
509
00:30:37,271 --> 00:30:39,173
and the worldwide city problem
510
00:30:39,273 --> 00:30:42,075
of too many cars
and nowhere to put them?
511
00:30:42,175 --> 00:30:47,814
[music]
512
00:30:49,650 --> 00:30:53,120
A parking garage
that's all fine lines,
513
00:30:53,254 --> 00:30:57,991
delicate angles,
and dramatic views.
514
00:30:59,526 --> 00:31:01,461
The building is incredible.
515
00:31:01,561 --> 00:31:03,997
It's possibly the most
extravagant parking garage
516
00:31:04,131 --> 00:31:06,366
I've ever seen.
517
00:31:06,466 --> 00:31:08,035
[Jay]
It's so beautiful,
518
00:31:08,135 --> 00:31:10,804
the developer decides to build
himself a penthouse apartment
519
00:31:10,904 --> 00:31:12,939
on top of it.
520
00:31:13,039 --> 00:31:15,509
But making this fragile
house of cards stand up
521
00:31:15,609 --> 00:31:18,245
was a feat of engineering.
522
00:31:18,345 --> 00:31:21,649
I would say this is the most
challenging project
523
00:31:21,749 --> 00:31:24,351
that I've done.
524
00:31:24,485 --> 00:31:25,986
[Jay] It took three years of
planning
525
00:31:26,086 --> 00:31:29,756
and $65 million to create.
526
00:31:29,856 --> 00:31:31,658
So how do they build it?
527
00:31:31,758 --> 00:31:36,864
[music]
528
00:31:36,964 --> 00:31:40,167
In the early 20th century,
the island of Miami Beach
529
00:31:40,267 --> 00:31:43,571
was a largely undeveloped
mangrove swamp.
530
00:31:43,671 --> 00:31:47,607
Then in the 1920s,
auto parts mogul Carl Fisher
531
00:31:47,708 --> 00:31:52,579
spotted its potential as a
resort for the rich and famous,
532
00:31:52,646 --> 00:31:56,683
kickstarting its transformation
into a glamorous destination
533
00:31:56,816 --> 00:31:59,986
known for its striking
Art Deco architecture.
534
00:32:00,086 --> 00:32:02,522
[music]
535
00:32:02,623 --> 00:32:05,158
[Jay] Greater Miami
and Miami Beach
536
00:32:05,225 --> 00:32:09,429
now attract about 24 million
tourists each year,
537
00:32:09,563 --> 00:32:12,066
swelling the local population,
538
00:32:12,166 --> 00:32:15,569
and having a big impact
on the streets.
539
00:32:16,503 --> 00:32:19,373
[music]
540
00:32:19,473 --> 00:32:23,410
Somebody is upset.
That's a parking issue.
541
00:32:23,911 --> 00:32:27,381
Frustrated people trying
to park.
542
00:32:27,948 --> 00:32:30,584
You can't get around Miami
without a car,
543
00:32:30,684 --> 00:32:33,353
so everyone has a car,
and then you add tourism
544
00:32:33,453 --> 00:32:36,257
to the mix and you've got
a situation where
545
00:32:36,357 --> 00:32:41,895
parking becomes nearly
impossible.
546
00:32:41,995 --> 00:32:43,664
[Jay] So when developer
Robert Wennett
547
00:32:43,764 --> 00:32:46,634
snaps up a plot of land
on Miami Beach,
548
00:32:46,734 --> 00:32:50,471
he sees it as the perfect place
for a parking garage.
549
00:32:50,537 --> 00:32:54,908
But to do it justice, he decides
to create something unexpected.
550
00:32:55,008 --> 00:32:57,210
Parking is like a warehouse
for cars.
551
00:32:57,344 --> 00:33:00,114
How do I make parking
super interesting?
552
00:33:00,214 --> 00:33:02,549
And that was really
the architectural brief
553
00:33:02,649 --> 00:33:04,785
that I started out with.
554
00:33:04,885 --> 00:33:07,388
[Jay] Then, as Wennett
gets to know the site,
555
00:33:07,488 --> 00:33:10,591
his vision becomes even bolder.
556
00:33:10,691 --> 00:33:12,326
[Robert] When I went
to the project, I thought,
557
00:33:12,426 --> 00:33:14,495
"Wow, this is the most
spectacular view
558
00:33:14,595 --> 00:33:16,664
I've ever seen in the city."
559
00:33:16,764 --> 00:33:19,199
So I thought, "Well, this would
be an incredible project
560
00:33:19,299 --> 00:33:22,602
to put my house on top of the--
on top of the garage."
561
00:33:22,702 --> 00:33:25,605
[music]
562
00:33:25,739 --> 00:33:27,641
[Jay] To help realize his
vision,
563
00:33:27,774 --> 00:33:31,812
Wennett looks 4,800 miles away
to Switzerland,
564
00:33:31,946 --> 00:33:34,281
home to Herzog and de Meuron,
565
00:33:34,381 --> 00:33:38,919
the architects responsible for
the Beijing Olympic Stadium
566
00:33:39,019 --> 00:33:41,188
and the Jenga Tower in New York.
567
00:33:41,288 --> 00:33:43,657
They relish the challenge.
568
00:33:43,757 --> 00:33:45,526
It's parking.
It's about movement.
569
00:33:45,626 --> 00:33:47,728
You have technical requirements
for spaces,
570
00:33:47,828 --> 00:33:49,896
but not that much else,
571
00:33:49,996 --> 00:33:53,500
so we were allowed to really
be experimental.
572
00:33:53,600 --> 00:33:55,602
[music]
573
00:33:55,702 --> 00:33:57,805
[Jay] That might be something of
an understatement,
574
00:33:57,938 --> 00:34:01,341
because while it will have space
for 300 cars,
575
00:34:01,442 --> 00:34:03,944
the design's similarities
with your average parking garage
576
00:34:04,044 --> 00:34:06,780
stop there.
577
00:34:06,880 --> 00:34:08,682
First, they need
to create foundations
578
00:34:08,782 --> 00:34:12,853
to support the garage
on what is a former swamp.
579
00:34:12,987 --> 00:34:16,023
Next, the seven super thin
concrete floors
580
00:34:16,156 --> 00:34:19,193
will need to be strong enough
to carry the cars,
581
00:34:19,293 --> 00:34:22,730
tough enough to survive
Miami's corrosive climate,
582
00:34:22,830 --> 00:34:26,467
and beautiful enough to fulfill
the architect's vision.
583
00:34:26,567 --> 00:34:28,502
Somehow, the slender,
sloping columns
584
00:34:28,602 --> 00:34:31,605
will have to hold up
the floors above.
585
00:34:32,506 --> 00:34:35,642
On top, they'll add
almost 6,500 square feet
586
00:34:35,742 --> 00:34:37,210
of incredible penthouse,
587
00:34:37,344 --> 00:34:41,348
complete with
a garden and a pool.
588
00:34:41,482 --> 00:34:43,550
Creating this beautiful,
precarious-looking
589
00:34:43,650 --> 00:34:48,088
house of cards will be
a serious test for the team.
590
00:34:50,090 --> 00:34:54,995
When we first saw the design,
we see these thin slabs,
591
00:34:55,062 --> 00:34:59,499
long cantilevers,
columns which were going
592
00:34:59,599 --> 00:35:01,368
in different directions.
593
00:35:01,468 --> 00:35:05,205
And our original thought was,
594
00:35:05,305 --> 00:35:09,510
"Okay, this is going to be
a tough one."
595
00:35:09,610 --> 00:35:12,880
[Jay] It's now 2008, and
before they even break ground,
596
00:35:12,980 --> 00:35:15,116
the whole project
gets even tougher.
597
00:35:15,249 --> 00:35:17,918
[phones ringing]
[people shouting]
598
00:35:19,352 --> 00:35:22,656
[Jay] When the world is gripped
by a financial crisis.
599
00:35:22,789 --> 00:35:25,892
Miami is one of the cities
that was most impacted
600
00:35:25,959 --> 00:35:27,661
by the financial crash,
and there were foreclosures
601
00:35:27,795 --> 00:35:29,596
all over the place.
602
00:35:29,696 --> 00:35:34,068
You know, it was this place,
this feeling of-of uncertainty
603
00:35:34,168 --> 00:35:37,871
about what the future held
for the city.
604
00:35:37,938 --> 00:35:39,306
[Jay] Developer
Robert Wennett
605
00:35:39,439 --> 00:35:42,376
has already committed millions
to the project.
606
00:35:42,476 --> 00:35:44,778
Now the stakes are even higher.
607
00:35:44,911 --> 00:35:46,647
[Robert] There's no construction
whatsoever going on.
608
00:35:46,780 --> 00:35:48,315
And nobody was leasing anything.
609
00:35:48,449 --> 00:35:50,684
And it was one of the most
risky times.
610
00:35:50,784 --> 00:35:52,486
[Dr. Mabry] It must have been
terrifying.
611
00:35:52,619 --> 00:35:54,387
At that moment in time,
612
00:35:54,488 --> 00:35:58,658
construction was almost
at a standstill.
613
00:35:58,758 --> 00:36:02,363
Basically, you know, I had
all of my net worth at risk.
614
00:36:02,463 --> 00:36:04,131
And if the project failed,
615
00:36:04,231 --> 00:36:05,866
then I probably
would have been bankrupt.
616
00:36:05,999 --> 00:36:08,702
[music]
617
00:36:08,802 --> 00:36:10,237
[Jay]
Despite the enormous risk,
618
00:36:10,337 --> 00:36:13,440
construction begins
on the foundations.
619
00:36:13,540 --> 00:36:15,543
They need to be strong enough
not just to hold the weight
620
00:36:15,676 --> 00:36:19,880
of the building,
but also 300 cars.
621
00:36:19,980 --> 00:36:22,049
On a site
that used to be a swamp,
622
00:36:22,183 --> 00:36:24,752
that's a problem.
623
00:36:24,852 --> 00:36:28,656
The soil had, you know,
quite a bit of sand.
624
00:36:28,756 --> 00:36:33,593
It also had lime rock,
but that lime rock formation
625
00:36:33,693 --> 00:36:38,299
was not really strong enough.
626
00:36:38,399 --> 00:36:41,535
[Jay] Shallow foundations
are out of the question.
627
00:36:41,635 --> 00:36:45,038
They drill down 40 feet until
they hit anything strong enough
628
00:36:45,172 --> 00:36:48,274
to support the foundation piles.
629
00:36:48,375 --> 00:36:52,145
But even these deep piles
won't be enough on their own.
630
00:36:52,246 --> 00:36:54,214
[Corina] The architects have
designed the parking garage
631
00:36:54,348 --> 00:36:56,350
with a minimal number
of columns.
632
00:36:56,450 --> 00:36:59,586
And each column
channeling weight far more
633
00:36:59,686 --> 00:37:03,090
than a single pile could hold.
634
00:37:03,224 --> 00:37:04,891
[Jay] The engineers
decide the solution
635
00:37:04,991 --> 00:37:07,427
is to create a pile cap.
636
00:37:07,561 --> 00:37:10,464
[Tanya] One pile is not enough,
so you have to have four,
637
00:37:10,597 --> 00:37:13,233
five, or six piles
for each column.
638
00:37:13,333 --> 00:37:16,837
That load needs to go
into these five piles.
639
00:37:16,937 --> 00:37:18,506
How do you do that?
640
00:37:18,572 --> 00:37:22,276
You transfer it by putting that
cap over that group of piles.
641
00:37:22,376 --> 00:37:26,080
And that's what
we call a pile cap.
642
00:37:26,213 --> 00:37:27,948
[Jay] The pile cap
may have overcome the problem
643
00:37:28,082 --> 00:37:30,484
of the foundations,
644
00:37:30,584 --> 00:37:33,120
but now the real
challenge begins.
645
00:37:33,254 --> 00:37:38,191
In 2009, they're ready to start
work on the garage itself.
646
00:37:38,292 --> 00:37:41,929
The architects have chosen
exposed concrete for the finish,
647
00:37:42,029 --> 00:37:45,999
but getting that right is
fraught with problems.
648
00:37:46,099 --> 00:37:48,602
In Miami,
you have high temperatures,
649
00:37:48,702 --> 00:37:51,405
which can cause the concrete
to rapidly dry,
650
00:37:51,538 --> 00:37:54,074
and that will make it crack.
651
00:37:54,174 --> 00:37:57,611
But you're also right next
to the Atlantic Ocean,
652
00:37:57,744 --> 00:38:00,347
so you have a lot of salt
in the air,
653
00:38:00,447 --> 00:38:04,351
which would cause it
to crumble and deteriorate.
654
00:38:04,451 --> 00:38:06,820
[Jay] Overcoming both
of these problems means crafting
655
00:38:06,920 --> 00:38:09,823
a special concrete mix
for the build.
656
00:38:09,923 --> 00:38:11,592
[Dr. Mabry] There's an art
to concrete
657
00:38:11,692 --> 00:38:13,660
that most people don't realize.
658
00:38:13,760 --> 00:38:17,898
First, they need to reduce
the water-to-cement ratio,
659
00:38:17,998 --> 00:38:21,101
which means less evaporation
and shrinkage.
660
00:38:21,201 --> 00:38:23,437
And if they add fly ash,
661
00:38:23,537 --> 00:38:27,274
it reacts with the calcium
hydroxide and stops damp,
662
00:38:27,374 --> 00:38:30,544
salty air from penetrating
the structure.
663
00:38:31,845 --> 00:38:34,248
[Jay] But even once
they've perfected the mix,
664
00:38:34,348 --> 00:38:37,418
having the finished building
and exposed concrete
665
00:38:37,518 --> 00:38:39,920
means there's nowhere to hide.
666
00:38:40,020 --> 00:38:43,357
Once they pour concrete,
there's nothing we can do.
667
00:38:43,491 --> 00:38:45,659
Any mistake,
nobody will forgive it,
668
00:38:45,759 --> 00:38:49,029
because you will always
see all the fixing
669
00:38:49,129 --> 00:38:51,298
and attempts to rectify it,
670
00:38:51,398 --> 00:38:54,535
it just was not--
it was out of question.
671
00:38:54,668 --> 00:38:57,137
[Jay] With so much riding
on the perfect concrete finish,
672
00:38:57,270 --> 00:39:00,007
the architects leave
nothing to chance,
673
00:39:00,140 --> 00:39:02,676
often visiting the site
to inspect the finish.
674
00:39:02,776 --> 00:39:04,912
I still feel nervous.
675
00:39:05,045 --> 00:39:07,147
I mean, everything was
important, the color,
676
00:39:07,247 --> 00:39:09,216
how are we gonna do that
edge of slab,
677
00:39:09,316 --> 00:39:11,151
how is that pipe going in there.
678
00:39:11,218 --> 00:39:15,389
I thought what we think is good
may not be good enough for them.
679
00:39:15,489 --> 00:39:20,227
[music]
680
00:39:20,327 --> 00:39:23,831
Looking at what it looks like,
there were tiny little
681
00:39:23,931 --> 00:39:25,932
air pockets,
682
00:39:26,066 --> 00:39:27,701
and this is where we thought,
683
00:39:27,801 --> 00:39:30,704
"Oh my God,
I think architects,
684
00:39:30,838 --> 00:39:32,572
I think they're going
to kill us."
685
00:39:37,377 --> 00:39:38,312
[music]
686
00:39:38,412 --> 00:39:39,613
[Jay] In Miami,
687
00:39:39,747 --> 00:39:42,015
work is underway
on a parking garage
688
00:39:42,082 --> 00:39:45,151
designed to look like a
beautiful house of cards.
689
00:39:46,520 --> 00:39:49,356
The team is anxiously waiting
for the architects' verdict
690
00:39:49,456 --> 00:39:54,028
on the concrete,
which contains tiny air bubbles.
691
00:39:54,128 --> 00:39:57,097
They came and said, "We like it.
It looks more real."
692
00:39:57,197 --> 00:40:00,500
And I thought, "Wow, I thought
they're gonna say this is bad."
693
00:40:00,600 --> 00:40:02,903
[music]
694
00:40:03,003 --> 00:40:04,338
[Jay]
With the ground floor in,
695
00:40:04,438 --> 00:40:06,573
and the concrete signed off,
the team prepares
696
00:40:06,673 --> 00:40:11,378
for the complicated job
of pouring the floor above.
697
00:40:11,479 --> 00:40:12,746
[Jay] The design
calls for the floors
698
00:40:12,846 --> 00:40:15,449
to be delicately thin.
699
00:40:15,549 --> 00:40:18,919
That has to be done right,
and a lot of thought
700
00:40:19,019 --> 00:40:21,755
has to be put into
the thickness of the slab.
701
00:40:21,888 --> 00:40:24,991
You know, post tensioning
was really the only solution.
702
00:40:25,091 --> 00:40:27,461
[music]
703
00:40:27,561 --> 00:40:29,630
[Corina] Post tensioning
is a really clever way
704
00:40:29,763 --> 00:40:31,831
of making super thin floors.
705
00:40:31,931 --> 00:40:35,302
First, the steel cables are laid
and anchored at each end.
706
00:40:35,402 --> 00:40:38,572
Then you pour the concrete
on top.
707
00:40:38,672 --> 00:40:42,175
Once the concrete dries,
the steel cables are stretched
708
00:40:42,276 --> 00:40:46,246
and tightened, which applies
a really strong amount of force
709
00:40:46,346 --> 00:40:50,784
to the concrete slab,
making it stronger.
710
00:40:50,917 --> 00:40:54,187
[Jay] The next challenge
is creating the columns.
711
00:40:54,287 --> 00:40:55,522
The architects' design
712
00:40:55,589 --> 00:40:59,193
demands they're different shapes
and sizes.
713
00:40:59,293 --> 00:41:02,396
[Tanya] Each column was
designed individually.
714
00:41:02,496 --> 00:41:04,831
They're non-typical, right?
So every column was designed
715
00:41:04,932 --> 00:41:09,403
based on the load
which it was supporting.
716
00:41:09,469 --> 00:41:11,105
[Jay] The amount
of reinforcement
717
00:41:11,205 --> 00:41:13,006
and exactly where to place it
718
00:41:13,106 --> 00:41:17,344
has to be meticulously
calculated for each column.
719
00:41:17,444 --> 00:41:21,014
Getting it wrong could prove
disastrous.
720
00:41:21,148 --> 00:41:24,551
[Dr. Mabry] If any of the steel
reinforcements ends up exposed,
721
00:41:24,651 --> 00:41:27,655
it won't only ruin the finished
look of the building,
722
00:41:27,755 --> 00:41:30,524
but it will also be corroded
by the salty air,
723
00:41:30,657 --> 00:41:34,961
weakening the structure
and leading to collapse.
724
00:41:36,663 --> 00:41:38,865
[Jay] With everything riding on
the project,
725
00:41:38,965 --> 00:41:40,700
developer Robert Wennett
is on site
726
00:41:40,834 --> 00:41:43,804
to ensure that doesn't happen.
727
00:41:43,904 --> 00:41:48,074
Robert was quite meticulous.
I would say that.
728
00:41:48,175 --> 00:41:53,013
I was there 24/7 from basically,
the time we started construction
729
00:41:53,147 --> 00:41:56,484
until we delivered the project.
730
00:41:56,617 --> 00:42:00,020
The project represented
everything about my career
731
00:42:00,120 --> 00:42:03,223
in this one moment of time.
732
00:42:03,357 --> 00:42:07,628
And so, you know,
I just couldn't let it fail.
733
00:42:07,728 --> 00:42:09,930
[Jay] As each floor is safely
completed,
734
00:42:10,030 --> 00:42:12,199
Wennett can start to relax.
735
00:42:12,299 --> 00:42:14,268
Once the garage started
taking shape, you know,
736
00:42:14,368 --> 00:42:18,338
you could really see that this
is something super unique.
737
00:42:18,438 --> 00:42:19,973
[Jay]
Against all the odds,
738
00:42:20,073 --> 00:42:21,308
the risk of bankruptcy,
739
00:42:21,375 --> 00:42:24,044
the sleek design
challenging the engineers,
740
00:42:24,144 --> 00:42:26,079
in spring 2010,
741
00:42:26,213 --> 00:42:29,049
the extraordinary garage
is finished.
742
00:42:29,850 --> 00:42:35,155
[music]
743
00:42:35,255 --> 00:42:38,892
This project is very special
for me, personally.
744
00:42:39,025 --> 00:42:43,397
In the end, we can all be proud
of what we worked on.
745
00:42:43,530 --> 00:42:45,399
[music]
746
00:42:45,533 --> 00:42:47,367
Out of all the parking garages
I've been in,
747
00:42:47,468 --> 00:42:50,204
this is by far
the coolest in the world.
748
00:42:50,304 --> 00:42:52,339
[Jay] The elegant building
changes the perception
749
00:42:52,439 --> 00:42:54,875
of what parking garages can be.
750
00:42:54,975 --> 00:42:57,344
Costing $30 a day to park,
751
00:42:57,410 --> 00:43:00,814
it delivers a truly
unique experience.
752
00:43:00,914 --> 00:43:06,320
[music]
753
00:43:06,420 --> 00:43:09,055
The most special thing
is being able to go up
754
00:43:09,122 --> 00:43:12,659
to the seventh floor.
And there is, from all angles,
755
00:43:12,792 --> 00:43:17,965
you can see pretty much
the entire South Beach.
756
00:43:18,065 --> 00:43:20,233
The fact that we really weren't
building a normal parking garage
757
00:43:20,334 --> 00:43:24,638
was, I think, both the challenge
and the extraordinary success
758
00:43:24,771 --> 00:43:27,507
of this project.
759
00:43:27,607 --> 00:43:29,743
[Jay] The garage is crowned by
the most incredible
760
00:43:29,843 --> 00:43:32,279
seven-bedroom penthouse.
761
00:43:33,447 --> 00:43:37,785
Complete with landscaped
garden and a pool.
762
00:43:37,885 --> 00:43:41,989
The architects were involved
in every detail of the design.
763
00:43:42,089 --> 00:43:45,292
The great thing about that
penthouse is that in this very
764
00:43:45,392 --> 00:43:48,829
raw concrete expression,
there's this kind of jewel box
765
00:43:48,929 --> 00:43:53,033
that sits above
the parking garage.
766
00:43:53,133 --> 00:43:55,969
[Jay] A home
as unexpected and beautiful
767
00:43:56,103 --> 00:43:58,271
as the structure it sits upon.
768
00:43:58,371 --> 00:44:04,277
[music]
769
00:44:07,481 --> 00:44:13,653
[music]
770
00:44:34,542 --> 00:44:36,710
♪ MTV ♪