As structural engineers, we hold steel in high regard for its unparalleled strength, durability, and exceptional value. However, steel’s versatility in architectural design often goes unrecognized, resigned to conventional boxy structures. To break free from these constraining perceptions, we curated a collection of the most extraordinary steel structures in North America. Join us on a journey as we celebrate our passion for the limitless possibilities of steel in architecture.
Walt Disney Concert Hall
Los Angeles, CA
Renowned as one of the most acoustically sophisticated buildings in the world, the Walt Disney Concert Hall intertwines undulating forms, partitions, and a curved, billowing ceiling to create a visually and auditory intimate environment that symbolizes musical movement.
The hall features an expansive open interior with dramatic and distinctive architectural elements eschewing columns thanks to its large 165,000 sf cold-formed steel framing.
Brooklyn Bridge
New York, New York
This 19th-century masterpiece of engineering innovation pioneered the use of twisted steel for cable wire and using explosives to create the caisson. When built, it was the largest suspension bridge in the world.
Because of these first and that it arguably inspired more art than any other manmade structure in the United States, this testament to steel is called the “Eighth Wonder of the Modern World”.
A quirky historical footnote, in 1884, New Yorkers witnessed 21 elephants escape their circus tent and cross this infamous bridge.
Barclays Center
New York, New York
This multi-purpose arena’s aggressive form, trend-setting color, and overall scale quickly became a bold symbol of “New Brooklyn”.
The façade’s distinctive brown hue is not painted, it is 12,000 individual pieces of “weathering steel” that spurred an urban architectural design trend, while providing additional moisture resistance.
This urban icon holds 17,732 seats for Brooklyn Nets games and includes two bus elevators.
Spaceship Earth
Orlando, Florida
At the entrance of EPCOT in Walt Disney World, stands a colossal oblong sphere. As the world’s first geodesic sphere, it towers 180 feet tall with a diameter of 165 feet, weighing a staggering 16 million pounds.
Spaceship Earth is not merely a single structure. An interior shell just 2’ away houses the iconic 15-minute-long dark ride.
This massive sphere utilizes 1,700 tons of steel, incorporating a steel box-shaped ring at its perimeter, supported by six legs.
The Sphere
Las Vegas, Nevada
This extraordinary, one-of-a-kind sphere features the world’s largest LED screen with an array of 16,000 panels enveloping the 366’ tall by 516’ wide structure.
Inside you’ll encounter the mesmerizing 580,000 sf 270⁰ curved screen, illuminated by 1.2 million small LED clusters. 1,600 cutting-edge speakers are positioned to project sound directly to all 17,600 seats, each enhanced with haptics to add a tactile sense to the unparalleled immersive show.
Overall, the structure utilizes 28,000 tons of steel, including 32 trusses providing an unobstructed, column-free view for the audience. A massive 730-ton steel interior frame supports the expansive interior frame and audio systems.
Montreal Biodôme
Montreal, Canada
Originally built as the velodrome for the 1976 Olympic Games, this innovative biodome is a self-sustaining, human-made environment that is part zoo, botanical garden, and natural history museum. Inside this “house of life” are four meticulously recreated climate and bio zones that
contain over 2,500 animals and 800 plant species in environments emulating their natural habitats.
This dynamic structure features a protective plastic skin stretched across cylindrical steel tubes, seamlessly blending form with function.
Disney’s Tree of Life
Orlando, Florida
This icon centerpiece of Walt Disney World’s Animal Kingdom stands 145’ tall and is 50’ wide at the base and was remarkably built using a recycled, upside-down steel oil rig. Inside, you’ll discover a lively theater with a captivating interactive 4D show.
The entire structure utilizes 430 tons of structural and miscellaneous steel showcasing 337 existing and extinct animals intricately carved into 52 steel-and-wire mesh sections. Additionally, the tree extends out to over 8,000 branches with an astonishing 102,583 manmade leaves, each over 1 foot in length.
Floating Mountains of Pandora
Orlando, Florida
Disney’s visionary creation of the immersive land of Pandora is epitomized by the iconic floating mountains of the Valley of Mo’ara.
Inside these mountains lies a robust steel superstructure, concealed with a thin steel mesh and concrete shell that artists meticulously shaped to mimic the rugged contours of real rocks.
The large vines connecting the rocks hide large steel beams supporting the mountains to create the appearance that the mountains are floating. Artists enhanced the illusion by wrapping them with actual vines for a truly organic look.
The peak of the structure tops out at 156’ (15+ stories) and Disney Imagineers used forced perspective techniques to expand the illusion of depth by scaling down the size of distant peaks.
At night, the entire area enchantingly glows with bioluminescent technology.
Gateway Arch
St. Louis, Missouri
Rising to 630 feet (192 meters), this tall stainless steel catenary arch stands as a symbol of St. Louis’s role as the “Gateway to the West”.
Constructed in 1965, this iconic mid-century design holds the distinction of being the world’s largest arch and the tallest monument in the Western Hemisphere. This is a groundbreaking achievement, as a catenary arch has never been built at such scale, making this a true marvel of steel construction.
Clad in resilient 6.3mm thick grade 304 stainless steel, the arch’s interior skin comprises sturdy 3/8-inch-thick A-7 carbon steel, which increases to 1-3/4 inches in the corners to enhance structural rigidity. Each leg of the arch forms an equilateral triangle, with sides measuring 54 feet at ground level, tapering to 17 feet at the apex. Inside, a tram takes visitors to the breathtaking views at the top of the arch.
Allegiant Stadium
Las Vegas, Nevada
Housing 65,000 seats, this architectural marvel includes a retractable natural turf field, the largest retractable lanai doors in the world with views of the renowned Las Vegas Strip, and a translucent roof that can be opened during nice weather. Outside the stadium, the largest outdoor marque in professional football spans 27,600 sf.
Contractors built this monumental venue, comprised of 28,000 tons of structural steel, 105,000 cubic yards of concrete, and 482,000 structural bolts, in just 40 months and to LEED Gold standards.
Mercedes-Benz Stadium
Atlanta, Georgia
Renowned for its distinctive design, this architectural marvel features a remarkable 14-acre retractable roof reminiscent of a camera shutter. Comprising eight ETFE petals, each weighing an impressive 500 tons, this innovative roof can seamlessly close in less than 10 minutes.
The stadium’s sides showcase a striking juxtaposition of transparent ETFE panels and metal panels. The west side boasts a breathtaking 16-story tall, 22,500 square-foot floor-to-ceiling cityscape view,
In total, the stadium utilizes 27,000 tons of steel to merge structural strength and visual splendor. Inside, a fixed roof weighing 18,000 tons supports a monumental 360-degree halo video board, standing over 60 feet tall, and the entire venue is powered by 4,000 solar PV panels.
The hall features an expansive open interior with dramatic and distinctive architectural elements eschewing columns thanks to its large 165,000 sf cold-formed steel framing.
As you can see, these structures demonstrate the boundless creativity and versatility that steel offers architects to bring their concepts to reality. From colossal spheres to floating mountains and larger-than-life trees, these unique structures exemplify the extraordinary shapes and forms that can be achieved with steel. As architects continue to push the boundaries of innovation, steel remains a steadfast foundation for realizing their boldest visions and shaping the skylines of tomorrow.
REX Engineering Group provides innovative solutions utilizing our expertise in structural, MEP, and steel connection engineering for projects across the United States. Learn more about our capabilities, state licenses, and past projects by visiting our website at www.REXeg.com.
