Parabolic Benches Fairly Dance in a Rooftop Garden
**PARABOLIC BENCHES FAIRLY DANCE
IN A ROOFTOP GARDEN**
SPECIES FEATURED IN THIS ARTICLE: IPE FIND INFORMATION ON THIS AND ADDITIONAL SPECIES AT WWW.IWPAWOOD.ORG
Despite COVID-19 and other challenges, precise coordination throughout the entire value chain enabled these three graceful parabolic benches to grace the rooftop garden of a high-rise corporate office building in Manhattan.
The benches were crafted and assembled by J. Gibson McIlvain Co., a family run operation currently headed by President Caroline McIlvain, who marks a seventh generation of family ownership. Each curvilinear bench consists of a series of 2” thick Ipe slats joined together and installed into a steel frame. Every one of the 1700 pieces of Ipe used in the project is unique, distinct, routed to its own specifications and then joined to another piece and to the steel frame.
Sourcing the thicker Ipe was tough, given current market demand for decking materials. Fortunately, the J. Gibson McIlvain Company enjoys long, enduring relationships with suppliers throughout South America, and was able to obtain the relatively rare 2” Ipe through its network of sawmills. The geographic sourcing range accounts for the color variations that further enhance the appeal of the benches, as variations in altitude, rainfall, and soil composition all influence the color and character of wood.
“The subtle but critical differences in every single piece called for some really creative millworking,” said Shannon Rogers, McIlvain’s marketing manager. “We used our CNC to shape and join the over 1700 parts, but the complicated milling process was only one of the challenges.
“Because Ipe is a very oily wood, we needed a specially formulated glue that would hold up in rough exterior conditions. Then, each piece had to be packed and crated in sequence for assembly on-site because of the massive size of the assembled benches. Also, although COVID-19 did not have an outsized impact on shop production, the pandemic affected logistics and slowed down transportation, particularly in the vicinity of NYC.
“We are so proud of this project. I don’t believe there is another company that could have done this project in-house from end to end as we did,” said Rogers. “It was precision in every phase of execution and relationships throughout the value chain that enabled this project to come to fruition.”
***Ipe was selected for its *robustness,durability,and stability as well as its beauty.Another key selection criteria was that Ipe’s T/R (tangential to radial) ratio is essentially 1, meaning that it is extremely stable. Because of the precision*routing,
Frequently asked questions
What wood species was used for the parabolic benches on the Manhattan rooftop garden?+
The benches were crafted from 2-inch thick Ipe slats. Ipe was selected for its robustness, durability, stability, and beauty, as well as its tangential-to-radial ratio of essentially 1, which makes it extremely stable.
Who fabricated the parabolic Ipe benches?+
The benches were crafted and assembled by J. Gibson McIlvain Co., a family-run operation currently headed by President Caroline McIlvain, representing the seventh generation of family ownership.
How many pieces of Ipe were used in the parabolic bench project?+
Each bench consists of a series of 2-inch thick Ipe slats joined together and installed into a steel frame. Over 1,700 unique pieces of Ipe were used, each routed to its own specifications.
Why was sourcing 2-inch thick Ipe difficult for this project?+
Thicker Ipe was hard to obtain because of current market demand for decking materials. J. Gibson McIlvain was able to secure the relatively rare 2-inch Ipe through its long-standing network of sawmill suppliers throughout South America.
What causes the color variations in the Ipe used for the benches?+
The geographic sourcing range across South America accounts for the color variations. Differences in altitude, rainfall, and soil composition all influence the color and character of the wood.
What challenges did working with Ipe present during fabrication?+
Because Ipe is a very oily wood, a specially formulated glue was required to hold up in rough exterior conditions. The complex milling of over 1,700 unique parts was handled on a CNC, and each piece had to be packed and crated in sequence for on-site assembly due to the massive size of the benches.
How did COVID-19 impact the parabolic bench project?+
The pandemic did not have an outsized impact on shop production, but it affected logistics and slowed transportation, particularly in the vicinity of New York City.