The Shed

World-Class Doors for a
New York City Cultural Icon

Ellison Bronze, manufacturer of premier custom balanced doors for commercial entrances around the world, recently provided 16 extruded aluminum narrow stile doors, painted black, for New York City’s latest, most innovative cultural space, The Shed. The Shed organization commissions works of art and hosts performances for both budding and well-known artists and entertainers from New York City and beyond.

The Shed, which has become the iconic portion of the larger structure known as The Bloomberg Building, is a cultural and performing arts center located in Hudson Yards, Manhattan, New York City. The building is adjoined to the lower levels of 15 Hudson Yards, a high-end residential skyscraper nested in the southwest corner of the Hudson Yards complex.

The West 30th Street main vestibule entrance of The Shed, designed by Diller Scofidio + Renfro and developed by facade specialist CS Facades, is located under the High Line park and features six pairs of Ellison custom balanced doors that give entrance to the main building lobby space. Ellison also has two additional entries with sidelights that lead to The McCourt and other event spaces within the building’s upper levels.

“The Shed project was years of planning with some of New York’s most prominent developers, cultural representatives, and philanthropic socialites,” says Joe Dai, President of Mackenzie Door Company, the team responsible for installing the doors. “Ellison balanced doors are the only door on the market that could meet the high expectations of this modern architectural marvel.”

The main entrance vestibule slopes at a negative angle inward from the exterior, with the final termination point over the interior Ellison doors. This challenge of the exterior entryways being taller than those of the interior was overcome through meticulous coordination and engineering between CS Facades, Ellison, and Mackenzie to ensure proper clearances were achieved.

Mackenzie Door Company has represented Ellison Bronze for over 50 years. Together, the two companies have grown hand-in-hand, bonded by an unwavering commitment to quality, workmanship, and dedication to providing the world’s best balanced door and marquee entrance systems.

Another key player on The Shed project team, CS Facades, specializes in the design, supply, and installation of high-end customized curtain wall systems. The company, which is under the umbrella of the Cimolai Group, is based in Italy and operates worldwide, especially in the United States where they delivered the iconic envelope solution for The Shed

The company provided 56,000 sq. ft. of fixed building cladding for The Shed – an overall system inclusive of cable wall and mullion systems, glazed skylights, a front shop, canopy, windows and doors, and 10,000 additional sq. ft. of lower glazed doors for the movable portion of The McCourt plaza. The Shed’s notable retractable shell is constructed of steel and lightweight ETFE plastic “bubbles” that offer the benefits of traditional insulating glass without the weight. The shell opens and closes on eight metal wheels similar to that of a train—a nod to the Hudson Rail Yards over which The Shed is built.

“The architects’ visual concept and site conditions required precise engineering of all curtain wall components,” says Alessandro Zanon, Head of Project Management at CS Facades. “We’re glad to have worked with such a proactive and highly skilled company like Ellison Bronze—their balanced door know-how and technical and management teams’ assistance were a huge help.”

The aluminum balanced doors are factory glazed with 9/16” low-iron laminated glass. Two doors at the main entry are equipped with PowerNow® Stanley® Magic-Force™ low-energy concealed overhead power operators which meet the latest ADA standards.

The big and bold Ellison balanced doors are ideal for high-profile projects like The Shed. Not only do they complement impressive architectural designs, but their innovative construction and effortless operation suit high-traffic spaces better than any other commercial entryway. In addition, Ellison balanced doors are completely warranted for 10 years. In the unlikely event of a malfunction, parts are free for the first decade of use.

“It was a great experience to be part of this never-before-done superstructure,” adds Dai. “With over 100 years of proven quality and use, Ellison and The Shed will have a long, storied history together.”

Ellison provides detailed record keeping and full warranties on each door they manufacture, which is important when considering their extensive lifespan. All Ellison custom balanced doors are imprinted with an individual project number to aid in easy tracking and maintenance. In addition, all balanced hardware components are machined in-house, so replacements are readily available.

The Ellison team continually emphasizes quality control and unrivaled performance, which is why each door including all balance hardware mechanisms—are cast, crafted, formed, and uniquely construction from the finest choice of materials at Ellison’s facility in Falconer, NY.

The Shed officially opened on April 5, 2019. In addition to Ellison Bronze, the project team included door installer Mackenzie Door Company; facade subcontractor CS Facades; lead architect Diller Scofidio + Renfro; and collaborating architect Rockwell Group.

Photos: Timothy Schenck