Structural repairs to fire-damaged Guastavino tile vaults at Grand Central Terminal’s Oyster Bar

The fireproof character of Guastavino vaults, one of the major characteristics of their structure, has been demonstrated on several occasions over the past hundred and twenty years. The firm of Robert Silman Associates has verified the versatility and solidity of these vaults in several restoration...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Robert Silman
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Universitat Politècnica de València 2007-12-01
Series:Loggia, Arquitectura & Restauración
Online Access:https://polipapers.upv.es/index.php/loggia/article/view/3205
Description
Summary:The fireproof character of Guastavino vaults, one of the major characteristics of their structure, has been demonstrated on several occasions over the past hundred and twenty years. The firm of Robert Silman Associates has verified the versatility and solidity of these vaults in several restoration works. This article deals with the fire that broke out on 29th June 1997 in the Oyster Bar at Grand Central Station, which did not impair the structural integrity of the Guastavino vaults so that only cosmetic repairs to the lowest layer of tiles were required.
ISSN:1136-758X