New exterior walls and roofing had to be planned in phases to coincide with structural demolition and construction of new structure. Several areas were temporarily braced until they could be permanently tied into new structure months later. Just prior to the mass excavation and underground utility phase of the project, the team noticed that the location of the Georgia Power duct bank differed from where it was shown on the drawings. The civil engineer, structural engineer, architect and Georgia Power collaborated to come up with a plan for shoring up the duct bank so crews could excavate for the building.

Photo by Rick Holliday

The team conducted extensive 3D scans of the existing aquarium, including plenum spaces and locations where new MEP systems would be tied in. The team also imported 3D progress photos into its BIM model for planning, scheduling and material verification discussions. The VDC department simulated multiple critical picks and locations with concerns related to overhead clearance. All of the concrete rebates for the acrylic windows in the shark tank were compared against the model from the acrylic supplier to pinpoint any issues. This enabled the team to resolve any conflicts prior to the delivery of the acrylic panels.