Renewal of the Great Flight Bird Aviary at the National Zoo

Scaffold Resource was chosen for the shoring of the Bird House for selective demolition and the restoration of the Great Aviary Flight Exhibit. Systems Scaffold was built at the perimeter and center mast, and the use of swing stages to run on cables to access the horizontal netting. The scaffold accessed all of the superstructure for blasting and repainting. The cable system from the Spire to the exterior support ring provided connections for the swings so workers could remove and replace the roof netting. As the structure is realistic to nature and the true aviary environment, great care was taken during installation to navigate the rock structure and simulated natural habitat of the Aviary.

As the project progressed, Scaffold Resource designed a custom engineered system to temporarily brace the Spire for repairs and installed a cable shoring system which attached to a fabricated ring on the Spire and eventually terminated to concrete loads bases for support on transferred loads. A rigging system was also designed and installed to remove the cone from the Spire to safe transfer. This astonishing project reflected the care and consideration taken to preserve the birds’ natural habitat.