Canary Wharf HSBC skyscraper signage installation
Braving the dizzying heights the Tara Signs installation crew installed the supersized illuminated HSBC letter signage at an impressive 656ft height.
The iconic signage stands at 5m high and is 30m long. Using in total over 4 miles of LED lighting. Let's put this into perspective - only the blue whale, the largest living creature comes close to the size of the sign, at around 30m in length and 4-6m in height - as a result the supersized sign is 'as big as a whale'!
To engineer and install supersized letters at this extreme height is challenging. For instance the use of reliable, resilient and long-lasting materials is highly important and building warranty and safety are obviously also paramount concerns.
Firstly working from a design and performance specification the Tara team developed a manufacturable proposal. Then secondly they designed the construction of the signs. Working with structural engineers they agree the specification and all-important installation methodology. They then needed to be mindful of the wind loadings and method of attachment to the building. Finally considering material choices that provide low maintenance durability and longevity.
We manufactured the face of the supersized letter signage using a specially formulated LED enhancing PolyCarbonate dual colour film. This enables the letters to be black during the day and illuminated white at night. The encasing structure of the letters and logo were made with aluminium. Due to the sheer size of the letters, they were manufactured in smaller sections so that they could be transported easily and also fit in the service lift of the building and eventually passed through the window frames on the 40th floor of the building for installation.
It was a privileged to work with HSBC (one of the largest banking and financial services organisations in the world) proving our ability to deliver quality engineering at great heights.
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