2015
Philadelphia, PA

MEMORIAL HALL

Dome restoration with Sikalastic® RoofPro & Sikalastic® Clearglaze

Memorial Hall, a National Historic Landmark, was built as the art gallery for the Centennial Exhibition, the first major World’s Fair in the United States. During the exposition, 20 nations exhibited 3,256 paintings and 627 sculptures and 431 works of applied art within its walls. Nearly 10 million people visited the fair during its six-month run, taking in 60,000 exhibits in more than 240 structures spread over 284 acres in Fairmount Park. Tours for adults of Memorial Hall’s Beaux Arts grandeur are available by appointment.

 

PROJECT REQUIREMENTS

Memorial Hall’s most distinctive feature is its iron and glass dome, topped by a 23-foot-tall statue of Columbia, the poetic symbol of the United States, holding a laurel branch. At the corners of the dome stand four statues symbolizing industry, commerce, agriculture and mining. The dome was showing the wear of time, weather and neglect when, in 1984, workers replaced broken glass and flashing; removed, reinforced and reinstalled all sculptures, and more. But by 2004, the City of Philadelphia was forced to install netting and a large membrane at the level of the inner dome lens to prevent interior damage from birds and rain.

PROJECT SOLUTION

The six-month $1.25 million restoration, led by architects Kise, Straw & Kolodner, was completed in December 2015. Sikalastic RoofPro in a Copper Green color was applied over the dome structure, the mullions and statues to imitate the original copper patina. Sikalastic RoofPro is a one component, fully Fiberglass-reinforced, liquid applied membrane which confirms to a vast variety of difficult geometries and shapes. The skylights patterned throughout the entire dome were protected and sealed with two coats of Sika's transparent Sikalastic® Clearglaze skylight waterproofing system. The Sikalastic RoofPro and Clearglaze systems tied into each other creating a seamless waterproofing system to cover the time-transcending dome.

If you would like to know more about these systems, contact your local Sika Rep today!

PROJECT PARTICIPANTS

  • Owner: City of Philadelphia
  • Project Engineer/Designer: SK Architects Planners Historians Inc
  • Contractor: CRI Restoration, Collegeville, PA
Dome restauration with Sikalastic RoofPro

Sikalastic RoofPro detail statue
Dome from a distance - finished

Sikalastic RoofPro detail application

PRODUCTS USED

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