After devastating floods in the 1970s, the City of Frederick, MD, implemented a $60 million flood control project to put Carroll Creek safely underground. What remained where water used to be was a 40’-wide, 1.3-mile-long manmade channel with concrete banks. In April 2005 construction and landscaping transformed the corridor into a brick-lined promenade.
On the heels of that project the city began the first phase of a downtown revitalization plan that included the expansion of Carroll Creek Park. At a cost of $30 million it was completed in June 2006 and included the new home, office and retail construction along the brick-lined public walkway, as well as the creation of a 400-seat amphitheater, a gazebo for picnics, and three new pedestrian bridges.
One of the new bridges is a single-column suspension that features a Cambridge Architectural MeshDefense™ system as its railings. In addition to being an aesthetically pleasing pick, it also provides the necessary fall protection for pedestrians.
The installation combines Cambridge’s stainless steel Mid Balance metal fabric pattern and EclipseTM tension attachment hardware to create the Space Sculpting mesh solution. With 52% open area, the design element adds texture and interest to the bridge while maintaining functionality.
The Cambridge system was specified by HNTB Architecture of New York City, NY, and installed by Antietam Metals of Hagerstown, MD.
The Mid-Balance metal fabric pattern features large-scaled, flexible open weaves that shade and screen structures including facades, parking garages and pavilions. Crafted of stainless steel and other alloys, Cambridge’s metal fabric products are offered in a variety of weaves, scales and finishes for interior and exterior use. Aesthetic and functional applications include sunshade systems, parking structure and stairwell envelopes, space dividers, window treatments, curtain walls, custom applications and more, each offering various attachment systems to provide support for architectural specification and installation. Cambridge’s Eclipse tension attachment hardware was used to install the Mid-Balance product. Tailored edges are provided for expanses of flexible metal fabric in tension. Elegant, custom cut apertures receive the metal fabric ends in tubing that is integrated into a bracket and structural support design. Tube sizes may vary to emphasize or de-emphasize the attachment. The Eclipse hardware is appropriate for lengths of metal fabric held in tension up to 100 feet.