Sunsphere

Infobox Skyscraper


building_name=Sunsphere
location=Knoxville, Tennessee, USA
roof=81.07 m (266 ft)
built=1982
engineer=Rentenbach
architect=Community Tectonics
use=Observation tower, restaurant

The Sunsphere, in Knoxville, Tennessee, is an convert|81.07|m|ft|0|abbr=on|adj=on high hexagonal steel truss structure, topped with a convert|23|m|ft|0|abbr=on|adj=on gold-colored glass sphere that served as the symbol of the 1982 World's Fair. While not by any means the tallest, it is still the most distinctive structure on the Knoxville skyline.

Designed by the Knoxville architectural firm Community Tectonics, the Sunsphere was created as the theme structure for the 1982 World's Fair. It was noted for its unique design in several engineering publications. Most of the World's Fair site is now a public park and a convention center, but the Sunsphere remains.

In its original design, the sphere portion was to have had a diameter of convert|86.5|ft|m to represent symbolically the convert|865000|mi|km|sing=on diameter sun. The tower's window glass panels are layered in 24-karat gold dust and cut to seven different shapes. It weighs 600 tons and features six double steel truss columns in supporting the seven-story sphere. The tower has a volume of convert|203689|cuft|m3 and a surface of convert|16742|sqft|m2.

During the fair it cost $2 to take the elevator to its observation deck. The tower served as a restaurant and featured food items such as the "Sunburger" and a drink called the "Sunburst."Fact|date=August 2008

In the early morning hours on May 12, 1982, a shot was fired from outside the fair site and shattered one of the sphere's windows. No one was ever arrested for the incident.

The Sunsphere has been used as a symbol for Knoxville, appearing in postcards and logos. Between 1993 and 1999, the Sunsphere was featured in part on the logo for the Knoxville Smokies minor league baseball club. The 2002 AAU Junior Olympics mascot "Spherit" took its inspiration from the landmark. It featured red hair and a body shaped like the Sunsphere. In October 1987, the sphere was illuminated to represent a huge jack-o-lantern.Fact|date=August 2008 On Sunday, May 15, 2000, nuclear weapons protesters scaled the tower and hung a large banner that said "Stop the Bombs." They remained on the tower for three days before surrendering to police.Fact|date=August 2008

As a result of European starlings depositing too much guano on the tower's frame, in 2003, the Knoxville Public Buildings Authority purchased from Avian Systems Corporation a device that emits various noises to scare the birds away from the tower.

Redevelopment

Although the Sunsphere is the most recognized feature of the Knoxville cityscape, it has remained vacant or underutilized for most of its post-fair life. Various proposals have been submitted to the city from time to time for its redevelopment. Many argue its relevancy as a tall structure, because it was built in one of the lowest parts of the city.

1991

In March 1991 officials from the Pensacola Tornados of the Continental Basketball Association were looking at Knoxville for possible location and said of the Sunsphere as potential office space, "What better place for basketball offices than a giant gold basketball in the sky."Fact|date=May 2008

1994

A pair of failed proposals was presented to the World's Fair Park Development Committee on March 31, 1994, that sought to reopen the Sunsphere as a restaurant (similar to Dallas' Reunion Tower, which features a restaurant at the top of the tower). The proposal from CEB Enterprises would have opened a casual dining restaurant called World's Fare Restaurant. The proposal from Cierra Restaurant Group would have opened a fine dining restaurant.Fact|date=November 2007

1999

The Sunsphere is proposed to be included as part of the newly constructed Knoxville Convention Center. While not actually incorporated into the final design, the Convention Center does have an open curve along its north edge to give way to the Sunspere. Despite this nod to its status as a Knoxville icon, during construction of the Convention Center, the observation deck, which had been briefly reopened by the city (still sporting the original World's Fair-era displays and explanations of the panorama), was closed while the tower was commandeered by the Knoxville Public Building Authority as offices for, quite literally, overseeing the construction of the Convention Center. Fact|date=November 2007 The Convention Center was completed in 2001.

2005

Kinsey Probasco Hays of Chattanooga propose reopening the tower complete with a renovated restaurant, snack bar, office space and a public observation deck.

2007

25 years after the Fair, the Level 4 (Fair Observation Level) was reopened July 5th, 2007 to give visitors a view of Knoxville. Level 5 (Private Dining Room & Kitchen) will now become a new cafe with sandwich and drinks service and an early evening drinks service. Level 6 (Main Restaurant Level) will be an open space leased out for functions. Both Levels 5 and 6 are being managed by Southern Graces Catering and Events. Level 7 (Upper Restaurant level) & Level 8 (Mountain View Observation Level) will become the offices for the Knoxville magazine "Metro Pulse". The observation deck can hold 86 people. On August 31, 2007 a local couple, Wayne and Laura Freeman, were married on the observation deck. They were joined by a handful of family members, as well as the local news. Their story aired on WBIR's Live @ 5, [http://www.wbir.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=48653] & in the "Knoxville News Sentinel" [http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2007/sep/01/knot-tied-sky-high/] Paul N. Whitehead, [http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2007/jul/06/the-view-from-above/ World's Fair Park main attraction reopened to the public Thursday] , Knoxville News Sentinel, July 6, 2007]

unsphere in popular culture

* A March 1996 episode of "The Simpsons", [http://www.snpp.com/episodes/3F17.html 3F17] ("Bart on the Road"), features the Sunsphere. Bart and three friends travel to Knoxville and find that the Sunsphere has become a dilapidated storage warehouse for a wig store, known as "The Wigsphere". Nelson Muntz then topples the Sunsphere after he throws a rock at it in anger.
* The Knoxville-based alt-rock band Todd Steed and the Suns of Phere takes its name from the local landmark.
* Knoxville's Sunsphere; Biography of a Landmark is a new book which was written by Martha Rose Woodward and printed in 2007. The 200 page book contains 32 colored photos and historical accounts of the many things that have happened to the Sunsphere.

ee also

*World's Fair
*List of towers
*Tennessee

Notes

References

* Hullander, Douglas. (March 6, 2006) "Monumental stats; Ever Wonder?; From the Sunsphere to Sharps Ridge, some facts and figures about our local landmarks." "Knoxville News-Sentinel.
* Hayes, Hickman. (January 26, 2005) "Park Pitches; Four finalists present plans to renovate World's Fair properties." "Knoxville News-Sentinel.
* Higgins, M. Trevor. (December 30, 2003) "Hootin', honkin' Sunsphere." "Knoxville News-Sentinel.
* News Briefs. (May 17, 2000) "Bomb protesters surrender." "Knoxville News-Sentinel.
* Balloch, Jim.(January 21, 1999) "Future of Sunsphere is up in air; Empty now, it may become function of convention center." "Knoxville News-Sentinel.
* Dean, Jacquelyn B. (April 1, 1994) "Restaurant groups envision Sunsphere for 'high dining'." "Knoxville News-Sentinel.
* Hyams, Jimmy. (March 17, 1991) "CBA team executives to pay visit." "Knoxville News-Sentinel.
* Staff writers. (November 1, 1984) "World's Fair designers cleared of copying plans." "Engineering News-Record.
* Staff reports. (May 13, 1982) "Fair Structure Damaged." "The Washington Post.

External links

* [http://maps.live.com/?v=2&sp=Point.pzt7ws805rgj_Knoxville%20Sunsphere___&encType=1 Sunsphere] on the map