McLaren joins holiday season with BankAmericard “Gift on Fifth”

December 22, 2007 - 2:00am — Robin Smith

The 3,500 square foot “Gift on Fifth,” topped with its two-and-a-half ton ribbon.

During the 2007 Holiday season, McLaren engineered a one-story, temporary structure that was used as a holiday display facility. Bank of America helped shoppers ring in the season by erecting a 3,500-square-foot gift-box-shaped structure on 36th Street and Fifth Avenue to serve to as the platform for the bank’s promotion of its BankAmericard brand.

The majority of the building enclosure consisted of glass walls, but the roof was framed with structural steel supported by steel columns and bracing. There was also a 5,000-pound sheet-metal ribbon topping off the structure. Ensuring the stability of the temporary foundation and other structural pieces against the weather were the primary concern. A major challenge was engineering unobtrusive supports and bracing for the ribbon.

Construction started November 1, giving the team a little more than 20 days on site. Upon completion, the venue looked more permanent than temporary, with hardwood floors, A.D.A.-compliant ramps, and large LED screens on the interior and exterior of the building.