WRAL, WNCN and WTVD sit down with Clancy & Theys to Discuss the Construction of Raleigh’s New Cathedral
July 25, 2017
WRAL, WNCN, WTVD
On the eve of the church’s formal dedication, WRAL, WNCN and WTVD visited with Clancy & Theys’ Harry McKinney, Director of Virtual Design and Construction, to discuss the unique details of the construction of the Holy Name of Jesus Cathedral in Raleigh.
The cathedral’s 162-ton dome has become a landmark for the city since it was lifted into place in March 2016. Speaking with WRAL’s David Crabtree, Harry revealed the dome’s copper skin hides a series of catwalks Clancy & Theys designed using 3D software.
Harry described the complexity of the design “like threading a thread through a fine needle hole.”
“To really understand this complexity and the number of catwalk levels you need to access the sprinklers and lights, just making it all fit turned out to be one of the biggest surprises of all,” he added.
Recalling the moment a crane lifted the dome into place last spring, with a margin of error of less than a half-inch, Harry shared that everyone was holding their breath. “Our company leaders were there. The bishop was there. A huge crowd was there,” he said.
The process was expected to take three hours, but all present were relieved when the dome was in place in just 30 minutes. “That’s when everybody finally exhaled and inhaled again,” Harry said.
Noting the longevity of the structure, WRAL said that while Clancy & Theys spent three months designing the steel interior of the cathedral, the rest of the dome was constructed with a longer timeframe in mind.
“The materials chosen, particularly the copper roof, is there because that material will last for centuries,” Harry explained. “That’s the intent – it will be here generation after generation.”
Harry also shared details of the cathedral’s construction with Raleigh’s WNCN and WTVD:
To view full coverage of this story, please follow the links below:
WRAL: click here
WNCN: click here
WTVD: click here
