Completed in September 2011, the 14-story, 285,000-square-foot Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts houses two performance venues: the 1,800-seat Muriel Kauffman Theatre and the 1,600-seat Helzberg Hall. It also includes a 4-story underground parking garage and a Grand Lobby with a beautiful view of the Kansas City Skyline.
The unique and dramatic building features of the Kauffman Center required
highly specialized construction and design work. Kleinfelder played a vital role in working with varying foundation loads, diverse bearing materials, a structural cable system that would apply more than a million pounds of tension to the building’s steel frame, and a shared wall between the center and garage that had to resist tension from the Grand Lobby structural cable and glass system.
Kleinfelder assisted the owner, design team, and contractor in solving the project’s specific challenges. To take advantage of shallow bedrock and reduce construction costs, Kleinfelder implemented a mixed foundation system of shallow spread footings and drilled piers. To resist the tension applied by the structural cable and glass system, Kleinfelder designed and installed rock anchors to provide additional lateral stability and uplift capacity, making sure to observe and verify the assembly of the steel framing.
Throughout design and construction, Kleinfelder provided continuity to this project by working closely with project stakeholders to bring the Kauffman Center from conception to completion. By utilizing our nationwide technical expertise, Kleinfelder swiftly met staffing needs and resolve the technical challenges encountered during construction.
Location:
Kansas City, Missouri
Owner:
Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts
