Manhattan West Hudson Yards, New York

Manhattan West


Supporting the future

Manhattan west in the hudson yards district

Cicada animation clearly shows the bridge technology that allows office towers and plaza to be built over railroad tracks in New York City, and wins approval for the project to be built.

Cicada created a video that project engineers, Entuitive, presented to their client, developer Brookfield Properties, to show how its bridge technology could be used to build a platform over railroad tracks near New York City’s Penn Station. The technical construction process needed to be communicated to a technical and non-technical audience for various approving agencies.

Location: New York City, USA
Client: Entuitive, Brookfield Properties
Summary: Animation created to win approval and communicate engineering and construction process to audience with varying technical expertise. Approval granted.

Approval time shortened by Cicada video

"When we were asked by our client, Brookfield Properties, to prepare some “cartoons”, we were not sure what they meant, nor where we were going with this," says Barry Charnish, Principal at Entuitive. "Dalibor and his team worked with us but also extended the conversation and provided ideas, which helped us achieve our goal.  I also believe the process engendered a feeling of fun into a very technical discussion. In the end we received our approvals in an unbelievably short period. We give full credit to the animation provided by Cicada and their team."

ManhattanWestSeqA
Excerpt of construction animation

ManhattanWestSeqB
Animation of construction sequencing explains technology to technical, non-technical audience

background

Animation injects fun into engineering discussion

Building over railroad tracks requires complex engineering technology, especially when construction includes two 67-story buildings, and when train service cannot be disrupted during construction, according to Entuitive.

The technology--a post-tension precast segmental bridge system--was difficult to explain, even to experts. The engaging 3-minute video employs several narrative techniques to convey a complicated sequence of events in a fun and engaging way.

Photo of construction process


Technical animation

Animation in sync with project schedule

An objective of the animation included the synchronization of animated components with the construction schedule. Other goals included the accurate depiction of the construction process, and the communication of engineering technology to a diverse audience.

Sketch of storyboard for animation

Construction video of platform