Blogs

Scaffolding Sagrada Família Most contractors hope their projects don't run behind schedule. Then there's Sagrada Família. Construction on Barcelona's famous basilica began in 1882. More than 140 years later, workers are still building it. Generations of architects, engineers, stoneworkers, sculptors, craftsmen, and construction crews have worked on the structure. Technology has changed dramatically. Construction methods have changed. Equipment has changed. The building has continue …

Scaffolding Notre-Dame On April 15, 2019, people around the world watched as flames engulfed Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris. The roof burned. The famous spire collapsed. Centuries-old timber framing was destroyed. Stone vaults were damaged. And firefighters fought desperately to save one of the world's most recognizable historic buildings. But there was another complication already surrounding the cathedral. Scaffolding. Before the fire began, Notre-Dame was already undergoing restoration. Hundre …

Scaffolding Ancient Castles Castles were designed with one very specific goal in mind. Make them difficult to access. Build the walls high. Put them on steep hills. Add towers. Add cliffs. Maybe surround the whole thing with a moat just to make absolutely sure nobody can easily get near it. It was an excellent defensive strategy. Several hundred years later, it's slightly inconvenient for the people trying to scaffold them. Welcome back to Scaffolding Around the World. This time, we're tackling …

Scaffolding Big Ben Few landmarks say London quite like Big Ben. Technically, Big Ben is the nickname of the Great Bell inside Elizabeth Tower at the Palace of Westminster. But for generations, people around the world have used the name to describe the entire clock tower. And when you're responsible for maintaining a structure that recognizable, putting scaffolding around it is no small undertaking. The tower is more than 160 years old. It contains historic masonry, intricate architectural detai …

Scaffolding the Eiffel Tower Some structures are famous because they're old. Others because they're beautiful. A few become symbols of entire countries. The Eiffel Tower managed to become all three. Rising above Paris since 1889, the tower is one of the most recognizable structures in the world. Millions of visitors see the finished landmark every year. What they don't usually think about is what it takes to maintain it. The Eiffel Tower isn't a monument that can simply be built and forgotten. I …