Blogs

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 …

Building in Desert Environments When people picture a desert construction site, the first thing they usually think about is heat. And they're not wrong. But heat is only the beginning. Across the Middle East, North Africa, and the southwestern United States, contractors work in environments where extreme temperatures, blowing dust, intense sunlight, limited water, and dramatic temperature swings can affect almost every part of a project. Workers feel it. Equipment feels it. Materials feel it. Ev …

Restoring Ancient Structures in Italy There are old buildings. And then there are buildings that were already old before many modern countries existed. Italy is filled with structures that have survived centuries of weather, wars, earthquakes, changing cities, and generations of human use. Roman amphitheaters. Aqueducts. Temples. Stone walls. Ancient roads. Historic churches and public buildings. Some have stood for well over a thousand years. Others date back more than two thousand. Keeping str …

Building in the Rainforests Last time in our Scaffolding Around the World series, we headed north into the Arctic, where contractors deal with frozen ground, extreme cold, and short construction seasons. This time, we're going in the opposite direction. Into the rainforest. Across parts of South America and Southeast Asia, construction crews face an entirely different set of challenges. Extreme humidity. Heavy rainfall. Dense vegetation. Remote locations. Difficult transportation. And an environ …

Construction in the Arctic Most contractors have complained about the weather at some point. It's too hot. It's too cold. It's raining. It's windy. The ground is muddy. But construction in the Arctic takes weather complaints to an entirely different level. Across Alaska, northern Canada, Greenland, and other Arctic regions, contractors work in conditions that can affect almost every part of a construction project. Extreme cold affects workers and equipment. Frozen ground affects foundations. Rem …