ASCE NCS November 2014 Section Meeting 

Marriott Marquis Hotel, Washington, DC - Design and Top Down Construction

Presented By: Chris Crilly, P.E., LEED AP

Associate, Thornton Tomasetti, Washington, DC

Plans for the recently-opened Marriott Marquis hotel called for the development of a 1.25 million square foot building on a relatively small (100,000 square foot) site. This major design-build project was awarded to Hensel Phelps to lead the design and construction for this four-star hotel. Architects Cooper Carry and tvsdesign were hired to develop the design, with Thornton Tomasetti serving as structural engineer. The new hotel provides accommodations for the Washington Convention Center located across the street, to which it is connected by an underground walkway. With 1,175 rooms and 49 suites, it is currently the largest hotel in the city.

Because of the District’s limits on building heights, the hotel featured seven below-grade levels extending to a depth of nearly 100 feet to accommodate meetings, events, parking, and other functions. The use of top-down construction helped expedite the project, which at 94 feet below ground is nearly as deep as it is tall. The extreme depth, together with severe space limitations and the need for large, column-free ballrooms below a 15-story hotel tower, compelled the structural engineering team to devise novel solutions to a number of design challenges. The presentation will highlight some of the design challenges and provide insight on the top-down construction method used for the structure below ground.

About the Presenter: Chris Crilly is an Associate of Thornton Tomasetti in the Washington, DC office, and has nine years of experience designing structures for a wide variety of building types, including healthcare, office, educational, hospitality and residential. His projects have included new structures and also renovations to existing buildings. Mr. Crilly is responsible for structural analysis and design, oversight of engineering and Building Information Modeling (BIM) staff efforts, coordination with architects and design team members, production of structural drawings, and construction administration. He is a registered Professional Engineer in Virginia.

Event Details 

Registration and networking will be from  6:00 to 6:45 p.m., followed by dinner. The program will conclude by 8:30 p.m.  The meeting is sponsored by the American Society of Civil Engineers, National Capital Section (ASCE-NCS). 

One (1.0) Professional Development Hour (PDH) will be awarded for attendence.

  When

Tuesday, November 18, 2014

6:00-8:30 p.m.

  Where

Hilton Arlington

Gallery Ballrooms (second floor)

950 North Stafford Street, Arlington, VA 22203

  Registration Fees

Pre-Registration (prior to November 12)     $45

 Student     $10

 Walk-In / Late Registration (pending availability)    $55

Click on the link below to register.

Please register by Wednesday, November 12, 2014