'The innovative Puerto Rico Convention Center—notable especially for the striking curved roof structure that embodies its Caribbean Sea location—opened to much acclaim in November 2005. This spectacular new asset of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico anchors the growing waterfront Convention Center District in San Juan and has quickly become an icon and feature attraction of the Puerto Rico tourism industry.

The Center is the result of the collaboration of the architects, TVS International (Atlanta, GA, USA), and Jimenez + Rodriguez Barcelo (San Juan, PR) with the Atlanta office of structural engineers Walter P Moore and local engineer Jorge L. Robert & Associates.

The Center’s design implements a wide range of construction methods, materials, and techniques and extends the notion of what is possible within our profession through innovation, collaboration and technology. The structure’s unique components warranted the use of many different construction materials including structural steel, laminated glass, cold-formed steel, reinforced masonry, precast concrete and both normal and light weight reinforced concrete. Sustainability was incorporated by using locally available materials whenever possible, as well as recycled materials in concrete and steel. The design integrates these very different materials and methods of construction into a beautiful design. Architects can take inspiration from the dramatic way that the structural engineering supported a vision that began as a drawing on paper.

In making this project a reality, Walter P Moore created the one-of-a-kind roof structure while overcoming a number of design challenges. The structure would stand on a reclaimed landfill site subject to liquefaction, in a highly seismic zone, and in the path of Category 5 hurricanes...'