Building The Torch in Times Square
The Torch, Times Square's newest super-tall, demands speed, precision, and proactive planning—and formwork solutions to match
Rising 1,067 feet above the heart of Times Square, The Torch at 740 Eighth Avenue is reshaping Midtown Manhattan's skyline. This 52-story super-tall incorporates a sky-high observation deck and a drop-ride attraction. For RNC Industries, the concrete contractor on this landmark project, speed and precision are paramount.
The Facts
- Project Name: 740 Eighth Ave. (The Torch)
- Location: Midtown Manhattan, New York.
- Developer: Extell Development
- General Contractor: Suffolk Construction
- Concrete Contractor: RNC Industries
- Structural Engineer: WSP
- Architect: ODA Architecture with SLCE Architects
- Type of Structure: Supertall Skyscraper
- Height: 1,067 ft.
- Stories: 52
- Typical Floor Area: Over 16,000 sq. ft.
- Cycle Time: 4 days or less per floor
- Products used: Frami Xlife, Xclimb 60, Staxo 100, Column formwork, Protection screens
Challenge
Like any supertall rising in Manhattan, The Torch confronted tight sites, aggressive schedules, and urban logistics constraints such as the infamous Times Square. But the tower’s unique geometry, extreme design challenges, along with expedited permitting requirements added to the project’s complexity. The rectangular base evolves into a slender, glass cladded pinnacle, requiring formwork systems that adapt to changing geometries while maintaining aggressive cycle times. With over 16,000 sq. ft. of slab area per typical floor and a target of four days or less per cycle, the project demanded formwork that could be moved quickly with minimal crane dependency. Floor heights reaching 20 feet at the base of the structure presented safe access challenges for forming operations and installation of elevator divider beams within the shaft ways. As the tower rises, much-needed protection screens added another layer of complexity, with installation needing to keep pace with the vertical climb while minimizing field assembly time. The New York City Department of Building (DOB) permitting for protection screens could create significant delays if not managed proactively.
Slab Support: Staxo 100 shoring systems supported slab forming of substantial concrete beams and extreme heights in various areas of the project.
Solution
Working closely with RNC Industries and the project team, Doka developed an integrated formwork solution that addressed each challenge systematically. For the lower levels, the team utilized Doka’s versatile Frami Xlife wall formwork panels offering the most options on the market including an 8-ft.-tall panel height. The light weight yet extremely durable system allowed crews to form walls quickly and safely from the ground level, establishing an efficient rhythm early in the construction sequence.
The Xclimb 60 self-climbing formwork platforms proved essential for core construction and safe access. These climbing platforms provided stable work areas for wall forming while creating safe work environments virtually eliminating leading edge fall hazards while allowing the core formwork to remain in place with little to no rework. The system also provides safe and stable platforms below the concrete operation for installing elevator divider beams within the shaft ways at any elevation. These platforms are designed to climb past the divider beams once installed as one entire unit including the formwork.
Form follows Function: Doka provided column formwork solutions, including steel semi-circle forms for bullnose columns, along with Staxo 100 shoring systems to support slab forming operations. The combination maintained the architectural aesthetics while providing the structural support required for the ambitious cycle times.
The Torch Rise: Approximately 630 linear feet of protection screen, pre-assembled to minimize field labor and delivered via 24 coordinated truck shipments.
Protection screens – a total of 630 linear feet – are needed for this tower as it rises. Doka's approach focused on minimizing field assembly and streamlining logistics. About 24 trailer loads (48-ft. trucks) were used to deliver the pre-assembled screens, with DOT permitting for the deliveries managed by Doka's team. Doka also handled engineering design and necessary permitting through the DOB, expediting approvals, preventing schedule delays.
Coordinated Systems: Interior platforms, wall formwork, and shoring work in concert as The Torch transforms Manhattan's skyline.
Jorge Rosario | Concrete Safety Manager | RNC Industries
“In these 22 years, one of the best products that I've seen is the Doka system. RNC works with nothing but the best. You're talking about the best, you're talking about Doka.”