Huge walkway canopy at Pier III

Taiyo Birdair Corporation was selected to be the design/build resource for the canopy structure on the new Pier 3 walkway being rebuilt jointly by Royal Caribbean International and the Puerto Rico Ports Authority. The huge, V-shaped walkway canopy will rise dramatically from seven to 100 feet in height with a sweeping 912-foot length and 85 foot width. The canopy will be constructed from 41,679 square feet of Teflon-coated woven fiberglass architectural membrane.

Pier 3 is being rebuilt to accommodate the berthing of Royal Caribbean's brand-new class of cruise ships known as the "Freedom Class". These ships will displace 158,000 tons, be 1,112 feet long, and will carry 4,370 passengers. Both the cruise line and Ports Authority felt a grand architectural gesture was needed to help distinguish this new pier as well as provide shade protection to passengers arriving from and departing to their ocean voyages. In keeping with the maritime heritage of the Port of San Juan, the tensioned membrane canopy structure has been designed to evoke images of a grand sailing ship.
Construction of the canopy structure is scheduled to begin in late summer of 2005 with scheduled completion in November 2005.