Fabricating the Sunset Spectacular

Northern Manufacturing partnered with Orange Barrel Media to transform the unbuildable Sunset Spectacular into reality — a 67-foot stainless steel landmark blending art, architecture, and precision fabrication. The result: a globally acclaimed icon redefining the Sunset Strip.

Fabricating a Visionary Landmark for the Sunset Strip

For the City of West Hollywood’s “Sunset Arts & Advertising Program,” developer Orange Barrel Media (OBM) was tasked with creating a globally recognized landmark. Their vision was the Sunset Spectacular, a 67-foot-tall fusion of public art and media designed to redefine the iconic Sunset Strip and deliver a significant return on investment.

Developer Orange Barrel Media (OBM) envisioned a landmark project that pushed the boundaries of architecture and fabrication. To bring their ambitious concept for the Sunset Spectacular to life, they needed a specialist partner capable of solving unprecedented geometric complexity and de-risking a project that was initially considered unbuildable.

The Challenge:

The project’s core challenge was a fundamental conflict between the architect’s artistic vision and the laws of physics. As initially conceived, the design was non-manufacturable. It required a massive, 100-ton stainless steel monocoque structure with 72 unique, multi-ton panels. The aesthetic demanded sharp, crisp corners, which ruled out press brake forming and forced a weld-intensive approach, leading to several risks:

Extreme Geometric Complexity: By design, no two faces were parallel, and every component was asymmetrical with no straight, flat, or square reference surfaces.
Massive Distortion Potential: The high volume of welding needed to join the heavy plates created an extreme risk of heat distortion that could warp the components.
Zero-Tolerance Field Fit-Up: The design left no room for error. The 72 “superstructural chunks” fabricated in Ohio had to be shipped 2,300 miles and align perfectly during on-site assembly in West Hollywood.

The Northern Manufacturing Solution:

As a critical engineering partner, Northern Manufacturing transformed an unbuildable concept into a precisely executable plan:

Collaborative Design for Manufacturing (DFM): Our engineering team engaged in months of intensive collaboration with the architect and client, devising a novel assembly sequence and tooling concept to make the design feasible.
Innovative Fixturing & Assembly: To guarantee the field fit-up, we built a sophisticated, full-scale fixture in our 160,000 sq. ft. facility to serve as high-precision scaffolding for the tower’s three main “wings.” Using a Leica AT960 Laser Tracker, we precisely positioned posts for the fixture, replicating the master BIM model’s XYZ coordinates and holding a positional tolerance of just 0.015 inches over a 60-foot vertical span.
Advanced Welding & Finishing: To combat heat distortion, we employed a laser-welding-first strategy to minimize heat input. For the perforated panels, a Lismac automated deburring machine was used to apply a smooth, safe radius to every opening, mitigating safety risks from sharp edges.

The Outcome:

Northern Manufacturing converted extreme technical risk into schedule and budget certainty for the developer. The 72 unique, Ohio-built components were bolted and welded together in California with zero fit-up issues, a testament to the precision of our process. The project launched successfully in May 2021, on time and to global acclaim, solidifying the client’s return on investment. The project’s success was further validated by winning the 2021 Tekla North America BIM Award for Best Small Project and the 2017 AIA|LA Next LA Honor Award, recognizing the quality and innovation inherent in the process.

Architectural stainless steel project with complex, custom stainless fabrication.