Sunsphere

Knoxville, TN

The world famous Sunsphere was designed by Community Tectonics for the 1982 World’s Fair which was held in Knoxville, Tennessee.

The theme of the 1982 World’s Fair was energy. What represents energy better than the sun? Community Tectonics’ design for the Sunsphere was exactly what the World’s Fair Committee was looking for. The design was quickly approved and work moved forward on the project.

The Sunsphere design is unique in many ways. The golden sphere at the top of the structure represents some of the most challenging design and construction work. Finding a company who could manufacture the gold colored glass needed for the hundreds of windows in the sphere was a nearly impossible task. After months of searching, a company in New Jersey agreed to try to make the golden windows as specified. The results were incredible.

Today the Sunsphere stands as a shining monument to innovation and determination in architecture, characteristics that the staff of Community Tectonics use in every project.