On the corner of Poplar Avenue and Front Street in Downtown Memphis, sits a larger-than-life, steel sculpture in front of the Cannon Center for Performing Arts. World-renowned sculptor Vito Acconci designed the form titled, “Roof Like a Liquid Flung Over the Plaza.” Because it is exposed to the elements, the part sculpture part shelter needed a good cleaning a few years back, so Stratos stepped up to the job, as it’s now a well-known landmark and deserves to kept in top condition.
Armed with ladders, scrub brushes and flat microfiber mops on long handles, Facilities Group Manager Larry White and several service partners took on the task of cleaning this multidimensional piece of art in the summer of 2013.
“The sculpture had been pressure washed before, but this was likely the first time it had ever really been cleaned,” Larry said. “It had a lot of weathering issues and bird droppings, so we had our work cut out for us.”
Because it is made of steel, the sculpture heats up very quickly in the summer, so the team waited until sunset to begin. Trying to get cleaning solutions to stick to the surface was difficult. Most of the cleaning was done by hand with a brush, and the team used microfiber mops to dry it. The trio then treated the surface with a substance similar to Armor All® to protect it from the elements like you would the tires on a car.
Servicing unconventional spaces like the Cannon Center sculpture falls under Stratos’ commercial specialty cleaning. From complex jobs like this one to carpet maintenance, Stratos’ commercial specialty cleaning spans a wide spectrum. For more information on Stratos’ commercial specialty capabilities, click here.
