Court takes shape

10-Sep-02

Squash Court Installation Takes Shape at Boston Symphony Hall

Installation of the four-walled, state-of-the-art 36'x25' glass-paned court for the U.S. Open Squash Championships begins to take shape Tuesday afternoon, September 10, 2002 on the floor of Boston's world-renowned Symphony Hall. This competition is the hall's first-ever sporting event.

Load-in began Monday morning at 8:00 a.m. with the actual court beginning to take shape Tuesday afternoon near 3:00 p.m.

Six men working more than 24 hours each are needed to complete the court set-up and theater-style seating construction before Thursday's first round match scheduled for 6:00 pm, between number one ranked defending champion Peter Nicol and number 8 ranked Lee Beachill, both of England.

Using the same principle as the colorful wraps seen on many MBTA buses here in Boston, player visibility and focus is ensured because each approximate 5'x7' glass panel is designed with a one-way viewing system. This is accomplished by baking in a series of black, white and colored ceramic dots into the glass, then when combined with bright interior court lighting and a darkened exterior, viewing is ideal for spectators, but does not distract competitors.

All 42 panels are made of 12 mm thick SEKURIT safety glass, requiring 14 tons of sand to make the glass.

The total weight of the court is 22,000 pounds.

Photos of the early stages of court building by Colleen Turner.

getting started