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there is little left of the first class ballroom that indicates the once bright and stylish decor. because stone or metal would add to
her weight, all adornments had to be light. glass partitions etched with undersea life were both elegant and functional, as they
created a fireproof subdivision in the room. also noteworthy is the fact that the piano that was used was a specially designed
instrument made of aluminum. william francis gibbs, the ss united states' architect and engineer, was terrified of the prospect of a
devastating fire at sea, and so very little wood was used in her construction - in fact, it was popular among her designers to say
that the only wood on the ship was the butcher's block. so great was the uage of aluminum that at the time the 2,000 tons used
was the largest order ever placed for the material. asbestos, a fire retardant, was also used in copious amounts. sadly, this last
fact led to the gutting of the big u in 1992, when she was towed to ukraine and her interiors were entirely stripped of the toxic
material and nearly everything else. there is little resemblance now between the cold steel substructure of the ballroom and the
historical photo below, but this fact may be an asset if she is ever to be restored. the substructure is in excellent condition, and
the time- and cost-intensive prospect of abatement is already out of the way, so recreating the interior would be relatively
simple compared to many of the abandonments i've encountered.
her weight, all adornments had to be light. glass partitions etched with undersea life were both elegant and functional, as they
created a fireproof subdivision in the room. also noteworthy is the fact that the piano that was used was a specially designed
instrument made of aluminum. william francis gibbs, the ss united states' architect and engineer, was terrified of the prospect of a
devastating fire at sea, and so very little wood was used in her construction - in fact, it was popular among her designers to say
that the only wood on the ship was the butcher's block. so great was the uage of aluminum that at the time the 2,000 tons used
was the largest order ever placed for the material. asbestos, a fire retardant, was also used in copious amounts. sadly, this last
fact led to the gutting of the big u in 1992, when she was towed to ukraine and her interiors were entirely stripped of the toxic
material and nearly everything else. there is little resemblance now between the cold steel substructure of the ballroom and the
historical photo below, but this fact may be an asset if she is ever to be restored. the substructure is in excellent condition, and
the time- and cost-intensive prospect of abatement is already out of the way, so recreating the interior would be relatively
simple compared to many of the abandonments i've encountered.
| promotional photo of the first class ballroom, credit unknown. |
| first class ballroom |