Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) designed this innovative glass sided Zuckerman Research Laboratory Center for the Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City. The building presented a heat loss problem. As you know frequently in glass framed building- the south facing side of the building is hot while the north facing side is cold. Zuckerman Research Center innovative design is aimed to maximize daylight without this usual heat gain.
Despite appearances otherwise, just half of the northwest elevation of the Zuckerman Research Center comprises vision glass. The remainder of the curtain wall is covered, which meld into the glass pattern for visual consistency without emitting further heat load into the interior. Underneath all of it a second skin of metal louvers stretched over the structural frame allows mechanical systems to draw air in and out of the building.
Opposite the labs, the southeast-facing office wall is virtually floor-to-ceiling double-glazed glass with low-emissivity coating. Exterior bracket-mounted horizontal-louver elements serve as efficient shading devices. “We had the ability to make the wall more transparent because the heat load there was handled primarily through the horizontal sun-shading devices,” Abadan says; “the very early sun that would penetrate into the building is not that strong, and there are few people in the building during those hours.” SOM calibrated these aluminum louvers according to daily angles of incidence, but with an eye to avoiding snow and ice accumulation.
At the time SOM undertook the Zuckerman design process, integrating photovoltaics into the facade proved impractical. But the systems the architects did employ effectively met other sustainability aspirations. Almost all building occupants have access to natural illumination most of the day, for example. And in conjunction with Lutron lighting controls, abundant daylight has helped achieve a 20 percent—and potentially higher—reduction in energy use compared to a similar code-compliant building.
The Aqua Tower by Chicago architect Jeanne Gang
A daring piece of architecture. Aqua comes off more as a massive sculpture than as a residential block in the crowded heart of the city. This in not a conventional skyscraper, Aqua is special. Finally, a residential high rise that is great sculpture while being attractive and distinctive.
At its heart it is the standard glass box that we’ve seen before. But protruding from its surface are undulating concrete balconies resembling ripples or waves. But the ripples are not without challenge. Much like each wave in the lake, each floor plate in Aqua is unique. And for homeowners, not all units are equal. While some people may have a balcony up to 12 feet wide, others balconies will be smaller.
Aqua was originally envisioned as a split between condominiums and a hotel. Because of changing economic factors some of the condominium units were changed to apartments. Further economic turmoil took its toll on the hotel aspect of this project. Strategic Hotels & Resorts planned to buy 15 floors of Aqua to expand its Fairmont Hotel across the street, but in October, 2008 it pulled out of the project. These are times that also call for innovative developers. The distinctive appearance of the Aqua Tower will serve it well. It separates this building from every other high rise in Chicago. My hat is off to the developers and lenders who encouraged this design. I am looking forward to seeing more of this architect’s work.
The Aqua Tower by Studio Gang Architects in Chicago’s Loop area
Unlike a tower in an open field, new towers in urban environments must negotiate small view corridors between existing buildings. In response to this, the Aqua Tower is designed to capture particular views that would otherwise be unattainable. Among the building’s notable features is the green roof terrace atop its plinth—which at 80,000 sf is one of Chicago’s largest—that contains an outdoor pool, running track, gardens, fire pits and yoga terrace.
A series of contours defined by outdoor terraces extends away from the face of the tower structure to provide views between neighboring buildings. These outdoor terraces, cantilevered up to twelve feet, differ in shape from floor to floor. The terraces inflect based on criteria such as the view, solar shading and size and type of dwelling. When viewed together, these unique terraces make the building appear to undulate, presenting a highly sculptural appearance that is rooted in function. Aqua creates a strong identity through its architecture and has become a landmark addition to the Chicago skyline.
Early and close collaboration between architect and builder, as well as the use of contemporary building information modeling, allowed the variation in the shape of the floor slabs to be achieved without increasing the building’s construction timetable. The result is a high-rise tower particular to its site that allows residents to inhabit the facade of the building and the city at the same time.
“Aqua Tower was shaped by an organic, site-specific design process. Rather than starting out with the goal of creating an icon, we let the climate and views shape the building, weaving it into its surroundings and treating the building and its environment as interconnected not separate. Even though it may appear to be formally expressive, it is equal parts data and imagination.” – Jeanne Gang, Design Principal Architect. Jeanne was a Rotary International Scholar.
The top photo shows how the exterior is viewed. The other two photos show how the architect created the wonderful exterior effect. Notice how the balcony widths vary- giving the sculptural look
Hats off to the architects involved, Incidentally this one of the highest, if the highest building, designed by a woman architect. More are on the horizon!!
the top of the world?
Comment by Tracy Brown — February 4, 2010 @ 12:29 am