Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) recently completed work on 800 Fulton Market, a new mixed-use office building in Chicago’s historic Fulton Market/West Loop neighborhood. The tower applies innovations in pandemic-responsive design, leveraging capacity-monitoring technology and ample outdoor space to promote tenant safety, health, and wellness.
The 800 Fulton tower features smart building systems. Assistive technology enables availability and capacity monitoring for conference rooms and amenity spaces and tracks paper product usage, while mechanical systems cycle fresh air throughout the building. The project is targeting both LEED Platinum and WELL Building Standard certification.
The 19-floor design also reflects the rhythm and scale of the Fulton Market District’s historic low-rise streetscape. From a three-story podium, the building rises in stepped terraces that create landscaped outdoor spaces with native planting and trees.
External steel brace frames on the east and west elevations have been engineered with Chicago’s harsh winters in mind. The central node of each brace moves closer to the facade as the braces cool and contract—and further from the facade as the braces heat up and expand. Through an expected range of about 9 inches of thermal movements, the braces are effective at resisting wind loads. Together with an offset cantilevered core made of glass, this structural system enables large, open floor plates and flexible, light-filled workspaces.
Inside, a nearly 40-foot-tall main lobby is defined by a cantilevered staircase and mezzanine that create layered spaces of activity. With exposed concrete, wood, and red brick, the lobby mimics the tower’s exterior and draws inspiration from the neighborhood’s industrial history. With flexible workstations and seating, the lobby also serves as an interactive space that blends seamlessly with the busy streetscape.
The rooftop bar and terraces on the 18th and 19th floors offer panoramic views of the surrounding city. The building also includes retail, community and conferencing spaces, a fitness center, and a lounge.
The building team includes:
Owner and developer: Thor Equities, QuadReal
Design architect: Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM)
Architect of record: SOM
MEP engineer: dbHMS
Structural engineer: SOM
General contractor/construction manager: Lendlease
Related Stories
| Aug 11, 2010
Construction employment declined in 333 of 352 metro areas in June
Construction employment declined in all but 19 communities nationwide this June as compared to June-2008, according to a new analysis of metropolitan-area employment data released today by the Associated General Contractors of America. The analysis shows that few places in America have been spared the widespread downturn in construction employment over the past year.
| Aug 11, 2010
Jacobs, Hensel Phelps among the nation's 50 largest design-build contractors
A ranking of the Top 50 Design-Build Contractors based on Building Design+Construction's 2009 Giants 300 survey. For more Giants 300 rankings, visit http://www.BDCnetwork.com/Giants
| Aug 11, 2010
Arup, SOM top BD+C's ranking of the country's largest mixed-use design firms
A ranking of the Top 75 Mixed-Use Design Firms based on Building Design+Construction's 2009 Giants 300 survey. For more Giants 300 rankings, visit http://www.BDCnetwork.com/Giants
| Aug 11, 2010
10% of world's skyscraper construction on hold
Emporis, the largest provider of global building data worldwide, reported that 8.7% of all skyscrapers listed as "under construction" in its database had been put on hold. Most of these projects have been halted in the second half of 2008. According to Emporis statistics, the United States had been hit the worst: at the beginning of 2008, "Met 3" in Miami was the only U.S. skyscraper listed as being "on hold". In the second half of the year, 19 projects followed suit.
| Aug 11, 2010
Structure Tone, Turner among the nation's busiest reconstruction contractors, according to BD+C's Giants 300 report
A ranking of the Top 75 Reconstruction Contractors based on Building Design+Construction's 2009 Giants 300 survey. For more Giants 300 rankings, visit http://www.BDCnetwork.com/Giants
| Aug 11, 2010
IFMA workplace study: Average space per employee up 40 sf since 2007, likely due to corporate layoffs
The International Facility Management Association has released “Operations and Maintenance Benchmarks, Research Report #32,” a study outlining the facility trends affecting workplaces throughout North America. Among the new report’s findings are that the average space per person has risen nearly 40 square feet since 2007, likely due to recent corporate layoffs.
| Aug 11, 2010
'Too cold' and 'too hot' most common complaints among office workers, says IFMA study
The International Facility Management Association has released “Temperature Wars: Savings vs. Comfort,” a new study that takes an in-depth look at the most common thermal complaints made by workers and the variety of ways facility professionals respond to them.For many years, IFMA has surveyed facility professionals to learn the top office complaints among employees.
| Aug 11, 2010
Best AEC Firms of 2011/12
Later this year, we will launch Best AEC Firms 2012. We’re looking for firms that create truly positive workplaces for their AEC professionals and support staff. Keep an eye on this page for entry information. +
| Aug 11, 2010
Manitoba Hydro Place, Tornado Tower among world's 'best tall buildings,' according to the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat
The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat last week announced the winners of its annual “Best Tall Building” awards for 2009, recognizing one outstanding tall building from each of four geographical regions: Americas, Asia & Australia, Europe, and Middle East & Africa. This year’s winners are: Manitoba Hydro Place, Winnipeg, Canada; Linked Hybrid, Beijing, China; The Broadgate Tower, London, UK; Tornado Tower, Doha, Qatar.
