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
Office Buildings | Feb 8, 2017
London office building employs transitional forms to mediate between the varied heights of surrounding buildings
Friars Bridge Court will provide a transition between the unvarying height of the buildings to the south and the more varied heights of the northern buildings.
Office Buildings | Feb 7, 2017
SOM-designed HQ will provide new riverfront space for C.H. Robinson
Over 1,000 employees will work in the HQ building when completed.
Office Buildings | Feb 6, 2017
The see-through office: Why interior glass is all the rage in workplace design
The hottest material in workplace design—interior glass—opens offices to light and collaboration. But what about privacy and acoustics?
Office Buildings | Feb 3, 2017
Zurich defies center-core office archetype with stacked, cantilevered HQ
The top bar is 500 feet long, spans 180 feet between the bottom two bars, and cantilevers out 60 feet to the east.
Office Buildings | Feb 2, 2017
3 tips for designing workplaces that support culture, brand, and community
An authentic culture cannot be forced, but can be encouraged and supported.
Office Buildings | Dec 14, 2016
The importance of 'Place' in the workplace
More, and more, companies are emphasizing the importance of creating a meaningful sense of place in the office environment for all of their employees, writes Gensler's Kevin Rosenstein.
High-rise Construction | Dec 13, 2016
The tallest building in Manhattan’s Meatpacking district tops out
The office, designed by CetraRuddy, will be completed in 2017.
| Dec 6, 2016
Workplace pilots: Test. Learn. Build
Differentiated from mock-ups or beta sites, workplace pilots are small scale built work environments, where an organization’s employees permanently reside and work on a daily basis.
Office Buildings | Dec 6, 2016
eBay’s San Jose headquarters has a new interactive hub and welcome center named Main Street
The campus’s new ‘front door’ is designed to immerse visitors and employees into the company’s global commerce.
Office Buildings | Nov 16, 2016
Bjarke Ingels Group and Heatherwick Studios confirmed as architects for Google’s new London Headquarters
The headquarters will be located at Kings Cross, London.
