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
Greenbuild Report | Dec 8, 2015
Is ‘green’ still a selling point in the office sector?
Some developers are missing an opportunity by downplaying sustainability at a time when demand for such features is palpable among lessee firms who are trying to attract younger workers.
Energy Efficiency | Nov 16, 2015
Amazon will heat its new Seattle campus with waste heat from next-door data centers
Up to 4 million kilowatt-hours of energy will be saved each year.
Office Buildings | Nov 6, 2015
Real Madrid to get new headquarters designed by Rafael de La-Hoz
The design of the building is made of a set of two parallelepiped-shaped volumes.
Office Buildings | Nov 3, 2015
Emotional intelligence and design
In a world in which technology and its skills are constantly changing, good people skills are becoming more important, writes VOA's Angie Lee.
Office Buildings | Oct 19, 2015
10 ways to work better
Each office workplace requires a different blend of people, processes, tools, and spaces to support its employees. HDR's Allison Arnone has tips that can guide you toward the perfect balance for your company.
Office Buildings | Oct 16, 2015
#Thank you for sharing: How social media is reshaping the workplace
The rapid growth of mobile technologies threatens to push the desktop PC into extinction. When this happens, the most pertinent question for workplace designers will be what is the purpose of the desk, writes Gensler’s Philip Tidd.
Office Buildings | Oct 5, 2015
Renderings revealed for Apple's second 'spaceship': a curvy, lush office complex in Sunnyvale
The project has been dubbed as another “spaceship,” referencing the nickname for the loop-shaped Apple Campus under construction in Cupertino.
High-rise Construction | Oct 5, 2015
Zaha Hadid designs cylindrical office building with world’s tallest atrium
The 200-meter-high open space will cut the building in two.
Office Buildings | Sep 28, 2015
Simplicity and angularity define Renzo Piano’s design for Kum & Go’s headquarters
The new building is part of a downtown Des Moines, Iowa, redevelopment project, and is intended to echo the shapes of a nearby sculpture park.
High-rise Construction | Sep 3, 2015
Rafael Viñoly's 'Walkie-Talkie' tower named U.K.'s worst new building
The curved, glass tower at 20 Fenchurch Street in London has been known to reflect intense heat onto the streets below (in one instance damaging a car) and cause severe wind gusts.
