Speed Core wall system is used for the second time in office building in San Jose

A 19-story building under construction in San Jose, Calif., will be the second in the country to be built with a concrete-filled composite plate shear wall system, which was first used successfully two years ago for construction of the 58-story Rainer Square tower in Seattle.

Level 10 Construction is the general contractor on the San Jose project, known locally as 200 Park, a Class A office building that, when it’s completed in May 2023, will have 937,000 sf that include 26,000 sf of outdoor terraces. The building’s owner, Jay Paul Company, is targeting LEED Gold certification. When it’s completed, 200 Park will be San Jose’s tallest office tower.

200 Park Conceptual Structural Steel Sequence from Level 10 Construction on Vimeo.

The wall system, known as Speed Core, is expected to reduce the construction time for 200 Park by three months, according to Kevin Englund, Level 10’s Partner and Vice President. Level 10 started construction on this project in March, and the Speed Core portion should be completed next year.

The building team on this project includes Gensler (architect), and Magnusson Klemencic Associates (SE and CE), which has been Speed Core’s biggest advocate. MKA was part of the project team that completed Rainer Square tower’s core nine months ahead of schedule.

200 Park in San Jose, Calif., will have 937,000 of rentable square footage, and 26,000 sf of outdoor terraces (below). Images: Jay Paul Company

FASTER AND SAFER CONSTRUCTION

The SpeedCore system relies on two steel plates connected with steel cross ties, which are then filled with high-strength concrete. (For the San Jose project, the steel section is filled with 10,000-psi grout for the structural core.) The modular nature of these prefabricated “sandwich” panels allows for faster erection speed, since the system provides stability without requiring traditional rebar reinforcing or the temporary formwork of a typical concrete core, and progress is not dependent on concrete curing times.

Also see: 3D conceptual video of the structural steel sequence

Also see: The American Institute of Steel Construction’s profile of Speed Core

Off-site, Schuff Steel fabricated the panels for 200 Park, which weigh up to 12.5 tons, and then shipped the panels to the construction site.

As described in a 3D conceptual video of Speed Core’s steel structure sequence that Level 10 posted, stanchions are embedded in concrete shear walls and the floor slab is cast. Below-grade wall panels are erected and welded into place. Grade-level seismic struts are installed. Grade-level slab is cast and the erection proceeds. Speed Core wall panels carry up to eight floors of steel prior to concrete.

200 Park Avenue Mock-Up Installation from Level 10 Construction on Vimeo.

The average floorplate at 200 Park will be 54,000 sf. Image: Jay Paul Company