Two projects for which Thornton Tomasetti provided structural engineering services, Altra Sede Regione Lombardia and Bank of Oklahoma (BOK) Center, have been named award winners by the National Council of Structural Engineers Association for its 2011 Excellence in Structural Engineering Awards. Thornton Tomasetti was recognized at NCSEA’s 19th Annual Conference, Oct. 20 – 22 at the Renaissance Oklahoma City Convention Center.
Key points:
- Altra Sede Regione Lombardia is an iconic five-building,1.05-million-sf headquarters property for the Lombardy Regional Government in Milan, Italy. It includes a 43-story, 405,000-sf tower, three below grade parking/storage levels and a plaza. It was designed by Pei Cobb Freed & Partners Architects LLP
- A large piazza in the center of the Altra Sede Regione Lombardia site is enclosed by the surrounding low-rise buildings and tower. The piazza roof is covered by a tubular lamella structure spanning 140 meters by 45 meters and clad in an extremely light pillow membrane system
- Grand entrances to the piazza are created by open double-height ground-floor areas and multiple column transfers. The enclosure of the building is a highly innovative and efficient double-layer glass curtain wall
- The Bank of Oklahoma Center, located in the heart of Tulsa, Okla., is a multi-purpose convention facility that can accommodate concerts, hockey, arena football, NCAA tournaments and other large public events. The 600,000-sf facility, designed by Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects (associate architect) and Matrix*Odell (construction architect), is an icon for Tulsa, serving not only as a premiere events venue, but also as a singular destination. The facility’s design utilizes the sun’s rays through the glass wall during the daytime. The same glass wall wraps around the southern half of the arena to welcome visitors by creating a unique gathering space. BD+C
Related Stories
| Sep 22, 2010
Michael Van Valkenburg Assoc. wins St. Louis Gateway Arch design competition
Landscape architect Michael Van Valkenburgh and a multidisciplinary team of experts in “urban renewal, preservation, commemoration, social connections and ecological restoration” have been picked for the planning phase of The City+The Arch+The River 2015 International Design Competition.
| Sep 22, 2010
Satellier, Potential + Semac close investment deal
Satellier, a world leader in providing CAD and Building Information Modeling (BIM) outsourced services to the architecture, engineering and construction industry, announces a strategic minority investment from India-based top engineering firm Potential + Semac, ushering in the next evolution of the global architecture support industry.
| Sep 21, 2010
New BOMA-Kingsley Report Shows Compression in Utilities and Total Operating Expenses
A new report from the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) International and Kingsley Associates shows that property professionals are trimming building operating expenses to stay competitive in today’s challenging marketplace. The report, which analyzes data from BOMA International’s 2010 Experience Exchange Report® (EER), revealed a $0.09 (1.1 percent) decrease in total operating expenses for U.S. private-sector buildings during 2009.
| Sep 21, 2010
Forecast: Existing buildings to earn 50% of green building certifications
A new report from Pike Research forecasts that by 2020, nearly half the green building certifications will be for existing buildings—accounting for 25 billion sf. The study, “Green Building Certification Programs,” analyzed current market and regulatory conditions related to green building certification programs, and found that green building remain robust during the recession and that certifications for existing buildings are an increasing area of focus.
| Sep 21, 2010
Middough Inc. Celebrates its 60th Anniversary
Middough Inc., a top ranking U.S. architectural, engineering and management services company, announces the celebration of its 60th anniversary, says President and CEO, Ronald R. Ledin, PE.