CTBUH Journal International Journal on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat

Tall buildings: design, construction and operation | 2012 Issue I

The Hansar, Bangkok Developing Skyscraper Districts: La Défense Hybrid Mass Dampers for Canton Tower Greening the Urban Habitat: Singapore Talking Tall: A Future for Tall Building History Debating tall: A Supertall Future in the US? 2011: A Tall Building Review Tallest 20 in 2020 Inside

News and Events Features (cont.) 12 Case Study: The Hansar, Bangkok “The concept of a tropical tall building as a enforced in 2007 mandating that buildings that generally reaches into buildings at a above 15 meters (49 feet) tall be designed to height-to-depth ratio of 1:2, which needs to naturally ventilated, perforated, indoor-outdoor, accommodate for seismic movement. be countered with sufficient shading. fully shaded furry green tower is central to Bangkok is situated on a low flat plain of the Chao Phraya River which extends to the Gulf Introduction and Site Context of Thailand. Geographically located 13°45’ 02 This Issue 48 Design Research tropical living and a necessary alternative to the The Hansar is a “crown property” located in the North (latitude), and 100°28’ East (longitude) Wong Mun Summ temperate models of sealed, glazed curtain wall of the equator, the city’s climate is hot and heart of Bangkok adjacent to the Four humid with temperatures ranging from 26 to Seasons Hotel, just off Sukhumvit Road, which buildings being erected across tropical regions.” 31°C (78 to 90°F). A normal year is defined by is the city’s leading commercial, retail and Timothy Johnson, 2011 CTBUH Student Design three main seasons, with the cool season entertainment district. It is surrounded by occurring from November to February; the major shopping areas, a large city park, high end condominiums and luxury hotels (see High-rise, high-density living has been embraced as a positive housing solution for many hot season from April to May; and the rainy Figure 1). The development, conveniently millions of people living in Asia’s growing urban metropolis. WOHA has designed a series of season from June to October. In this located within walking distance of the buildings for South-East Asia that expand the way high-rise, high-density living is conceived. environment, being high up where there is Competition Result Richard Hassell more privacy, better views, lower humidity, Rajdamri BTS Station, encourages a practical Based in equatorial Singapore, WOHA has designed the following completed tropical CTBUH Chairman way of dealing with Bangkok’s urban sprawl skyscrapers: The Met, The Hansar, The Pano, 1 Moulmein Rise and Newton Suites. stronger breezes, better security, less insects, Authors and severe traffic jams by permitting higher Approaching the design from lifestyle, climate and passive energy strategies, the towers are less noise and less dust make external Wong Mun Summ, Founder high-rise spaces pleasant, comfortable and use of the city’s existing public transport Richard Hassell, Founder radical yet simple. This paper focuses on The Hansar, a 45-story hotel and residential infrastructure, its privately run elevated development that embodies principles of sustainable and tropical living within dense urban desirable. A typical overcast sky also means walkways and an improved pedestrian ® WOHA Architects Pte. Ltd. cities. diffused lighting and many hours of sunlight 29 Hongkong Street Singapore 059668 Bangkok, Thailand A rapidly modernizing community, Bangkok t: +65 6423 4555 f: +65 6423 4666 Bangkok, the capital city and main port of has one of the fastest rates in the world for e: [email protected] 04 50 Talking Tall Thailand, is a major economic and growing erecting high-rise buildings, but its CTBUH News and Events www.woha-architects.com financial center in Southeast Asia with a construction industry still relies intensively on population of nearly nine million people manual labor and the use of locally available Wong Mun Summ & Richard Hassell materials, which are far cheaper than The architecture of WOHA, founded by Wong Mun within a city area of 1,569 square kilometers Summ and Richard Hassell in 1994, is notable for its (605.7 square miles). With the highest volume imported alternatives. Most existing buildings A Future for Tall Building History constant evolution and innovation. A profound in Bangkok are designed to resist lateral wind Antony Wood, awareness of local context and tradition is intertwined of vehicular ownership in Asia, Bangkok is one with an ongoing exploration of contemporary of the most congested cities in the world with loads only. In the wake of the 9.1 magnitude architectural form-making and ideas, thus creating a Great Andaman Earthquake on December 26, unique fusion of practicality and invention. WOHA notorious traffic jams and high levels of conceptualizes all aspects of the architectural process, vehicular exhaust emissions resulting in 2004 and the subsequent tsunami tragedy, and environmental principles have always been the first seismic design regulations were Raymond Hartshorne & Paul fundamental to the work of the practice, which is severe air pollution. CTBUH Executive Director guided by a commitment to responsive place-making and to the creation of an invigorating and sustainable architecture. WOHA’s built projects – throughout Southeast Asia, China, and Australia – range from apartment towers to luxury resorts, mass-transit stations, condominiums, Alessandro hotels, educational institutions, and public buildings. WOHA has won an unprecedented amount of architectural awards for a Southeast Asian practice: they received the Aga Khan Award for Architecture in 2007 for One Moulmein Rise, they collected four awards in the RIBA International Awards of 2011 and 2010 for Alila Villas Uluwatu, School of the Arts, The 05 Met and Bras Basah MRT Station, and they won the Debating Tall 2011 RIBA Lubetkin Prize and the 2010 International High-rise Award for The Met. As an emphatic indication of WOHA’s versatility and global recognition, the practice won two titles in two consecutive years (in four separate categories) at the World Architecture Festival: WOHA are the only architects to have achieved such a distinction. Both Wong Mun Summ Opinions “for” and “against” on and Richard Hassell have lectured at universities in Singapore, Australia, Hong Kong, the USA, and the United Kingdom, and they have served on various design advisory panels in Singapore. a topical issue Figure 1. The Hansar, Bangkok © WOHA Figure 2. Typical section © WOHA CTBUH 1212 | TheTThhhee Hansar,HHaansnsanssaarr,, BanBBaBangkokangkgkogkkook CTBUHCTBCTCTTBBUUHH JournalJJouJooouurnarnrnanal | 20122001201112 IssueIsssuesusueue I CTBUH Journal | 2012 Issue I The Hansar, Bangkok | 13 06 Global News 54 2011 Awards, Symposium, Developing Skyscraper Districts: La Défense Highlights from the CTBUH Ceremony, and Dinner 18 “The development of La Défense is based on global news archive th infrastructural principles which are considered Report on the 10 annual to have contributed significantly to shaping its singularity and its remarkable image.” Maria Scicolone awards events Given their historic context, European city centers are often not considered to be suitable Author locations for the development of modern tall buildings. Therefore, a number of cities chose to Maria Scicolone, Architect develop a purpose-built business district away from the city center, and often close to nodes Management of the Urban Strategy L’Etablissement public d’aménagement de La Défense of infrastructure. La Défense, located in the west of the Paris Metropolitan Region, is the Seine Arche (EPADESA) largest of these business districts in Europe. Initiated in 1958, La Défense has witnessed over Tour Opus 12 fifty years of development. This paper discusses the origins of the development; the forces Esplanade Sud-Quartier Villon Figure 2. La Défense raised pedestrian level © Jan Klerks Figure 3. La Défense as the culmination of the Axe Historique © EPADESA 77 esplanade du Général de Gaulle which have influenced it; how development has been managed; and what the vision is for 92914 Paris La Défense Cedex future development (see Figure 1). France of infrastructural connections. But this is not other resources. As such they are the public d’Aménagement Seine Arche) was created in t: +33 1 4145 5886 the only reason why this site was chosen. The face of development and the business partner 2000. EPAD and EPASA had the same f: +33 1 4145 5900 La Défense housing. 180,000 people are employed in the 56 CTBUH 2011 Seoul World e: [email protected] area was already dynamic and well- on behalf of the governments involved. responsibilities, but operated on two different area, and 20,000 people live in it. La Défense www.ladefense-seine-arche.fr La Défense is one of Europe’s leading established before the development of the territories. In 2010, EPAD and EPASA merged houses 2,500 companies, including 14 of the OIN’s are initiated when the importance of a international business districts, and as such a business district. Characterized by factories, into EPADESA (L’Établissement Public top 20 French companies and 15 of the top development exceeds the scope of local Case Study Maria Scicolone showroom of the French economy. It is shanties, and even a few farms; the d’aménagement de la Défense Seine Arche). As an architecture graduate from Venice University, 50 global companies. La Défense is also home authorities, and when massive public and situated to the west of the Boulevard government decided that this area was in More than just the La Defense area, EPADESA Conference Maria has worked in project management for large to 19 of the 25 tallest buildings in France. private capital investments, and dedicated architecture and town planning agencies. Throughout Périphérique, which is a major ring road which need of restructuring and that the know-how and experience are required for covers an area of 564 hectares (1,394 acres) her studies and her career, she has been able to also marks the boundary of what is deepen her knowledge of town planning, construction development of a large business district was a successful development. Typically these spread out over four cities: Courbevoie, and architecture. considered the city center of Paris and its Location good opportunity. organizations are created when the Nanterre, Puteaux and La Garenne Colombes. Following a Master’s Degree in Urban Project suburbs. Politically, La Défense is not part of Also, this location allowed for continuing the development, stimulation, restructuring and Currently, EPADESA is managed by a Management at the Créteil Town Planning Institute, the city of Paris, but it is straddling the Due to a post-war economic boom and Report she began working on urban planning projects and great Parisian tradition of grand urban repairing of a territory involves an area that is 16-member board of directors, comprising six continued internationalization, there was a coordinating new real estate projects in the renewal communes of Puteaux, Courbevoie and central government representatives, one plan of La Défense. In her current role, she coordinates growing need to create an area within the gestures. La Défense is the culmination of the de-industrialized; fragmented by obsolete rail Nanterre. Today, the district covers 160 eminent figure appointed by the prime 12 The Hansar, Bangkok all urban studies in the La Défense area along with the Paris region which would allow for large scale Axe Historique, a 10-kilometer (6.2-mile) long and motorways; and is suffering economically creation of new public spaces surrounding hectares (400 acres), of which, 40 hectares historical axis which starts at the Louvre in and socially. minister and nine representatives of the local construction projects. Her aim is to blend the urban (100 acres) is covered with a concrete urban development without being a contrast development of the business district with the Central Paris and includes the Champs- authorities affected by the development. surrounding towns. pedestrian slab (see Figure 2). It has 2,600 to the much cherished historical cityscape of In 1958, the Etablissement Public Élysées, the Arc de Triomphe and the crossing Although technically not a part of the city, Her work takes place prior to project design and as hotel rooms, 3.35 million square meters (36 the city. A location was found in the western d’Aménagement de La Défense (EPAD) was of the Seine River (see Figure 3). The site was Paris has one representative on the board as such, aims to define a framework of specifications that million square feet) of office space and 10,120 outskirts of Paris. Not only do three created as an OIN to take on the responsibility Wong Mun Summ & gives a meaning, a good use, and an urban experience named for the statue La Défense De Paris by well. EPADESA is headed by a managing municipalities meet here, but also a number to public spaces in the business district. Her experience housing units, of which 36% are low-cost for the progress of the business district. As director appointed by the Ministry of the as an architect and her choice to concentrate on town the sculptor Louis-Ernest Barrias which was such, EPAD was responsible for the acquisition planning have allowed her to better understand the Environment, Energy, Sustainable 59 CTBUH on the Road situated on a hill between Puteaux and of land; the development and construction of intentions of the architects involved; to decipher their Development and the Sea (see Figure 4). language; and to foresee difficulties without judging Courbevois. The statue, which was originally infrastructure and public amenities; delivery of the architecture. Richard Hassell erected in 1883, has now been moved to the land ready for building; and to promote La west of La Défense Plaza. Défense as an international business district. Urban Vision CTBUH events around the To generate revenue it was entitled to sell the When you know you’re going to build a Organizational Structure land. To be able to acquire the land, existing business district with international ambitions, inhabitants and companies had to be Because several municipalities were involved you know you’re going to need a long term expropriated. An important argument for vision in order to do that and that you need to in the planned area and in order to establish a mandatory relocation was found in the powerful framework for the development of think big. The time to do so was right. The late world. unhealthy living and working environment of 1950s was a time of Modernism, which La Défense, the French government created the area. Opération d’Intérêt National (OIN or Operation represents an architectural era that offered of National Interest). Generally, these are Initially, EPAD was in charge of the large, rational strategies to cope with large public development authorities in which development of La Défense including a part ambitions. It was perhaps fitting that an initial several public and municipal organizations of the city of Nanterre. But as Nanterre idea of development was to build skyscrapers cooperate to pool finances, know-how and decided that it wanted to manage its own connected by skybridges. This idea was based Figure 1. La Défense aerial view in 2009 © EPADESA/Mac Lean territory, EPASA (Etablissement Public on a plan presented by the Ministry for ® Research 59 Diary 18 | Developing Skyscraper Districts: La Défense CTBUH Journal | 2012 Issue I CTBUH Journal | 2012 Issue I Developing Skyscraper Districts: La Défense | 19 Upcoming tall building events 18 Developing Skyscraper Hybrid Mass Dampers for Canton Tower Districts: La Défense 60 Reviews 24 structure with ellipse cross-sections of 14 and level, and a small AMD mounted on the TMD “The Hybrid Mass Damper (HMD) system 529.0m 17 meters (46 and 56 feet), and a steel lattice (see Figure 3). Two symmetrical fire water possesses multiple security measures, which outer structure with its cross-section being a tanks are designed as the tuned masses, each Maria Scicolone Review on new books in the varying oval throughout the height of the weighing 600 tons, sitting on the three can ensure the safety of HMD under major tower. The cross section of steel lattice twists bi-directional rail roller bearings installed on from ground level to the roof, which gives the the 85th floor of the main tower. Laminated typhoons or earthquakes…The proposed HMD building its unique feminine profile. The hollow rubber bearings are used to provide Fu Lin Zhou Ping Tan system is fail-safe, signifying its robustness.” lengths of its major and minor axis are 80 and the stiffness of the TMD. A two-stage oil CTBUH Library 60 meters (262 and 197 feet) respectively in damper is designed for the TMD, which is the bottom layer, 27.50 and 20.65 meters (90 capable of adjusting the damping level of the This paper presents an analysis of the design and application of novel Hybrid Mass Dampers and 68 feet) in middle layer, and 50 and 45 TMD automatically once the TMD stroke (HMD) for Canton Tower in Guangzhou, China. The HMD is composed of a passive Tuned Mass meters (164 and 148 feet) in the top layer. This exceeds a given level. The 50-ton AMD, driven Damper (TMD) with two-stage damping level, and a compact Active Mass Damper (AMD), external frame comprises 24 inclined by linear induction motors, can improve the 24 Hybrid Mass Dampers for which is driven by linear induction motors mounted on the TMD. In case of a failure in HMD concrete-filled columns, horizontal ring control performance and the robustness of a control system, the system would become a passive TMD. beams, and diagonals. The antenna on the passive TMD significantly. The anti-torsion

Yanhui Liu Jun Teng top of main tower is a steel spatial structure bearing is installed between the main tower Introduction roller bearing, laminated rubber bearing, oil with an octagonal cross-section of 14 meters roof and water tank to prevent the water tank viscous damper, AMD, and anti-torsion Canton Tower Authors During the last three decades, the technology (46 feet) in the maximum diagonal. from moving rotationally. The newly proposed 61 Letters bearing as well as multiple security measures Fu Lin Zhou, Director of active structural control has become a Figure 2. HMD control system © EERTC Since the tower is a supertall construction HMD system is designed to stabilize the tower Ping Tan, Deputy Director of a HMD system. A numerical simulation of against movement; to significantly improve Yanhui Liu, Research Faculty significant research focus in the field. There are with a slender profile and low damping, it is Canton Tower with various control systems the structural serviceability; and to enhance Earthquake Engineering Research & Test Center a lot of successful examples of AMD or HMD General Description of Canton Tower dynamically wind sensitive, which would was carried out to investigate the advantages Guangzhou University, No.248 Guang Yuan Zhong Rd. application for tall buildings, TV towers, bridge potentially increase acceleration levels under occupant comfort in the event of strong Guangzhou 510405, China of the proposed HMD system over other Canton Tower is a landmark of the city center Fu Lin Zhou, Ping Tan, Yanhui Feedback and Comments towers, etc.; to attenuate the wind-induced strong wind. The persistent wind-induced winds. Because the responses of Canton t: +86 20 8639 5053, f: +86 20 8657 5840 control systems. Simulation results were business area of Guangzhou, China with a vibration. As early as 1987, Aizawa conducted vibration can not only result in fatigue Tower in the short-arm direction is much e: [email protected] compared with the passive and full-active total height of 600 meters (1,969 feet) (see e: [email protected] a shaking table test of a four-story frame in damage of the tower, but also induce greater than responses in the long-arm e: [email protected] various control systems. The three most Figure 1). It houses a restaurant, observatory Japan and his test verified that an AMD can discomfort for occupants. It is therefore direction, HMD control was employed in the unfavorable wind attack angles were also and telecommunications facilities. The main Jun Teng, Professor reduce the seismic responses of the structure necessary to develop an effective control weak axial of main tower, while TMD control considered in the numerical simulation. tower is 454 meters (1,490 feet) tall with a Liu & Jun Teng Harbin Institute of Technology (Aizawa et al. 1990). Spencer presented a was used in the strong axial due to the 146-meter (479-foot) tall antenna on top. The strategy to improve there comfort and Shenzhen Graduate School, benchmark model of AMD control for a consideration of economic costs and a Shenzhen University Town, Shenzhen 518055, China total weight is around 194,000 tons. The serviceability of Canton Tower. three-story steel frame (Spencer et al. 1998). compact system. t: +86 755 2603 3806, f: + fundamental period of Canton Tower is 10.01s e:: [email protected] After several years of experimental and as indicated by three-dimensional finite theoretical studies, this technology was Proposed HMD control system 61 What’s on the Web? element analysis of ANSYS. According to the Design of HMD Components Fu Lin Zhou applied in a “real world” venue and achieved code for seismic design of buildings in China, The location of sensor, the HMD, and the HMD Prof. Fu Lin Zhou is the Director of the Earthquake remarkable success. For instance, the Engineering Research & Test Center (EERTC) of Canton Tower is a Class A building based on vibration control device is at a height Fire Water Tank Guangzhou University. His research fields include buildings built in 1989 and 1994 in Tokyo have its design classification. between 438.4 and 448.8 meters (1,406 and Inertia-based dampers such as TMD structural and earthquake engineering. He establishes efficiently adopted AMD control devices. To the new anti-seismic systems and analysis theory, 1,472 feet) (see Figure 2). Our novel active- Canton Tower is a tube-in-tube structure commonly requires an additonal mass to 30 Greening the Urban Habitat: Featuring new content now including seismic isolation, energy dissipation, passive date, many practical engineering projects passive composite T system is a combination provide a given damping level, which may be and active control of structures. worldwide have implemented AMD control composed of a reinforced concrete inner of a TMD with a variable two-stage damping heavy and costly. Analysis shows that Canton Ping Tan systems, and many of them have withstood Dr. Ping Tan specializes in the field of seismic isolation, Tower is sensitive to the vertical gravity load. energy dissipation and smart structural control. Dr. Tan the test of typhoons and earthquakes. The Instead of introducing extra gravity loads, two is a professor at Guangzhou University, and Deputy real-time monitoring results have shown that Anti-torsion bearing Director of the EERTC. water tanks for fire control in Canton Tower Singapore available on the website AMD or HMD can achieve a preferable degree Yanhui Liu are set on the 85th level and occupy two floors, Dr. Yanhui Liu is a research faculty in EERTC. His of vibration suppression (Ou 2003, Shizhu et serving as the shared tuned mass of the TMD research field is structure vibration control. During the al. 1999 & Hongnan et al. 2008). past several yeas, Dr. Liu has been one of the principal in both horionzontal directions of the main designers of hybrid mass dampers for the Canton A novel HMD is proposed herein to stabilize Tower. tower. It is worth mentioning that this level Canton Tower against movements caused by Jason Pomeroy Jun Teng will be open to the public for sightseeing and Dr. Jun Teng is a professor at Harbin Institute of major typhoons, which would be composed for an educational exhibition of how the HMD Technology. Dr. Teng’s expertise is on structural health of: a passive TMD with two-stage damping monitoring and vibration control in China, studying system works. both theoretical methods and application for real level and a small AMD driven by linear The total weight of each fire water tank is 650 structures. He has conducted health monitoring induction motors mounted on the TMD. This systems on several high profile large space structures tons which is about 0.35% of the tower’s total 62 Meet the CTBUH such as the National Aquatic Center. paper introduces the design of the device weight. Not only does the shape of the composition, i.e., water tank, bi-directional rail ® Figure 1. Canton Tower, Guangzhou © EERTC Figure 3. The proposed HMD system © EERTC Werner Sobek 24 | Hybrid Mass Dampers for Canton Tower CTBUH Journal | 2012 Issue I CTBUH Journal | 2012 Issue I Hybrid Mass Dampers for Canton Tower | 25

Features 63 CTBUH Organizational Structure & Member Listings 36 Tall Buildings in Numbers 2011: A Tall Building Review “ The term ‘supertall’ (a building over 300 meters) is no 38 A Year in Review: Trends of 2011 longer adequate to describe the world’s tallest buildings of Nathaniel Hollister & Antony Wood the future: we are entering the era of the ‘megatall.’ This

44 Tallest 20 in 2020: term is now officially being used by the Council to describe Era of the Megatall buildings over 600 meters in height.” Nathaniel Hollister & Antony Wood Nathaniel Hollister & Antony Wood, page 44

CTBUH Journal | 2012 Issue I Inside | 3 Interview Talking Tall: A Future for Tall Building History Rehabilitation of Early 20th Century Skyscrapers

“We try to restore not just the image of the building, but more so the life inside the building through combining old qualities with new ones. As such we call these projects Raymond Hartshorne Paul Alessandro rehabilitation rather than restoration.” Authors Raymond Hartshorne, Partner and Co-founder An interview with Raymond Hartshorne and Paul Alessandro (Hartshorne Plunkard Paul Alessandro, Partner Architecture) by Jan Klerks, CTBUH Journal Editor Hartshorne Plunkard Architecture (HPA) 232 North Carpenter Looking at the skylines of Chicago and New York, one looks at over a century of skyscrapers. Chicago IL 60607 One feature that sets apart the first skyscraper cities from the more recent ones is of course t: +1 312 226 4488 f: +1 312 226 4499 the rich history of tall building architecture. These first cities are now facing the issue of what http://www.hparchitecture.com/ to do with vintage skyscrapers. What older tall buildings lack in modern structure and facility, they make up for in history and character. The value that these qualities represent lies in the Raymond Hartshorne fact that they are irreplaceable. In recent years, some abandoned office buildings built in the Raymond Hartshorne is a partner and co-founder of th HPA. Ray’s practice spans over 25 years across a range early 20 century have been converted to residential buildings, attracting those who seek of building types that include residential, commercial these qualities in a high-rise urban environment. Rehabilitating those buildings allows a city office, retail, healthcare, and hospitality. Among his portfolio of award-winning projects are Green to preserve its architectural heritage. Exchange, Focal Point Corporate Headquarters, the Florsheim Building Preservation, Medical Dental Arts In this edition of Talking Tall, we interview How did you get involved in Chicago’s City Apartments, and Uptown Square. Raymond Hartshorne and Paul Alessandro of biggest rehabilitation projects? Ray is a recognized leader in multi-family housing, having led the design of more than 25,000 residential Hartshorne Plunkard Architecture (HPA), who We grew into it. HPA started 24 years ago. As a units that encompass the full spectrum of living have an expertise designing the transforma- environments, from single family homes to mixed-use four person firm we were involved in the projects, affordable units to luxury high-rise towers. tion projects of many of Chicago’s early loft rehabilitation of small vintage buildings. Ray has been an advocate and designer for historically warehouses and vintage skyscrapers. Their Through the years our projects grew in size, significant buildings across the Midwest. He possesses latest and tallest project involves the a wealth of experience in historic preservation, and so did our company. renovation, and adaptive reuse projects. He is 141-meter (463-foot) tall Randolph Tower, responsible for the revitalization of hundreds of which is located in the central business district In the 1990s, a need for housing and a good existing vintage and historic properties and for placing economy caused a boom in loft numerous buildings on the National Register of of downtown Chicago, better known as The Historic Places. He is also a specialist in LEED certified Loop (see Figure 1). development. Many old warehouses near the and sustainable historic renovation projects. city center were converted to residential use. th Like many buildings designed in the early 20 We were one of the architectural firms leading Paul Alessandro century, the 45-story Randolph Tower consists Paul Alessandro is a partner at HPA. He has more than this movement. In 1999 we completed the 25 years of experience in architectural design. Paul of an office block with a tower built on top of Randolph Place project, which converted the specializes in renovating, restoring, and adaptively it. The 17-story tower section has three reusing historic structures. He appreciates old 18-story Butler Brothers warehouse, designed buildings for the unique character they bestow to their setbacks articulated by flying buttresses. The by Daniel Burnham, into a 342-unit mixed-use communities, and he believes that renovating existing tower space was originally used to house a buildings is one of the most sustainable forms of loft condominium. At 305,000 square meters architecture. Paul embraces the artistic challenge of club for German Americans. Opened in 1929 (1 million square feet), it was one of the largest discovering new purposes for old buildings, and the as the Steuben Club Building, the late-gothic technical challenge of modernizing them for loft projects in the USA. contemporary use. tower was originally designed by architect During the late 1990s, the Loop became more Paul’s Chicago portfolio of award-winning historic Karl M. Vitzthum. It is currently being projects includes The Powerhouse, an adaptive re-se of transformed into a luxury apartment building desirable for residential development due in an abandoned power station into a commercial and part to Mayor Richard Daley’s efforts and the retail development; the Medical Dental Arts Building, by the Village Green Companies (see Figure 2). and the transformation of the Sachs Building. He is creation of a theater district. Our clients took currently overseeing the adaptive reuse of Randolph advantage of opportunities in the Loop by Tower, a landmark office tower that is being converted into a boutique residential building. purchasing obsolete vintage office towers and converting them into residential use.

50 | Talking Tall: A Future for Tall Building History CTBUH Journal | 2012 Issue I existence, the exterior and especially the interior of older buildings have been altered according to the needs and preferences of a given user. We begin this effort by looking for original architectural details and materials. When original historic material has been destroyed and cannot be replaced, we create an infill design to satisfy the new use. The Randolph Tower lobby for example was no longer intact, so we designed a new space with modern and sustainable finishes. We try to restore not just the image of the building, but more so the life inside the building through combining old qualities with new ones. As such we call these projects rehabilitation rather than restoration. Figure 1. Historic Chicago Business District circa 1935 © HPA

Most recently we have been working with Louis, and other cities in the Midwest by What historical elements will be preserved Michigan based developer the Village Green creating luxury apartment communities. in the Randolph Tower project? Companies on the conversion of two vintage The terracotta façade of Randolph Tower will towers, the now completed MDA City be brought back to its former glory. Terracotta What’s your approach to architectural Apartments project and the Randolph Tower (meaning baked earth in Italian) is a signature renovation? City Apartments. For decades, Village Green building material of the early 20th century has been dedicated to the revitalization of Like cities, buildings are entities that change skyscrapers. One of the most familiar ones in historic buildings in Chicago, Minneapolis, St. and develop in time. In the course of their Chicago is the Wrigley Building on Michigan Avenue. After the Mather Tower (159 meters/521 feet, 1928), Randolph Tower is the second tallest building in Chicago with a terracotta façade (see Figures 3 and 4). Preserving the façade involves repairing and replacing damaged terracotta pieces. Included will be the fabrication of new terracotta pieces created from molds of existing pieces in areas that were removed. Rooms which were a part of the original Steuben Club will be rehabilitated as amenities for the residents. The ball  Figure 2. Randolph Tower, Chicago – past,present, and future © HPA/Jan Klerks

CTBUH Journal | 2012 Issue I Talking Tall: A Future for Tall Building History | 51 Figure 3. Rendering of Randolph Tower’s restored terracotta façade © HPA Figure 4. Existing teracotta piece © Jan Klerks room will be repurposed as a fitness center. we begin with extensive historic and on-site How about the “intestines” of the building, Also the existing pool will remain and be research by studying blue prints, photos, like the structure, wiring, plumbing, etc.? updated (see Figures 5 and 6). building permits and other available Naturally we do thorough structural research information. Often times a laser survey of the as well. Wherever needed, we repair and existing building is performed to create digital What difficulties do you run into when strengthen the structure of the building. By floor plans and occasionally we resort to x-ray doing so, we add another 75 years to the life converting an old office tower into a new analysis to uncover hidden conditions. residential building? of the tower. Inevitably, original documents have gone There are a good number of challenges that When it comes to mechanical systems (MEP), missing or are incomplete. Sometimes it feels one needs to realize that most old skyscrapers can be expected when working on an like we are investigating a crime scene where adaptive reuse project mainly due to were built as office buildings. When we plan we have very few clues with which to recreate to convert a former office space into 313 understanding existing conditions and the crime. It helps that we have the accommodating the new use. In preparation, apartments, like we do for the Randolph experience, but no two buildings are identical. Tower, we are adding at least that same number of kitchens, bathrooms, and all the items needing electrical wiring and plumbing, which were not part of the original plan. … fat and heavy Virtually all new MEP systems and services must be retrofitted into the existing structure. Luckily there are good software programs When I visited Christchurch to study their buildings’ available to help us with this effort. On projects we designed over ten years ago, earthquake-resistance,“ I found that Japanese structures had about coordination was more difficult. With Building twice as much strength… In terms of design, Japanese buildings Information Modeling (BIM) technology in appear fat and heavy, because we give them more strength by combination with using Global Positioning maximizing the numbers of walls and pillars. Western building System (GPS), much of that uncertainty can designs look pretty, but for us they make quite a scary be ruled out as we can digitally map the existing condition exactly as it is on site. impression.” Professor Yoshiaki Nakano, a quake engineering specialist at Tokyo University, How do old skyscrapers compare to modern commenting on the Japanese earthquake-proofing building standards. buildings when it comes to sustainability? From “Structural Damage Limited by Lessons Past,” The Australian, March 26, 2011 Actually quite good. Because older buildings usually have a thicker façade with smaller

52 | Talking Tall: A Future for Tall Building History CTBUH Journal | 2012 Issue I windows, they are generally better insulated One good selling point for restoring the Some older industrial and now declining compared to modern glass high-rises. structure is that by converting the existing cities in America have vintage skyscrapers as Also, the fact that we are recycling the entire office use into apartments, we can offer well. What are their chances to ever get building makes the project sustainable from 3-meter (10-foot) high ceilings, which would rehabilitated? an embodied energy point of view. Elements be very expensive to achieve in modern Given its size, Chicago obviously has a bigger will be replaced using modern materials, such construction. market potential compared to cities like St as new insulated windows. This contributes to Louis, Cleveland, and Detroit, where positive better energy efficiency. In addition, Is there public support for the project? development is occurring, albeit slowly. But skyscrapers tend to be located near mass looking back, cities witness periods of growth transit. In all, the Randolph Tower building will Rehabilitating Randolph Tower contributes to and decline all the time. Fulfilling the market be able to obtain a LEED certification. an incredible skyline and helps to maintain potential of skyscraper redevelopment will Chicago’s stature as one of the greatest require a renaissance of each industrial city, architecture cities in the world. The City of combining economic prosperity with strong Looking at the total costs of rehabilitation, Chicago, which likes to brand itself as a city of civic leadership and financial incentives for would you say it is cheaper to restore a architecture, is well aware of these qualities, developers. vintage skyscraper or to demolish it and and the project received plenty of coopera- built a new one? tion, such as Tax Increment Financing (TIF), As architects, we can aid this process by demonstrating the virtue of rehabilitating and Strictly looking at the direct costs involved, it due to this indirect benefit and others that are more direct, like job creation and affordable reimaging skyscrapers which create a would be cheaper to demolish and construct framework for the revitalization of city centers. a new building. It would also be the less housing. The project also received historic tax credits from the federal government’s City centers are proving to be the most difficult thing to do. For example, when it sustainable places to live and due to the comes to designing floor plans, we must work Department of Interior, whose role is to preserve natural heritage and it also maintains green movement, a renewed interest in living within the framework of the existing space. downtown has occurred across the USA.  Being eligible for historic tax credits requires the National Register of Historic Places to us to maintain any valuable historic material, recognize significant buildings and places. including the corridors. It can be difficult to The rehabilitation of Randolph Tower would plan new apartments around an existing floor not be feasible without political support and space and make them fit properly. public financial incentives.

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