Project Description

 

 

CHICAGO FRAME SKYSCRAPER - SKELETON & SKIN 

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In order to celebrate the history of the skyscraper in the city of Chicago, there needs to be a connection to the past while also looking into the future. For the Congress Square building, the oor plate is derived from the Chicago Bay Window that was used throughout the 1880s and 1890s. This derivation allows for the oor plate to extend out into the streets of Chicago, connecting the tenants with the city and its history while also with great views of the lake to the East and the Willis Tower to the Northwest. The structural system and building envelope are the main components in high-rises today. The building skin is decorated with light shelves on the south facade in order to block the sun’s rays in the summer in order to reach and ultimatley surpass the net-zero status. The rooftop and part of the facade is decorated with photovoltaic panels that allows for maximum energy generation on the site. The site for the project is located at 431 S. Dearborn Street, adjacent to the historic Manhattan building. This project includes a program of a cafe, social spaces and single-family apartments. The social spaces on oors 2 and 3 have oor plates that open up, creating a large viewing portal from the small atrium space. The rooftop terrace allows

for the social space to move from the interior to the experior throughout the course of the year.