...So today's engineers battle not only the force of gravity but the the whirling pockets of wind, known as vortices, that can cause towers to shake or vibrate. Failure to do so would make the motion of the building — or "acceleration," as engineers call it — uncomfortably noticeable. — Chicago Tribune
Tunnel tests for Chicago's future third-tallest skyscraper showed that the plan for the building—three thin, interconnected high-rises designed by Studio Gang—would not be able to withstand high winds. According to the engineers, the design for the Vista tower "would result in building occupants feeling ill and possibly afraid for their safety," Chicago's zoning administrator, Patricia Scudiero, wrote in an April 26 letter to Jack George, a lawyer for project's developers.
To resolve that flaw, the developers requested — and the city okayed — a change to the already-approved plan for the building: the 83rd floor of the 98-story, 1,198-foot East Wacker Drive tower will now be an empty space that Chicago's famous winds can blow through. The blow-through floor, a facade opening, will serve as a vent to relieve wind pressure.
To further weave the floor into the tower, vertical bands present on the rest of the facade will extend through the floor's exterior. While the floor's perimeter will be open, exposing the elevator core and structural columns to the air, several of the interior elements will be painted black to blend in with the tower during the day. At night, the blow-through floor will be unlit. For safety purposes, a railing will be installed along the facade. The floor isn't expected to be open to the building's residents.
The Vista tower is planned to open in 2020.
5 Comments
The 83rd floor is where the fun is at, amiright
This belongs on the dystopian architecture thread.
the presentation to code enforcement must have been fun :)
blow through level makes more sense.... blow through floor makes it sound like the wind is going up and down through the floor... also how does this get through DD and why is the architect called out by name and not the engineer?
So instead of designing a functional building, they designed a broken building and gave it a crutch?
Block this user
Are you sure you want to block this user and hide all related comments throughout the site?
Archinect
This is your first comment on Archinect. Your comment will be visible once approved.