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Back in the fall, a collection of warehouse structures in Chicago's Fulton Market district was demolished to make way for a Skidmore, Owings and Merrill-designed office tower. 800 West Fulton Market, possessing a unique stepped design and eye-catching X-bracing, is being developed by New York's Thor Equities.
The 18-storey building features a series of setbacks and terraces carefully designed to match the rhythm and scale of the neighbourhood's historic low-rise built form. External steel cross-braces on the east and west facades bring a distinct architectural showpiece to the development while also accommodating Chicago's extreme climate.
A movable node positioned at the centre of each brace facilitates thermal expansion and contraction. Coupled with an offset core, the structural system ensures floor plates are open, flexible and abundant with natural light.
The building meets the street as a three-storey podium, also fashioned to relate to the existing local scale. 800 West Fulton Market will be comprised of a brick, glass and dark metal skin, again referencing the area's industrial character.
The development will include 431,500 square feet of office space, 35,000 square feet of retail, and below-grade parking. Construction on the project has already moved past grade since site clearing began.
For more information, check out the associated Database file and Forum thread, and as always, feel free to join the conversation in the comments section below.
