HIGHRISE STUDY, Los Angeles, CA
Design Director with Gensler
Developed as an R+D effort, the project studies various strategies for a mixed-use office building for a single tenant. The goal was to have the highest impact possible with occupant satisfaction and the lowest impact possible with resource use. A long, narrow floor plate with a clear-span structure allows virtually 100% visibility through the floors to optimize daylight, views, and passive ventilation. The curved, sponge-like structure significantly reduces structural material while doubling as shading for the facade. A four-story retail and office podium creates a more urban scale at the street side and a courtyard and atrium lobby internally. Sky gardens crown the tower and climb the east/west ends, where solar heat gain is most pronounced, therefore creating an insulating space on the hottest sides of the building. The project is designed to achieve daylight autonomy and net-zero energy through podium-mounted and off-site solar arrays. Life cycle cost analysis suggests a total savings of $50 million in construction costs (largely due to efficiency and overall reduction in area efficiencies), $1 million in operating costs annually, and $8-14 million in HR-related costs over 10 years.
AWARDS: Unbuilt award from the San Diego Green Building Council
“Successful integration of research and data into workplace design. We encourage more design teams to use computer tools to sustainably inform and enhance our built environment.” —SDGBC jury