In Collaboration with Weiqiao Lin & Benjamin Fann
Advisor: Kyoung Sun Moon
Location: Chicago, IL
Yale School of Architecture, 2022 Fall
Introduction
Moreover, the growing urban population and increased density call for innovative applications of wood in multi-story and even supertall buildings. However, as buildings rise in height, the physical limitations of wood become apparent. To address this, integrating timber components with a proven structural framework could enable its use in supertall structures.
The proposed design features a hybrid structural system that combines a braced steel mega-tube framework with mass timber elements. This system supports three interconnected towers rising from a circular base, which ascend progressively toward the waterfront, complementing the existing urban skyline. Concrete platforms interspersed between the towers provide outdoor green spaces. Within the structures, mass timber acts as a secondary support system, distributing loads to the towers’ mega-columns. The design includes a glass podium at the base, creating a transitional space that connects public functions on the ground level with the private sectors of offices, residential units, and hospitality spaces above.
Completed in 2019, Mjøstårnet in Norway was the tallest mass timber building at 280 feet until Ascent MKE in Wisconsin surpassed it at 284 feet in 2022. Despite engineered wood’s low-carbon benefits, timber buildings rarely exceed 25 stories.
Supertall timber proposals, like London’s Oakwood Timber Tower, showcase both the potential and structural limitations of mass timber. As height increases, material demands reduce timber’s efficiency compared to concrete and steel. To overcome this, the project proposes a hybrid braced mega-tube system integrating timber elements, allowing wood to surpass its typical height constraints.
Site | Existing Condition
400 N Lake Shore Drive is situated at a prominent location in Chicago’s Streeterville neighborhood, right where the Chicago River meets Lake Michigan.
Circulation
400 N Lake Shore Drive is situated at a prominent location in Chicago’s Streeterville neighborhood, right where the Chicago River meets Lake Michigan.
Ground Floor Plan | Mixed Use Tower + Waterfront Park
Structure Scheme | Hybrid Structural System
Circulation | Riser Diagram
Residential | Units Types Variations
Rendering | Residential
Rendering | Sky Lobby