Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts – Kansas City, MO
Location: Kansas City, MO
Engineer: Arup
Architect: Safdie Architects with BNIM Architects
AE Interests: 1,600-seat concert hall and 1,800-seat ballet/opera house, cable-supported glass roof allowing for no interior columns, design influenced by nonlinear analysis and form-finding, combination of CIP concrete and steel framing allowed for fast tracking
Sources: [1]
Stone Vault, MLK Jr. Park – Austin, Texas
Project: Stone Vault, MLK Jr. Park
Location: Austin, Texas
Design and Structural Engineering: Ochsendorf, DeJong and Block, LLC
CNC Fabrication and Masonry: AX5 Resources and Escobedo Construction
Expected Completion: April 2015
AE Interests: Complex geometry, 5-Axis CNC stone-cutting machine, catalyst for community activities.
Thanks: C.Shortall, W.Meredith
Ping An Finance Center – Shenzhen, China
Building: Ping An Finance Center
Location: Shenzhen, China
Completion: 2015 (expected)
Structural Engineer: Thornton Tomasetti
MEP Engineer: J. Roger Preston Group
Design Architect: Kohn Pederson Fox Associates
Developer: Ping An Life Insurance Company of China
Main Contractor: China Construction Design International
Associate Architect: China Construction Design International
AE Interests: This 2,165 foot skyscraper has been pre-certified as a LEED Gold project. The façade will consist of glass panels affixed to chevron-shaped vertical stone members that extend from the foundation. Perimeter columns are concealed within the stone verticals and will interlock at the corners by diagonal braces. The tower will house 115 stories with 42 million square feet of mixed use office space, hotel suites and restaurants and upon completion will be the second-tallest building in the world and the tallest in China.
Baylor University Stadium – Waco, Texas
Project: Baylor University Stadium
Location: Waco, Texas
Architect: Populous
Structural and Facade Engineer: Buro Happold
Approved to proceed: 2012 (in progress)
Expected Completion date: Fall 2014
AEInterests: Stadium long span roof, facade technology, LEED rated.
Article: 1,
The Round Tower House – England
Building: The Round Tower
Location: Gloucestershire, England
Completion: 2012
Structural Engineer: Price & Myers
Main Contractor: GL50 Properties
Concrete Contractor: Stallard Construction
Architect: De Matos Ryan
AE Interests: Having suffered aging, neglect and fire, the original castle tower and subterranean dungeon were salvaged to create a medieval/contemporary hybrid residence. Naturally lit and ventilated by the open-air courtyard, this underground villa features glass-walled rooms, sun terrace, and an outdoor pool. The central interior feature is the round skylight that illuminates the interior while reflecting the circular design of the turret above. The substantial thermal mass of the concrete walls help regulate interior temperatures, proving that preserving the past while fostering innovation is the greatest strength of projects such as this.
China Zun – Beijing, China
Building: China Zun
Location: Beijing, China
Completion: 2016 (expected)
Developer: CITIC Real Estate
Architect: TFP Farrells
AE Interests: This 1,706 foot tall, mixed-use skyscraper will be the tallest building in the city upon its completion and will contain 21.5 million square feet of office space, apartments, six-star hotel suites, retail stores and other state-of-the-art facilities. The subtle vertical curves give this monolithic structure an elegant profile which will maximize floor area at the penthouse levels while providing structural stability at the foundation.
Federation Tower – Moscow, Russia
Building: Federation Tower
Location: Moscow, Russia
Completion: 2013 (expected)
Owner: Mirax Group
Developer: Stroymontage
Contractor: Turner Construction International
Architects: Peter Schweger & Sergei Tchoban
AE Interests: This 1660 foot, multi-use complex will consist of two towers with a spire between them and house hotel suites, restaurants, cafes and apartments. The concrete being used for this structure is grade B90 which is twice as strong as traditional mix designs and should withstand a direct impact from an aircraft. The central spire will house two high-speed elevators with external glazing as well as an observation deck.
