Recently we have been reading and writing a lot about different towers that have been specially designed to suit the urban environment. The architect Daniel Caven has designed “The Devoid Tower” at the Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, which not only surveys different passive systems that can be included while working on a high rise design but has also taken into consideration the various design rules.
This tower is located in the River North area of Chicago and possesses a central volume that is perforated by an empty space. The movement and place of this particular void is planned giving utmost importance to Chicago’s environmental conditions, regarding wind speeds and sunlight. After conducting an experiment it was found that, the void slows down wind speeds, benefiting the tower to get natural ventilation through all the floor-plates. This void designed in the tower, allows it to enjoy the maximum amount of sunlight throughout the day on top of the floor plates and on the other hand permits the users to get more picturesque views.
The exterior of the tower enjoys views of Lake Michigan and River Chicago. The interior is graced with a large open space and an open floor plate due to the dia-grid structure, which welcomes the users. The tower got its final shape by the movement and form of the void. The tower holds a variety of programs on the different stories, as in the three stories at the base provide a space for retail with a beautiful view of the lake and the path alongside the river houses the restaurant. The office space is planned in the larger segment of the tower and the crown of the tower incorporates a skydeck and a five star hotel with a sky lobby which separates the office from the hotel.
Via: Evolo