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Hearst Tower, designed by Norman Foster is the first building to receive a GoldLEED certified rating for "core and shell and interiors" in New York City. It has 46 stories, with 182 m (597 ft) height and 80,000 m² (856,000 ft²) of office space. The building was constructed using 80% recycled steel. The cost of foreign-sourced materials equals less than 10% of the cost of the construction of the Tower itself. The uncommon "diagrid" frame of the Tower contains roughly 20% less steel than would a conventional perimeter frame ( saving approximately 2,000 tons of steel). Each triangle in the diagrid is four stories tall or 16.5 metres. Light sensors in the building measure the amount of natural light coming in, and automatically control lighting and reduce energy use.
Ice Fall
A system in the roof preserves the rain water which is stored in a tank and used to water the plants in the building. This preserved water is also used for a three-storey water feature named "Icefall" built with thousands of glass panels and courses through the grand atrium inside the entrance which serves an environmental function by serving to humidify and chill the atrium lobby as necessary. Polyethylene tubing is embedded under the floor and filled with circulating water for cooling in the summer and heating in the winter. Interior walls are kept to a minimum in order to maximize penetration of natural light throughout the building. The glass that surrounds the exterior of building is a solar control glass. Special sensors are present in the rooms which switch off the lights and computers in the rooms whenever they are vacant. The building is naturally ventilated for up to three quarters of the year. Furniture used in the offices is formaldehyde free. Overall, the building has been designed to use 26% less energy than the minimum requirements for the NewYork city.
Awards:
• Emporis Skyscraper Award, 2006
• Runner-up for the Royal Institute of British Architects' Lubetkin Prize, 2007.
• British Construction Industry Award, 2007
• International Highrise Award, 2008 |
