“ Engaging the public realm this way acknowledges the civic responsibility in building , which in turn can generate commercial value .
PEI COBB FREED & PARTNERS relationship of vision glass to spandrel glass has increased vision area and daylighting by more than 50 percent while retaining the essential proportions of the original facade . Overall building energy use has dropped by more than 40 percent .
Many considerations are involved in evaluating the interventions required to achieve compliance with new local laws and to make a property more competitive , notes Kate Bojsza , coleader of Pei Cobb Freed ’ s repositioning and carbon retrofit team . “ An integrated approach addressing asset value and marketability , along with the cost drivers of constructability and logistics , is essential ,” she says . “ It ’ s important to identify anything that might make it difficult for building owners to realize gains , like unknown conditions , fuel source pricing , and customization .”
Leveraging the firm ’ s tradition of design excellence and commitment to craft , the repositioning and retrofit team aims for solutions that are both aesthetically uncompromising and technically sound . At 1271 , the team oversaw the restoration of the landmarked lobby ’ s mid-century finishes and expanded the space to accommodate new reception desks for a multi-tenant configuration , all the while respecting the historic design intent . Additional updates include modernized mechanical , life safety , and elevator systems and redesigned elevator cab interiors .
The upgrades have created a more livable and desirable workplace , says Chris Jend , a lead designer on the project . But the beneficiaries are not just the tower ’ s tenants . “ By reimagining the original fountain as a stepped landscape feature and adding a dynamic cantilevered canopy , we transformed the east plaza —
PAGE 45 - ARCHETECH