Two projects for which Thornton Tomasetti provided structural engineering services, Altra Sede Regione Lombardia and Bank of Oklahoma (BOK) Center, have been named award winners by the National Council of Structural Engineers Association for its 2011 Excellence in Structural Engineering Awards. Thornton Tomasetti was recognized at NCSEA’s 19th Annual Conference, Oct. 20 – 22 at the Renaissance Oklahoma City Convention Center.
Key points:
- Altra Sede Regione Lombardia is an iconic five-building,1.05-million-sf headquarters property for the Lombardy Regional Government in Milan, Italy. It includes a 43-story, 405,000-sf tower, three below grade parking/storage levels and a plaza. It was designed by Pei Cobb Freed & Partners Architects LLP
- A large piazza in the center of the Altra Sede Regione Lombardia site is enclosed by the surrounding low-rise buildings and tower. The piazza roof is covered by a tubular lamella structure spanning 140 meters by 45 meters and clad in an extremely light pillow membrane system
- Grand entrances to the piazza are created by open double-height ground-floor areas and multiple column transfers. The enclosure of the building is a highly innovative and efficient double-layer glass curtain wall
- The Bank of Oklahoma Center, located in the heart of Tulsa, Okla., is a multi-purpose convention facility that can accommodate concerts, hockey, arena football, NCAA tournaments and other large public events. The 600,000-sf facility, designed by Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects (associate architect) and Matrix*Odell (construction architect), is an icon for Tulsa, serving not only as a premiere events venue, but also as a singular destination. The facility’s design utilizes the sun’s rays through the glass wall during the daytime. The same glass wall wraps around the southern half of the arena to welcome visitors by creating a unique gathering space. BD+C
Related Stories
| Apr 5, 2013
Bangkok gets a leaning tower, that may topple
A seven-story apartment tower under construction in Bangkok has started to tilt and is on the verge of toppling.
| Apr 5, 2013
Snøhetta design creates groundbreaking high-tech library for NCSU
The new Hunt Library at North Carolina State University, Raleigh, incorporates advanced building features, including a five-story robotic bookBot automatic retrieval system that holds 2 million volumes in reduced space.
| Apr 5, 2013
'My BIM journey' – 6 lessons from a BIM/VDC expert
Gensler's Jared Krieger offers important tips and advice for managing complex BIM/VDC-driven projects.
| Apr 5, 2013
Commercial greenhouse will top new Whole Foods store in Brooklyn
Whole Foods and partner Gotham Greens will create a 20,000-sf greenhouse atop one of the retailer's Brooklyn supermarkets. Expected to open this fall, the facility will supply produce to nine Whole Foods stores in metro New York City.
| Apr 5, 2013
Projected cost for Apple's Campus 2 balloons to $5 billion
Campus 2, Apple Inc.'s proposed ring-shaped office facility in Cupertino, Calif., could cost $5 billion to build, according to a report by Bloomberg.
| Apr 5, 2013
Extreme LEGO: Wondrous micro city built out of 200,000 blocks
Master LEGO builder Mike Doyle unveils his latest creation, an out-of-this-world micro city that celebrates peaceful alien contact.
| Apr 3, 2013
AIA CES class: Sealant repairs that last – hybrid sealants for building restoration
It is hard to talk about restoration without talking about sustainability. This two-hour interactive online course discusses the role that restoration can and does play in the arena of sustainability, and specifically the role that sealants play in sustainable design and repair.
| Apr 3, 2013
Construction spending up 20% since 2011, growth will continue, says Gilbane report
The monthly rate of construction spending is up 20% in 24 months and increased in 18 of the last 24 months, which is a good leading indicator for new construction work in Q3-Q4 2013, according to Gilbane's latest Market Conditions in Construction report.
| Apr 3, 2013
5 award-winning modular buildings
The Modular Building Institute recently revealed the winners of its annual Awards of Distinction contest. There were 42 winners in all across six categories. Here are five projects that caught our eye.
| Apr 2, 2013
6 lobby design tips
If you do hotels, schools, student unions, office buildings, performing arts centers, transportation facilities, or any structure with a lobby, here are six principles from healthcare lobby design that make for happier users—and more satisfied owners.