Facades+ touches down again in the Windy City for a day of presentations and talks on high-performance facades and building enclosure design in the Midwest and across the world.
On October 4, The Architect’s Newspaper will gather leading local and international design practices for Facades+ Chicago. The conference highlights innovative enclosure projects from Valerio Dewalt Train, JGMA, SOM, Buro Happold, Heintges Consulting, Jahn, Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects, Pepper Construction, and others.
The conference has been co-organized with Travis Soberg of Chicago’s Goettsch Partners.
Multi-Tasking Facades in a Post-Industrial Landscape
The first session of the day focuses on the Ford Calumet Environmental Center. Tom Daly and Matt Gamache, principals at Valerio Dewalt Train, will share details on the innovative design solutions and technical intricacies that make the Center a great case study of sustainable architecture and environmental stewardship. The Center serves as an education and information hub on the environment and specifically the ecology and land of the region. The exterior of the building features natural nail-laminated timber panels, complemented by steel cladding that harmonizes with the park’s industrial heritage.
Humboldt Park Health Wellness Center: Curved Facades for a New Quality of Care
Local practice JGMA will share details about the facade of the Humboldt Park Wellness Center. Juan Gabriel Moreno and Dan Spore of JGMA will be joined by José Sánchez of Humboldt Park Health and Chad Showalter of Metal Design Systems to present the design. The building is defined by its blue and teal perforated metal paneled facade and glass curtain wall.
From Skyline to Streetscape: Understanding Materiality in High-Rise Buildings
Goettsch Partners, the co-chair firm, will showcase three of its premier recent projects from around the globe: Alcove, Shenzhen Conrad Hotel, and Poly International Finance Center. These buildings, notable for their scale and complexity, will be examined as contributions to the skyline and streetscape. The discussion will delve into the role of materiality, exploring how common architectural materials are perceived at different distances, and ultimately how designers can craft a compelling palette that balances expression, performance, and budget.
1000M Reaching New Heights
Phil Castillo, managing director at Jahn will share the story of 1000M, one of the latest additions to Chicago’s Michigan Avenue Historic District. To create the 73-story building and pay homage to Chicago’s legacy of outstanding architecture, the firm recalled the materiality and referenced the punched windows of the 20th century buildings surrounding the site.
TWBT + Heintges Obama Library and Archives
The day’s program concludes with a presentation from Brian Abell and Jennifer Dempsey of Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects, who will be joined by Travis Heim of Heintges to present on the Obama Presidential Center. Hear from the designers about the building’s blending of texture and pattern and learn more about its faceted granite facade.
Click here to find out more and register.