Chicago

In an era where transparent facades are used for an ever increasing number of building types, the team at Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects | Partners have used solidity as means to convey weight, permanence, and strength. Citing some of their most recent and ongoing work, they will detail the technical challenges, material methodologies, and unique conditions for which the use of masonry facades have resulted in durable, sustainable, secure, and enduring designs. Presenting the Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park in Grand Rapids Michigan, the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City, and the Hood Museum of Art at Dartmouth College, they will show how these traditional materials can solve some of the most complex constraints of varying building types, with a character and beauty that reflects their surroundings.

Paul Schulhof

Partner

Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects

Paul Schulhof

Partner

Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects

Paul Schulhof, AIA

Paul Schulhof is a partner at the architecture firm of Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects + Partners (TWBTA). He joined TWBTA in 1999 and became the third partner in the practice in 2013. Paul has been a Partner on a wide range of projects including the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago, the US Embassy in Mexico City, a technology campus for TATA Consultancy Services in India, the expansion of the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York City, a dormitory for Haverford College, and award-winning houses in Connecticut and New York. Before joining TWBTA, Paul was an architect at Weiss/Manfredi Architects and at Beyer Blinder Belle Architects and Planners where he worked on the restoration of New York’s Grand Central Terminal. He received his Bachelor of Science from Cornell University and Master of Architecture from the University of Virginia. Paul has taught a graduate-level architecture studio at Yale University and has served as a guest critic at multiple institutions.

Azadeh Rashidi

Architect, Project Manager

Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects

Azadeh Rashidi

Architect, Project Manager

Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects

Azadeh Rashidi is a project manager and architect at New York based Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects | Partners. She holds both Bachelors and Master of Architecture degrees from the University of Virginia, where she was also a lecturer. Previous to her work at TWBTA, she was an associate at WG Clark Architects and served as the project architect for several projects, including the award winning addition to the School of Architecture at UVA. During her time at TWBTA, Azadeh has been involved in several high profile projects, including the Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts at the University of Chicago and the addition and renovation of Dartmouth College’s Hood Museum of Art. Currently, Azadeh is working on the renovation of David Geffen Hall, home of the New York Philharmonic at Lincoln Center.

Elisa Testa

Architect, Project Manager

Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects

Elisa Testa

Architect, Project Manager

Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects

Elisa Testa is an architect and project manager at Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects | Partners. Elisa has a master degree in Architecture from the University of Genova, Italy and has been working in New York City since the year 2000. She joined TWBTA in 2003 and is currently managing the expansion project for the Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park in Grand Rapids, MI. While at TWBTA, Elisa has overseen the development of the interiors for the U.S. Embassy Complex in Mexico City and was the project architect for the LeFrak Center recreational facility in Prospect Park, the TATA Consultancy Services Banyan Park Development Center and Recreation building, and for three New York Public School library renovations, sponsored by the Robinhood Library Foundation Initiative. Prior to TWBTA Elisa was at Helfand Myerberg and Guggenheimer, where she worked on the Swarthmore College Science Center and was project architect for a McKim Mead and White New York City Public Library renovation.

As of late, openness, transparency, and visibility have become paramount objectives in a variety of building typologies. In a city like Chicago, achieving those objectives at high performance levels while also protecting against the elements can be tricky. This panel will examine three Chicago projects that overcame significant obstacles to achieve impressive and efficient installations of large format glazing: 320 South Canal and the Lincoln Park Zoo Lion House by Goettsch Partners and the David Rubenstein Forum at the University of Chicago by Diller Scofidio + Renfro.

Mark Chiu, R.A.

Associate

Thornton Tomasetti

Mark Chiu, R.A.

Associate

Thornton Tomasetti

Mark Chiu joined Thornton Tomasetti in 2015 and has more than 14 years of experience in design of all types of exterior facade systems with a focus on sustainable design. He has in-depth knowledge and a specialization in building science, focusing his work on thermal performance of facades, high-performance and climate-specific design, and testing/analysis of the building envelope. He has collaborated on several notable national and international projects consisting of complex geometries and intricate detailing, realizing challenging performance goals and material uses.

As cities across the U.S. continue to grow at unprecedented rates, architects must decide what to do with the often-dated 20th century spaces they inherit. Many opt for the freedom of a blank slate and demolish, but some accept the challenge of reimagining an existing structure for a second life. Hear how designers at Wheeler Kearns transformed a 70-year-old Kraft Foods Plant in Bentonville, Arkansas into a sophisticated arts district and how Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill revitalized Chicago’s own Steppenwolf Theatre. By employing sympathetic techniques, both projects remain respectful of history while bringing these buildings into the 21st century.

Most facades and enclosures perform well in the center of the system, failures typically occur where systems meet, at penetration and projections and at geometry changes. This workshop will begin with a primer on critical detailing concerns with our group of enclosure experts and then will transition to hands and collaborative design charrette including the panelists and the Workshop participants. This represents an evolution of the successful Advanced Detailing Workshop presented at previous Facades+ to focus on more contemporary and challenging details.

INSTRUCTORS

Chris O Hara, Studio NYL
Bradford J. Prestbo, FAIA, Placetailor
Stan Su, Architect
Felipe Francisco, Manager

In a rapidly changing and unpredictable world, designers find themselves lodged between the pressures of economics and delivery, and the need for staying innovative and improving upon processes and methods. As building professionals, we need to not only strike a balance between these two, but ideally have them inform and augment each other. The workshop will showcase examples of applied research as experienced by the participants of the annually recurring design-to-fabrication event of the Architectural Ceramic Assemblies Workshop (ACAW). Since 2016, architects, engineers, fabricators, artists, and academics have all come together at ACAW in a collaborative fashion, with the aim of progressively transforming problem solving.

Over time the ACAW event has come to extend beyond its experimental roots and started feeding back into built projects through novel ways of executing architectural assemblies. Illustrative case studies from the organizers’ collective body of work serve as point of departure for an interactive discussion around the workshop theme and what it means to innovate in applied technology.

INSTRUCTORS
Gustav Fagerstrom, Walter P Moore
Erik Verboon, Walter P Moore
Graham Clegg, Studios Architects
Craig Copeland, Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects
Omar Khan, Carnegie Mellon University

Credit type: 1 AIA/HSW
Provider: STI Firestop

Today’s high-performance building enclosures demand high performance fire protection! The development of new “Hybrid Window Wall designs” has created issues on projects throughout North America. Curtain wall consultants and Authorities Having Jurisdiction (AHJ’s) are requiring tested firestop solutions for this growing wall type. Fully understanding the role and value of perimeter fire barrier systems in today’s ever changing and complex designs cannot be overstated. As the industry changes almost on a monthly basis, understanding how to maintain the integrity of a non-rated hybrid window wall system for up to 2 hours is critical in the design phase to eliminate costly changes, delays, and compromised life safety requirements during construction. Key topics are outlined below and will be discussed in detail incorporating PowerPoint & video.

Learning Objectives

• Understanding the issues and concerns of new Hybrid Window Wall designs
• Importance of testing for Hybrid Window Wall designs
  • Understanding ASTM E2307 and the Intermediate Scale Multi-Story Test Apparatus
  • Understanding the sequencing and installation of tested solutions
  • Documenting the performance of a successful perimeter fire barrier test
• Common misconceptions about Hybrid Window Wall designs

Credit type: 1 AIA/HSW
Provider: Kuraray

This presentation will focus on the need for security glazing to protect people and property from human attacks and severe weather. Laminated glass can provide intrusion resistance, as well as protection from flying glass that occurs after a bomb blast. Bullet resistant laminates are designed specifically to stop bullet penetration and fragmentation. Industry standards for testing and specifying security glazing will be reviewed, including standards for physical attack, bomb blast, ballistics and wind-borne debris protection.

Learning Objectives

• Recognize the growing concern for terrorist attacks, including shootings in schools
• Understand how laminated glass provides intrusion, blast, ballistics, and wind-borne debris protection
• Identify test standards and requirements for security applications
• Identify architectural applications where security glazing is required, including courthouses and embassies

Credit type: 1 AIA/HSW
Provider: Northern Facades

Reaching towards Net Zero energy ready buildings is becoming a popular topic in todays climate changing world. Energy efficiency has expanded towards exterior wall assemblies where effects of thermal bridging are considered and thermally broken sub-framing systems are becoming the new norm. This course will identify and compare various cladding attachment methods on the market. Learn how to determine the appropriate clip for your project and how to compare effective thermal resistance required to achieve projects targeted R – Value.

Learning Objectives

• Learn how the use of thermal clips will impact thermal bridging on various exterior wall assembly applications
• Identify types of clips currently on the market
• Learn how to calculate the number of clips required on your project by identifying structural forces involved to determine clip spacing
• Gain insight on how the NFPA 285 fire code applies to thermal clips

Bilal Khan

Consultant

Northern Facades

Bilal Khan

Consultant

Northern Facades

An advocate for high performance building envelopes, Bilal’s work has helped build grass-root level educational infrastructure, biomass energy plants and, automated transit systems. Bilal has a Masters in Architecture and an MBA.

Joe Baz

Technical Specialist

Joe Baz

Technical Specialist

Joe is pushing towards more energy efficient solutions of building wall assemblies while keeping the ease of construct ability in mind. Being part of the product development of certain components within wall assemblies have helped push his ideas into reality.

How does the existing building stock compete for the attention of new tenant opportunities with new buildings that have incorporated social and collaborative amenities while evoking high-performance sustainable technologies? They renew, refresh, and reinvent. This workshop will explore how façade upgrades have played an important part in repositioning some of Chicago’s most recognized aging buildings. We’ll talk through the ownership perspective on rebranding through renovation and the importance of facades in this equation, from high-tech structural glazing to contemporary uses of terracotta. Learn how designers have responded to the challenge to reinvent. The process from concept development to technical detailing and construction will be on the agenda as we learn how projects like the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (Krueck+Sexton Partners) and the Willis Tower (Gensler) navigated renovations. The workshop will be moderated by architect and façade designer, Edward Peck of edward PECK DESIGN and will bring the creative and technical process to the forefront of the discussion by engaging the ownership and design teams of past collaborations.

Earn 3 AIA HSW

INSTRUCTORS

Edward Peck | Edward PECK DESIGN
Amy Preston | Preston Design & Construction Consulting LLC
Luke Haas | Krueck Sexton Partners
Yugene Cha | Krueck Sexton Partners
Stephen Katz, AIA, LEED AP BD+C | Gensler