A couple of weeks ago, while exploring all the city of Chicago could offer during a weekend trip to a volleyball tournament, I often found myself staring at the same building within the Windy City skyline. It looked as though it was three buildings put together, side by side, connected by vertical waves. This design left me in complete awe as someone with a deep appreciation for architecture. I finally decided to Google search “wavy Chicago building” to see what would come up. The St. Regis Chicago Building, previously known as the Vista Building, was what I had been looking for.
After researching the building, I was happy to discover that the architect of the building was a woman, Jeanne Gang. As an advocate for women representation in STEM careers, this was an amazing surprise. In addition to the St. Regis Chicago, Gang has worked on many other projects, including the Aqua Tower in Chicago.
The St. Regis Chicago
The St. Regis Chicago Building is 101 stories high and the world's tallest structure designed by a woman. Despite its appearance, the building is not actually curved. Each side of the building is straight with a specifically built pattern that steps either 4 inches outwards or inwards. The tower was also constructed using 6 different shades of glass. Both of these design choices work to create a memorable curved appearance. Another special design choice used for the St. Regis was the “blow-through floor” on the 83rd floor. This is a floor that is hollow in order to counter the heavy winds that impact tall buildings throughout the city. Gang realized the necessity of the floor when tests of a model of the building were placed inside for wind tunnel analysis. Also, held within one of the top floors of the building is a 400,000 gallon tank of water that is used to counter the wind impact on the building. By placing a big tank of water on the top of the building, when wind sways the building back and forth, the water sways the opposite way, creating stability within the building. This not only protects the building from the wind, it also creates a better environment for people living and working within the building, especially on the higher floors.
Jeanne Gang’s Architecture Career
Gang’s architecture career began at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign where she received a bachelor’s degree in architecture. She earned her master’s degree from Harvard University Graduate School of Design in 1993. From 1993 until 1995, she worked as a project architect and the lead designer at the Office for Metropolitan Architecture located in the Netherlands. Then, in 1997, she opened her very own architectural firm under the name Studio Gang Architects in Chicago, Illinois. Her first major project was in 2004 when she was asked to design the Aqua Tower in Chicago. Throughout the past twenty years, her firm has continued to be in high demand, working on many projects throughout the world.
Sustainability in Design
Gang is also well known for her use of sustainable and environmentally friendly designs. Her designs incorporate recycled materials with the purpose of preserving resources, decreasing rapid expansion of cities, and expanding biodiversity. One example of this was her project for Beloit College where she was tasked with turning an old coal power plant into a multifunctional student center. Within her repurposed work, Gang focuses on also highlighting structural pieces from the previous building, while still making the new one original. For the student center, Gang was able to preserve parts of the coal plant’s history while working to gain LEED Silver Certification, which stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design and measures the sustainability of a building. Now called the Powerhouse, the center is one of students’ favorite places on the Beloit campus.
Awards
Gang has, and will continue to make a positive impact on the architecture community. She was awarded the Marcus Prize for Architecture in 2017, and in 2019 she was named the World’s Most Influential Architect by Times Magazine.
At first, the St. Regis in Chicago was just an intriguing structure that I was curious to learn more about, but after further research I also found a new STEM role model. Jeanne Gang is an inspiration to girls in the STEM field because of her success as an architect, and her lasting influence on the architecture industry. Specifically, her focus on sustainability within her projects has inspired me to continue encouraging sustainability within my community. To learn more about Studio Gang and their previous and upcoming projects, visit https://studiogang.com.
Comments