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The Hyatt Center in Chicago's West Loop was started when the Pritzker family decided to develop a new headquarters for its Hyatt hotel chain.
The Chicago-based Pritzker Realty Group and Chicago-based Higgins Development Partners, the co-developer, gave architect Henry Cobb, founding partner of New York-based Pei Cobb Freed Partners, a month to develop a schematic design for a building that would maximize the use of the hemmed-in site and provide a column-free environment.
The site was relatively narrow because of existing buildings nearby. The Hyatt Center's lozenge shape provides maximum floor space with panoramic views.
The tower is composed of full-height glass, textured stainless steel spandrels and polished aluminum mullions. The entrances are also lozenge shaped and lead to halls that provide security screening before visitors move to a two-story-high glass lobby. It is flanked on the street side by live bamboo and on the building side by a bank of elevators.
Securing the Building
The design was intended to accommodate the challenges posed by the post-Sept. 11 world.
Increased security measures often have a negative effect on the experience of entering a building. As a result, the design was intended to ensure that while security measures are met, visitors would not have an off-putting experience.
A broad canopy invites visitors through a glazed vestibule into a 60-ft.-high reception hall with skylights. The elliptical shape dictates that these entries are located at end of the building.
From the reception areas, visitors proceed through low-ceiling foyers where security monitoring takes place.
The space is gently curved and appointed with a grove of bamboo trees on one side to act as a screen near the glazed perimeter. This area provides access to elevator lobbies in the central core.
The result is that the experience engages the occupant while still providing necessary security measures.
The jury said, "The Hyatt Center has a unique identifying massing. The lozenge shape is a unique architectural feature. The team faced unusual structural challenges. Architecturally, the sensitivity to the street level is good, and the architectural details, like the panels, are well done."
Key Players
Owner:
Pritzker Realty Group, Chicago
Developer:
Higgins Development Partners LLC, Chicago
Construction Manager:
Bovis Lend Lease, Chicago
Design Architect:
Pei Cobb Freed Partners, New York
Architect of Record:
A. Epstein and Sons International Inc., Chicago
Structural Engineer:
Halvorson & Kaye Structural Engineers, Chicago
Lighting Design:
Cosentini Lighting, New York
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