Office building in New York (Hearst Tower)

Hearst Tower (Manhattan) by Dreamword, License CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/legalcode)

John Hopkins University – United States

Office building in New York (Hearst Tower)

Building use

Office building

Country/Region

All Regions

Overview

The diagrid system and concrete filled steel tubes were adopted to design a renewal of the landmark Hearst Tower (first built in 1928) with the use of a diagrid system to address new seismic requirements.

Basic information (construction date, number of stories, gross floor area, adopted design code, engineer(s), Contractor(s), etc.)

Construction date: 2003
Number of stories: 46
Gross floor area: 80,000m2
Adopted design code: NYC Building Code; LEED
Engineer(s): WSP
Contractor(s): Turner Construction

Issue and/or innovation

The Hearst Tower was first built in 1928. This new building was completed in 2006. The team had to address new seismic requirements in the NYC Building Code at the time. Stability and lateral load distribution were key elements. The solution was a diagrid system comprised of 34 stories of steel tubes, which handles lateral loads while also making for an impressive architectural design. The diagrid features very intricate six-ton node connectors, where six different 12-inch H-column type diagrid elements were bolted together. The structure also includes composite shear wall with steel braced frames encased in RC walls, and CFST.

Reason for composite solution

To design a renewal of the landmark Hearst Tower with the use of a diagrid system to address new seismic requirements.

Specific solution/technical details

Composite shear wall with steel braced frames encased in RC walls, steel tubes filled with concrete. To provide stability under wind and seismic loads, the diagonal elements were placed within a primary orthogonal structural framework.

Impact or effectiveness

The lateral load system allowed for very open floor plans, with only two columns required per floor.

References / Technical Papers Content

Rahimian, A. (2006, February). New York’s Hearst Tower. Structure Magazine https://ocw.mit.edu/courses/1-964-design-for-sustainability-fall-2006/4902416840f57c0f42e3c503c1479385_nina_mahjoub.pdf

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