Canti­levered over the terrazzo-floored lobby, the concrete mezzanine level’s glass railing juxtaposes with exposed concrete and brick structural elements.
Canti­levered over the terrazzo-floored lobby, the concrete mezzanine level’s glass railing juxtaposes with exposed concrete and brick structural elements. Image courtesy of Dave Burk/Skidmore, Owings & Merrill.

Skidmore, Owings & Merrill Designs a Cutting-Edge Mixed-Use Space in Chicago

Offering amenities galore, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill’s 800 Fulton Market in Chicago is gaining traction with pandemic-weary companies, including John Deere, that are returning to the office. Originally conceived as a point of differentiation in a competitive market, the 500,000-square-foot tower’s laser-sharp focus on health and wellness took on even more relevance when it became one of the first new mixed-use buildings to open in the Windy City amidst the pandemic.

In addition to offering a fitness center, bike storage, and cutting-edge technologies that monitor air quality and occupancy, the 19-story brick, glass, and steel structure boasts large, light-filled spaces with tall exposed concrete ceilings, operable windows, and access to landscaped terraces. “There’s a stronger connection to nature, and the air quality is great,” SOM consulting partner Brian Lee says.

One of many custom artworks throughout 800 Fulton Market, a multi-tenant office building in Chicago by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, is a Kate Lynn Lewis mural, which creates a focal point in the employee-only amenities area.
One of many custom artworks throughout 800 Fulton Market, a multi-tenant office building in Chicago by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill and owned/developed by Thor Equities and QuadReal, is a Kate Lynn Lewis mural, which creates a focal point in the employee-only amenities area. Image courtesy of Dave Burk/Skidmore, Owings & Merrill.

In deference to the neighborhood’s low-key character, the building’s upper floors gradually step back from a brick-clad three-story base, creating tiered elevations not visible from the sidewalk. There’s nothing modest, however, about the series of exposed structural steel X-bracing crisscrossing a soaring bank of windows on the south-facing elevation. Designed to expand and contract with changes in temperature, “It’s a beautiful piece of engineering,” Lee says.

The firm’s engineers proved equally invaluable in realizing the steel-supported mezzanine that cantilevers over the three-story lobby. A spot to mingle, it also fosters a sense of intimacy in the lounge below it, where tailored furnishings are grouped in various configurations atop a graphic white marble inlay in the dark terrazzo flooring, all bordered by greenery-filled steel planters. “It’s like an urban living room,” SOM senior associate principal Julie Michiels says. “Collaboration has always been our secret sauce and these elements are a testament to that.”

Julie Michiels.
Julie Michiels. Image courtesy of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill.
Brian Lee.
Brian Lee. Image courtesy of Dave Burk/Skidmore, Owings & Merrill.
A nylon-rope wall installation is a subtle nod to the rope-bound barrels in the property’s former incarnation as a fish market.
A nylon-rope wall installation is a subtle nod to the rope-bound barrels in the property’s former incarnation as a fish market. Image courtesy of Dave Burk/Skidmore, Owings & Merrill.
Exposed structural steel braces balance the elevator core on the opposite side of the building.
Exposed structural steel braces balance the elevator core on the opposite side of the building. Image courtesy of Dave Burk/Skidmore, Owings & Merrill.
Canti­levered over the terrazzo-floored lobby, the concrete mezzanine level’s glass railing juxtaposes with exposed concrete and brick structural elements.
Canti­levered over the terrazzo-floored lobby, the concrete mezzanine level’s glass railing juxtaposes with exposed concrete and brick structural elements. Image courtesy of Dave Burk/Skidmore, Owings & Merrill.
A custom marble floor inlay defines a lobby lounge.
A custom marble floor inlay defines a lobby lounge. Image courtesy of Dave Burk/Skidmore, Owings & Merrill.

read more

recent stories