Cool Projects of the Year:

Project of the Year: 2012
2012

Project of the Year: 2011
2011

Project of the Year: 2008
2008

Project of the Year: 2007
2007

Project of the Year: 2006
2006

Project of the Year: 2005
2005

Project of the Year: 2004
2004

Project of the Year: 2003
2003

Project of the Year: 2012

Harper Court

53rd and Lake Park

Location: Chicago, IL

Approximate Value: $1,000,000

Scope: Furnish and install GFRC panels on a parking garage.

Challenges: Panelized GFRC was the best solution for the intended design, but convincing everyone of that took a long time. In retrospect the biggest challenge may have been the large panel size after we accepted the challenge of no horizontal joint. The 14' height x 32' length made efficient shipping amazingly complex. The use of stepped blocks in different colors turned out great. Because of sequence and logistic issues, there was tight coordination with the GC. Hoisting method depended on location and was via either the tower crane, the more usual mobile crane, or a combination. Overall everyone thought the GFRC went in very nicely and with few problems.

Architect: HPA/Hartshorne Plunkard Architecture - Sophie Bidek (312) 226-4488

General Contractor: James McHugh Construction - David Riordan (312) 986-8000

Click a photo below for a larger version:

A rendering of the soon-to-be-complete Harper Court project. In this rendering our GFRC is visible as the panels with the backlit red and yellow rectangles on the 2nd floor (also on the 4th floor over to the right).This was the mockup panel on the job, used to assure that architects and owners are getting what they expected and that any issues get addressed prior to fabrication of the whole job.GFRC panels are not solid. The face shell rides on a steel frame (stud and/or tubes) that is not normally exposed. For this project, where the back of the panel was exposed, we enclosed the back with sheet metal.These are relatively light and thin GFRC panels on a parking garage. The openings will get glass later.Some panels had to set with the tower crane. They were off loaded from the truck to the roof first, and waited for tower crane availability.I think it's a very jazzy look. The glass will make them even more interesting.