Brought to you by:Architect: Pelli Clarke & PartnersLocation: ChicagoCompletion Date:2024Wolf Point, a four-acre site located at the intersection of the Chicago Rivers three forks masterplanned by Pelli Clarke & Partners, is finally complete after a 15-year development saga. The final component of the project wrapped up construction late last year; it is a 57-story office tower leased almost exclusively to Salesforce. Clad head-to-toe in glass curtain wall, the tower features an articulated crown at its peak, a decorative element that signals the new skyscrapers prominence in the Chicago skyline. The Salesforce tower joins two previously completed residential buildings on the site, Wolf Point East and West, designed by bKL Architecture and Pelli Clarke & Partners, respectively. Before this, the site was used for decades as a parking lot. In addition to the three towers, the masterplan adds 2.3 acres of public park space that is integrated with the citys riverwalk, fulfilling municipal waterfront zoning requirements.Pelli Clarke & Partners masterplan for Wolf Point includes two residential towers, an office tower, and a public park. (Courtesy Pelli Clarke & Partners)The development site has been owned by the Kennedy family since 1936and has sat vacant for over 80 years. Darin Cook, partner at Pelli Clarke, told AN,In the Daniel Burnham plan of Chicago from 1909, this is one of the most significant sites. Its this unusual peninsula that sticks out into the river, so you actually have 270 degree exposure around the site. Even in Burnhams plan, he had a major landmark at this point in the river. It only took around 114 years to realize that, he added.The Wolf Point site juts out into the Chicago River, creating wrap-around views of the Salesforce tower. (Jason ORear)When designing the new building, Pelli Clarke & Partners were constrained by an established view corridor from the river to a Holiday Inn located behind Wolf Point as well as setback zoning related to the Chicagos Riverwalk. For this reason, the tower is narrow and rectangular in plan. To create a more formally expressive massing, the architects articulated the top of the tower, implementing a series of tapered setbacks around the buildings uppermost floors. A setback was also incorporated at the towers podium, where the buildings glazed lobby and entrance step inward to maximize Wolf Points landscaped public space.A glass-encased lobby establishes views outward to the public park. (Jason ORear)Pelli Clarke & Partners specified low-e coated glazing for the project to improve energy efficiency. This product allows 53 percent visible light transmittance during the day, allowing office workers to cut down on the use of artificial lighting. In addition, the silvery blue color of the curtain walls vision glass was diligently matched to that of the opaque glazing that covers the buildings spandrel panels, creating a more monolithic exterior expression. The Salesforce tower is the first construction project in Chicago required to submit environmental product declarations (EPDs) to the city. Using this data, Pelli Clarke & Partners collaborated with the structural engineer to reduce the use of steel and concrete in the structure through efficient column placements.Because of its position at the confluence of the Chicago River, Pelli Clarkes tower is highly visible from multiple vantage points within Downtown Chicago. (Jason ORear)Construction logistics were complicated by the irregularities of the Wolf Point site. Because of a city mandate that construction materials could not be stored above ground, a temporary access road was constructed beneath the property, building upon Downtown Chicagos pre-existing network of below-ground streets. After the building was completed, this access road was filled in. The builders also had to contend with the towers proximity to the Chicago River, which is occasionally subject to flooding. Accordingly, a large cofferdam was constructed below grade. During excavation, an abandoned coal delivery tunnel was discovered beneath the site, a remnant from the early 20th century, when coal was delivered to the basements of downtown businesses. To ensure the foundations structural stability, this tunnel was also filled in with concrete.Chicagos Skyline continues to grow with the addition of Salesforce tower, and several recently-completed residential skyscrapers. (Jason ORear)Despite nationwide struggles to fill office space, Hines, the projects developer, has succeeded in leasing 97 percent of the tower, managing to attract one of the worlds largest technology firms. As skyscrapers transition from office use to primarily residential functions, Pelli Clarke & Partners Salesforce tower finds itself alone among recently-completed buildings of comparable size. For example, Jahns 1000M and Goettsch Partners One Chicagotwo of the largest towers completed in the past several yearsare both residential high rises. Additional condo towers are forthcoming as well, including SOMs 400 Lake Shore Drive, which broke ground this past summer.Regardless of this trend away from office towers, development is clearly still booming in Chicago, as new buildings are regularly added to the citys already architecturally distinguished skyline.Project SpecificationsDesign Architect: Pelli Clarke & PartnersArchitect of Record: HKSLandscape Architect: ConfluenceInterior Design: GenslerStructural Engineer: Magnusson Klemencic AssociatesElectrical Engineer: Alvine EngineeringCivil Engineer: EpsteinLighting Design: OneLux StudioAV/Acoustics: CeramiSecurity Consultant: Affiliated EngineersTelecommunications: EpsteinFacade Consultant: Curtain Wall Design & ConsultingGeneral Contractor: Walsh ConstructionOwner: Wolf Point SouthOwner Representative: RL Edwards PartnersDeveloper: HinesGlazing Contractor: HarmonFacade Installation: HarmonElevator/Vertical Transportation: Persohn/Hahn AssociatesFacade Access: OlympiqueBMCS: HMA ConsultingWind Engineer: RWDIGeotechnical Engineer: GEI ConsultantsTraffic Consultant: Kimley-HornParking Consultant: DesmanCurtain Wall: HarmonLobby Glazing: SentechStainless Steel Column Covers: Bell Pro ArchitecturalGlass: Viracon, Cricursa