THE POMPOMIST: Stunning Triangulation

On my last visit to New York City, I took this picture of the monumental Hearst Tower: the city’s first building to win a Gold LEED® award, this meaning that the structure is the best, fully certified “green” or environmentally friendly building of 2006. The diagrid, 46-story, 856,000-square-foot Midtown structure is defined by it’s state-of-the-art energy-saving components and filled with new technology. The design is by the world renowned architect Lord Norman Foster, Hon. FAIA, of U.K., owner and president of Foster and Partners.

This stunning building is located (just in case you travel to NYC and want to visit) on 300 West 57th Street on 8th Avenue, near Columbus Circle. It is the world headquarters of the Hearst Corporation: company that produces publications like Cosmopolitan, Good Housekeeping and the San Francisco Chronicle, just to name a few.

One interesting fact is that Hearst Tower was the first skyscraper to break ground in New York City after September 11, 2001. The building springs from an old 1920s six-story, cast stone structure which has been preserved as a historical landmark.

Now, why the building is considered “green”? Well, It has a number of environmental considerations built into the plan. The floor of the atrium is cemented with heat conductive limestone. Polyethylene tubing is set on the floor and filled with circulating water for cooling in the summer and heating in the winter.

“Key features include Low-E glass in the building envelope, light sensors to control the amount of artificial light on each floor based on the amount of natural light available, activity level sensors that control both lights and computers, high efficiency HVAC systems, and use of outside makeup air for cooling and ventilation for 75 percent of the year, plus, use of Energy Star appliances.” (via TreeHugger)

Rain is collected on the roof and stored in a tank in the basement for use in the cooling system, to irrigate plants and for the water sculpture in its beautiful and dramatic lobby. The building was constructed using 80% recycled steel. That is 20% less steel than any standard steel frame... I actually work for the company that engineered and manufactured all the exterior skeleton (structural cladding)... Hearst Tower was featured on the August 2006 edition of Architectural Record, including a list of all the collaborators.

In general, the building has been designed to use 25% less energy than the minimum requirements for the city of New York. Even the furniture is ergonomic.

While taking the picture above, I noticed it isn’t easy to see the Hearst Building from any angle… unfortunately. It is blocked on the west by a not-so-bright, typical brick apartment building, on the north by another apartment tower and, ahead of that, by the Time Warner Center at Columbus Circle. This is actually a typical situation for most skyscrapers in NYC, which are visible only in sections. I was standing on 8^th Avenue and off of West 53^rd Street when I took this picture… too bad you cannot appreciate the base of the structure.