University of Chicago’s Saieh Hall for Economics
Specialities: Site Development
Details
Year: 2010-2015
Location: Chicago, IL
Awards: LEED Gold, USGBC; ACEC-IL Engineering Excellence Award (2015)
Size: N/A
TERRA provided site development services for the renovation of the University of Chicago’s Saieh Hall for Economics (formerly known as Friedman Center). The existing building spanned across a City of Chicago alley vacated during the project and provides elevated courtyards along the 58th Street frontage. Due to the alley vacation the project dedicated a new east-west alley to the City of Chicago, providing a connection to Woodlawn Avenue to the east. The building extends to meet the vacated alley grade and provides an underground stadium-seating classroom beneath the courtyard area. By vacating a former City of Chicago street (58th Street), the main entrance of the Saieh Hall for Economics now opens upon a new, landscaped pedestrian walkway on 58th Street between University and Woodlawn avenues.
TERRA’s team provided:
Extensive Utility
EngineeringCoordination
Site Design
Grading
Drainage
This change improved the physical link between existing facilities such as Chicago Booth’s iconic Charles M. Harper Center and other facilities to the east with the central campus, extending the aesthetic feel of the University’s main quadrangles. This courtyard is improved with new ADA accessible ramps, amphitheater seating area, and landscape planters. Phase I and Phase II of the project received LEED Gold and LEED Silver certification respectively. The project earned the American Council of Engineering Companies of Illinois’ (ACEC-IL) Engineering Excellence Award and the American Institute of Architects Illinois’ (AIA) Frank Lloyd Wright Honor Award.
