The unTower Adaptable Design for Evolving Real Estate
The unTower* Table of Contents 03 Why now? 05 An Adaptable System 06 Inspiration 07 Biophilic Design 09 Use-Neutral Design is Sustainable Design 10
Carbon
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Sustaining Systems
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Multi-Use System Adaptability
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Case Studies
22 Cost Modeling *The Use-Neutral Tower
alternate layout
Why Now? B ELLEVUE TOWER I N THE MOR N I N G, B EL L EV U E, WA , U SA
We live in an era of accelerated change: Today’s state-of-the art is tomorrow’s empty lease. Most buildings are designed and built for a specific use or program mix. Occupant needs and desires are everchanging. Increasingly, in the time it takes a building to go from concept to occupancy, program needs change, causing costly delays and revisions.
Use Neutrality
program adaptable
hotel
home
What if buildings were use-neutral? Redundant, empty buildings represent an environmental, economic, and social burden. The unTower can adapt over time, in many incarnations, quickly modifying to new program uses with integral geometry and technological innovation, refreshed and revitalized. Our team researched two sites for a design and cost feasibility of a use-neutral typology; Bellevue, Washington, USA, and Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada. While this analysis focuses on two sites in North America, it’s findings apply globally.
office
Foresight for adaptability and longevity. 3
SECTI ON OF B ELLEVUE TOWER I N THE EVEN I N G, B E L L EV U E, WA , U SA
This new era demands openness to change. Successful buildings will adapt to the rapidly evolving needs of our world, while preserving the health and safety of our people and our planet. The unTower will: + Flex to program, tenant, and use changes after design and planning + Adapt to accomodate new uses over time + Reduce development costs through shared services and amenities for mixed-use programs + Improve constructability for safety and efficiency + Promote human health and wellness through biophilia + Lower financial risks through adaptability and longevity + Lower the carbon footprint through prefabrication and hybrid mass timber technology
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An Adaptable System M ERGING BIO P H ILIC D E S IGN W IT H A DA PTI VE SYSTEMS: SECTI ON OF B UR N A BY TOWER , B UR NA BY, B C, CA N A DA
The next-generation buildings can’t be built for just one end-use. The unTower is adaptable to different uses over time; it is a sustainable solution with built-in longevity. The design is scalable, responds to local market demands, and mixed-use elements bring it The economic advantages of this new model result from three unique qualities:
+ Goldilocks Geometry The unTower’s geometry provides a “Goldilocks” lease span, meaning the rentable floor plan depth falls in the sweet spot for residential, office and hospitality uses. The “wet cells” (i.e., the modular kitchens and bathrooms) are designed to hug the interior ring wall and can easily be subtracted or added to accommodate program use changes.
+ Shared cost items Building services, technology, and amenities for a variety of mixed uses
+ Secured appreciation Lifelong adaptability of program and use
Improved efficiency and utilization. 5
Inspiration Nature has tried and tested circular solutions with millenia of proof points.
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1 3
4
5
6
(4) The unTower concept draws inspiration from (1) the growth patterns of Chicken of the Woods mushrooms, (2) Alexander Graham Bell’s circular Kite, (3) Georgii Kruitkov’s 1928 Flying Cities that incorporate adaptable structures to be free, (5) Apple’s Cupertino Headquarters, Foster + Partners, and (6) the shape of the Voyager Station — the First Space Hotel, Tim Alatorre.
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Biophilic Design T H E AT R IU M AS A CO M M U NITY AND C H AR ACTER -B UI LDI N G ELEMEN T OF THE A R CHI TECTUR E I N B UR NA BY, B C, CA N A DA
Biophilic design positively impacts health and well-being. Nature at Every Floor
Step Outside
Organic Form
Biophilia, our affinity for natural systems, embodies the type of spaces to which we are subconsciously drawn. Access to both views and sounds of nature are scientifically proven to lower breathing and heart rates and reduce the release of stress hormones. Buildings that promote holistic health and wellbeing are in high demand. Imagine what a reduction of 5-10 beats per minutes will do to occupant health.
With balconies attached to individual units, atrium corridors and the central core, the unTower provides outdoor gathering and relaxing space at every floor for all building tenants.
The sight of curvilinear shapes activates a positive emotional response in the human brain. People are drawn to the beauty of spaces that echo nature’s curved lines. In addition, circular building enclosures minimize direct solar heat gain and increase occupant comfort, and can improve space utilization.
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C LOS E U P AE R I A L VI EW OF B UR N A BY TOWER A N D WI N D TUR B I N ES, B UR N A BY, B C, CA N A DA
Cross Ventilation
Daylight and Views
Biomorphic Atrium
The ring formation offers ample opportunities for cross ventilation alongside green balconies and communal gardens. Occupants have indoor spaces that can still boast constant fresh air.
With a hollow core or tall atrium, even rooms on interior walls can have access to diffuse daylight — a vitally important factor in human health and happiness.
The atrium is a central, character-building element of the tower design. It is activated with an organic and curvaceous cascade of landscaped balconies and “hanging gardens” that evoke naturally occurring forms such as the “Chicken of the Woods”, ref. page 6.
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Use-Neutral Design is Sustainable Design Sustainable design can be high performance design. Sustainability requirements and expectations continue to increase throughout the construction industry. Design decisions play a major role in this process, by defining efficient systems and low carbon materials. In our current industry practice, when existing urban building retrofit is not reasonable, the need to demolish and rebuild structures to meet the modern city’s ever-changing use requirements remains one of the leading causes of environmental loads such as carbon emissions and construction waste.
SU N SE T IN M ETROTOW N, BU RNABY, B C, CA N A DA
Creating a “use-neutral” building that can adapt to achieve market demands extends the building’s useful life. Combined with careful selection of materials and efficient design, building longevity reduces carbon emissions, improves performance and enhances revenue opportunities. KI T- O F - PA RTS M O D U LAR SYSTE M S O F TH E U NTOWER
Enhanced environmental + economic performance. 9
Carbon
Annual Global Warming Potential (GWP) [kg CO2-eq/m2*a]
Carbon Footprint Comparison.
Adaptive structural systems, like the unTower, can more than double a building’s useful life (220%) and reduce the embodied and operational carbon footprint by 50 percent when compared to conventional new buildings.*
3.5
Primary Structure 3
-e-
Lifetime vs. Standard
2.5 2.2
2.2
2
1.5 1
1.2
1
0.5
0
Conventional Building
Adaptive Building
*SO U RC E: A. OSTE RTAG ET AL, DESI GN OF A DA PTI VE LOA D-B EA R I N G STR UCTUR ES WI TH FOCU S O N S U STAINABILITY. U NIVER SI TY OF STUTTGA RT, GER MA N Y, 2020.
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Sustaining Systems An easy, simple geometry, repeatability, and a high integration of modular building systems are the key elements of successful, adaptable architecture.
Infinity Floor Plans The point-symmetrical plan geometry enables a high degree of repetition, duplication, and opportunity for prefabrication, resulting in opportunities for economies of scale that reduce construction time, cost, and exposure to volatility in the labor and materials markets.
MODULA R PR I MA RY STR U CT U RE OF THE B UR N A BY TOWE R
The radial floor plan layout is organized around a central atrium that can be open or glass enclosed. The circular form makes adding or reducing spaces easy. Column-free lease spans accommodate all uses, on all floors.
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In-floor Beams The in-floor composite beam system allows for the beam to be recessed within and flush to the underside of the slab. Segmented and curved in-floor edge beams define the perimeter. this system enables reduced floor-to-floor heights, which can have many impactful benefits. Thermal energy loads are reduced as there is less air to condition. Towers that are limited by a given building height can accommodate a greater number of stories, which maximizes yield and generates material savings that result in lower first cost and lower embodied carbon.
E XA M P L E O F STANDARD IZED, C U RVILINEA R IN- FLO O R ED GE BE A MS
Floor Assembly Choices Floor assemblies can be built with 5-ply CLT panels, hollow core concrete, or long-span metal deck as inlays between in-floor beams. The project pencils across all these material choices, ensuring compliance with local code and market conditions. All assemblies are designed to meet wind/seismic, fire-safety, smoke control, and soundattenuation requirements.
SOFFI TS “WI THOUT B EA MS” A FFOR D MAXI MUM A DA PTA B IL IT Y FOR PR OGR A M A N D USES, A N D I N FR ASTR UCTUR E F L EXIB IL IT Y.
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Scalability is the ultimate adaptability. Shrink + Grow as Needs Change
Scalable Design
The interior walls and partitions are nonloadbearing and independent from the superstructure and the MEP chases. The tower’s mechanical systems are integrated into the reinforced concrete core and stair towers and are radially distributed in the soffit above corridor. This allows for easy access at each opening in the structural core to make modifications as desired based on the tenants needs. The partition walls are modular and can be moved as program and tenant needs change over time. This allows owners, landlords and tenants to maximize convenience, spatial and program needs and ROI.
The unTower is designed for horizontal and vertical scalability. It includes flexibility to connect more than one tower to a single services core or adjust the service core to the desired gross floor area and building heights as needed. Depending on site specific requirements, the number of towers and different building heights can be implemented with minimal design changes. Material selection is flexible, allowing the owner to select the most appropriate construction for project needs. With the ability to both shrink and grow the tower dependent upon the needs of the site, the unTower can work at a variety of scales and site locations.
Scalability lateral
Flexibility program expansion and contraction
Scalability vertical
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Multi-Use System Adaptability Sophisticated and economical As the commercial office landscape continues to evolve, adaptability and flexibility of uses are increasingly desirable building traits. Until now, changing use from office to residential, or vice-versa, required structural retrofits and significant MEP modifications. The unTower concept shows that a building can be designed with multiple tenant types in mind and spaces can be built out and adapted easily and economically with minimal rework.
Structural Economy The key structural benefits of designing a building as “use-neutral” are cost and schedule savings and the reduction of carbon emissions associated with upgrading the structure for higher live loads than originally designed for. Designing the floor system for office live loads (taken as 100psf), instead of residential or hospitality (40psf), allows a tenant to switch seamlessly between uses without requiring structural retrofits. The framing layout with long span decks minimizes the number of oversized structural elements which in turn reduces the initial cost associated with larger beams and columns required for office loading.
S O U T H E L E VAT IO N O F BU RNABY TOW ER, BU RNA BY, B C, CA N A DA
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Smooth distribution geometry enables mechanical versatility. Mechanical Economy Balancing user comfort, use adaptability, infrastructure sizing and optimization, and cost are key drivers in developing a sustainable MEP systems design. The goal is a design that can be used across a variety of occupancies and requires upgrade only as needed, while designing only for the currently anticipated uses. The ability to separate systems is desirable as it allows billing to separate occupancies. This includes dedicated Energy Recovery Ventilation units (ERV) for hotel and assisted living occupancies, and small Variable Refrigerant Flow units (VRF) that can easily be broken out.
Mechanical ventilation needs for all occupancies, including affordable housing, hotel, residential, assisted living, and office, will be by ERV. Conditioning for most of the occupancies will be by VRF. An alternative to consider is Hybrid VRF to reduce the refrigerant limit concerns or electric wall heaters for tenant types like affordable housing.
MEP Distribution inner ring (radial efficiency)
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Visualize Senior Living BE L L E V UE , WAS H I NGTO N, U SA
SUN R I SE I N B EL L EV U E, WA , U SA
The unTower as hotel and mixed housing. Adjacent to Bellevue’s Meydenbauer Center, this design embraces the best of the Pacific Northwest and combines senior living, hotel, market rate and affordable housing. Initially, the design team developed a single external core scheme for a 27-story tower pair, adjacent to an independent 6-story affordable housing building. The design of the taller tower proved economically challenging as it paired the elevator tower with only one tenant tower.
Subsequently, the design team developed a successful design and cost model for two 35 and 23-story towers with integrated cores on the same site, following the principles of the unTower. This enables greater economic opportunity due to the spatial distribution of occupancy types throughout the approximately 665,000 sf buildings.
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Revised for cost optimization Senior living, hotel, and affordable housing.
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VI EW FR OM THE LI GHT R AIL STAT ION
STR EET LEVEL PLA N I N B ELLEVUE , WA , U SA
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Site area: 78,284 gsf FAR 8.5 Total chargeable area: 665,414 csf North Tower: Market-rate over affordable housing 23 crescent floors 9,970 gsf/floor 337 feet tall 11’-0” Floor-to-Floor South Tower: Senior Living over 170-key hotel 29 full floors, 6 half floors (podium) 13,600 gsf/floor 423 feet tall 11’-0” Floor-to-Floor
TYPI C A L R E S ID E N T IA L AND H OTEL GU EST RO O M FLOOR PLA N S, B ELLEVUE, WA , USA
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Visualize Mixed-Use BURN A BY, BR IT I S H CO LU MB I A, C A N A DA
VI EW FR OM DEER LA KE PA R K I N B UR N A BY, B C, CA N A DA
The unTower as residential, live-work, hotel and retail. Situated southeast of Vancouver BC, in the thriving district of Metrotown, City of Burnaby, these towers offer panoramic views of mountains, parks, lakes, and the Vancouver skyline. The unTower design comprises two supertall tenant towers that share an external core tower. The team developed a successful design and cost model that proved the economic viability of the scheme.
For the cost model analysis we assumed a specific program, similar to Bellevue. The West Tower is designed for residential units and a 250-key hotel, and the East Tower is suggested as a vertical live-work community. Individual gardens give access to private unit-balconies, semi-private atrium gardens, and communal outdoor spaces at every level of the external tower core.
MODULA R FLOOR ASSEMB LY A N D SUPER STR UCTUR E
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Site area: 220,000 gsf No height limit West Tower: Residential units over 250-key hotel 70 floors (incl. 5-story retail and amenity podium) 12,300 gsf/floor 850 feet tall (top of roof) 1,112 feet tall (top of wind turbine) 12’-2” Floor-to-Floor Gross Building Area: 854,100 gsf East Tower: Live-work units 70 floors (incl. 5-story retail and amenity podium) 12,850 gsf/floor 850 feet tall (top of roof) 1,112 feet tall (top of wind turbine) 12’-2” Floor-to-Floor Gross Building Area: 894,400 gsf
Residential/Hotel Tower
External Core Tower: Elevators, stairs, MEP, Community Gardens 70 floors 6,000 gsf/floor 850 feet tall (top of roof) 1,112 feet tall (top of wind turbine) 12’-2” Floor-to-Floor Gross Building Area: 400,190 gsf Retail & Amenity Podium 5 floors Gross Building Area: 444,800 gsf Parking 3 floors Gross Building Area: 544,900 gsf
Office Tower
TY P IC A L TOW E R FLO O R P LAN O F RE S ID ENC ES , CEN TR A L SERVI CE COR E A N D LI VE-WOR K SPACE, B UR N A BY, B C, CA N A DA
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ECON OMY OF SCA LE FOR A MODULA R SYST EM
Cost Modeling The economic viability of the unTower concept is achieved through the intrinsic concept of shared amenities, infrastructure, and circulation for all program elements and uses of the building. Spaces that can adapt to senior living, residential, office, and hotel are activated and brought to life through shared basic amenities and access to specialty program elements such as pool areas, co-work space, learning hubs, and entertainment.
Bellevue, WA, USA
Burnaby, BC, Canada
Cost Performance Indicators (Revised Crescent scheme)
Cost Performance Indicators
Construction Cost Total: US $ 404,557,000
Construction Cost Total: US $ 1,334,908,000
Unit Price: South Tower, Hotel: $452.32/sqft ($388,521/key) South Tower, Sr. Living: $520.67/sqft
Unit Price: West Tower Shell: $380.16/sqft Hotel Buildout: $181.66/sqft Residential Buildout: $207.60/sqft Sitework: $2.09/sqft East Tower Shell: $391.18/sqft External Tower Core: $559.09/sqft
($453,634/unit) North Tower Housing: $488.66/sqft ($545,195/unit) Podium: $574.12/sqft Parking: $291.66/sqft ($109,665/stall)
CO N ST R U C T IO N E STIM ATE S O NLY, P RIC ED IN 2021 DOLLA R S ( F U T U R E E S C A L ATIO N AND WSST NIC ).
Podium: $314.94/sqft Parking: $205.72/sqft
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From a Real Estate Developer’s Point of View Quantitative Value First Cost Evaluation vs. Life Cycle Evaluation One of the benefits of the unTower is that it offers the developer the ability to begin constructing the tower without having locked into its use, leaving the option for it to become office, residential, hotel, etc. based on market demands after construction has started. However, as current financing options are generally use-specific and different uses are valued using different rates of return, the comparisons below assume the tower is built as office space and the use change occurs later in the asset’s life. The traditional first cost approach is a static financial perspective that looks at development costs and sale price. The table below is exemplary and shows how the cost of the unTower compares to the cost of a standard tower when we evaluate it using a traditional static yield approach.
First Cost Evaluation (Static) A
B
=A–B
Standard Tower
Use Neutral
Variance
Land/SF
$100.00
$100.00
$0.00
Hard Cost/SF
$600.00
$660.00
-$60.00
Soft Cost/SF
$120.00
$120.00
$0.00
Total Cost/SF
$820.00
$880.00
-$60.00
Yield on Cost
7.0%
6.5%
0.5%
NOI/SF
$57.40
$57.40
$0.00
CAP Rate
5.5%
5.5%
0.0%
Sale Price/SF
$1043.64
$1043.64
$0.00
Profit/SF
$223.64
$163.64
$60.00
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Assuming that a conversion would occur after an initial office lease term of 15 years, the highest and best use of the space is now residential. The lifecycle approach is a dynamic approach that accounts for the building’s yield over time. The table below shows how the cost of the unTower compares to the cost of a standard tower when we evaluate its yield potential over time.
Lifecycle Evaluation (Dynamic)* A
B
=A–B
Standard Tower
Use Neutral
Variance
$300.00
$100.00
$200.00
Annual cost escalation
5.0%
5.0%
Conversion Cost/SF
$624.00
$208.00
Discount Rate
8.5%
8.5%
Conversion Cost/SF
$183.45
$61.15
Conversion Cost/SF (2021)
$416.00
(2035) $122
(2021) Scenario Probability
50%
Savings/SF
=50% x $122.30 = $61.15
Cost/SF
= $60
Value Proposition/SF
= $61.15 - $60.00 = $1.15 (cost neutral)
* COSTS A R E T H E O R ETIC AL AND C ALC U LATE D U SI N G 2021 CON VER SI ON COSTS AS A B ASELI N E A N D GR OWI N G COSTS FO R 1 5 Y E A R S AT AN ASS U M E D CO NSTRU C TIO N COST I N FLATI ON I N DEX R ATE.
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Qualitative Value Beyond Cost Neutral The preceding cost comparison demonstrates that when evaluated over time the unTower is cost competitive with today’s standard construction. What this analysis does not quantify in dollar terms are the many economic, social and environmental benefits that accrue as a result of the foresight and adaptability for design and planning.
+ Higher Rent Potential The unTower’s unique shape and ability to provide access to daylight, views and the outdoors at all levels delivers a high-performing, health-focused environment with few “less desirable” spaces, maximizing rent per square foot.
+ Strong Brand Appeal (Lease Up) The unTower’s unique geometry stands out against a skyline dominated by rectangular buildings. It’s “inside out” experience, biophilic benefits and appealing curvilinear lines and spaces increase its appeal to tenants, facilitating faster leasing and higher tenant retention.
+ Faster Schedule A high degree of modularity and prefabrication significantly shorten construction time leading to cost savings through efficiencies in the field as well as shortening the time between groundbreaking and move in, generating additional lease income and shortening loans.
+ Cost Efficiencies The unTower’s shared functions and uses at podium level and its external core provide opportunities to share amenity and services costs with adjacent uses and buildings, reducing capital and operational costs.
+ Lower Operating Costs Access to daylight, distributed and cross ventilation decrease electricity and mechanical costs for lighting, air conditioning and ventilation.
+ Faster Turn Around With easy access to MEP systems and without the need for structural modifications, the typology will reduce future tenant improvement work and downtime between tenants, resulting in a quicker turn around.
* T H E R E A L E STAT E D E VELO P ER’S P O INT O F VIEW I S BY B R ODER I CK SMI TH, SI LEN TWATER R EA L ESTATE
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AC TIVATED PEDESTR I A N PLA ZA OF B ELLEVUE TOWER WI TH CON N ECT ION S TO MEYDEN B AUER CEN TER A N D LI GHT R A I L STATI ON , B ELLEVUE , WA , U SA
Our team met through a shared passion for design innovation. We set out to develop a sustainable, 21st-century design solution for adaptable, use-neutral commercial mixed-use and corporate real estate. The spark of our idea caught light during isolation through a series of virtual meetings and newly forged relationships. As the world begins to look ahead once more, we are excited to bring the unTower to life.
+ M AT T H IAS O LT
+ DAVID S E EL
+ KYLE J OHN SON
+ KEI TH J UR GEN S
+ M A H Z A D TASH A KO RI
+ TH EO D O ROS M O U RTIS
+ HEATHER B R OWN LOW
+ MA R K WAGN ER
+ CHR I S B A R KER
+ PHI LLI P GR EA N Y
+ R OB ERT GER A R D
CON TACT
matthias.olt@bhadvancestrategy.com doug.demers@bhadvancestrategy.com B HA R CHI TECTS.COM
+ B R ODERICK SMIT H