BS 536STUDIES ON TALL BUILDINGS: DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS

Fall 2011-2012

Case Study: 30 St Mary Axeby

Abbas Riazibeidokhti

Submitted to: Assoc.Prof.Dr. Mehmet Halis GünelAssoc.Prof.Dr. Ali Murat Tanyer

Arch. H.Emre Ilg n (MSc.)

MIDDLE EAST TECHNICAL UNIVERSITYDEPARTMENT OF ARCHITECTURE / BUILDING SCIENCE PROGRAM

METU S

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Submitted to: Assoc.Poc.Prof.

BS536GN CONSIDERATIO

11-2012

0 St Mary Axe

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Official Name: 30 St. Mary Axe 1

Alternative Names: Swiss Re Tower, The Gherkin 1

Location: London, United Kingdom 1

Usage: Office 1

Height (Architectural): 179.80m 1

Number of Stories: 41 Above, 1 Below Ground 1

Construction: 2000 2004 1

Design Architect: Foster + Partners 1

Structural Engineer: Ove Arup & Partners 1

Main Contractor: Skanska AS 1

Structural System: Trussed Tube 3

Structural Material: Steel 1

Elevators: 24 1

Roof System: Dome 2

Photo: Foster+Partners

30 ST. MARY AXEA SUSTAINABLE LANDMARK IN LONDON

Case Study: 30 St Mary Axe by Abbas RiazibeidokhtiSubmitted to: Günel, Tanyer, Ilg n – Fall 2011

1) CTBUH, 2) Emporis, 3) Yuksek BinalarMETU

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Left Photo: www.habitables.co.uk Right Photo: www.not4attribution.blogspot.com

The site was previously occupied by the Baltic Exchange, Which severelydamaged by a bombing in 1992.There was a tendency to restore the old building, but as the damage was sever,it was decided for a new commercial building.4

• HISTORY OF THE SITE

The Baltic Exchange building before and after the bombingMETU BS536severel

the damage s s

Photo: courtesy Brady Peters

The Foster + Partners Specialist Modeling Group’s (SMG) job is to help thearchitects to make virtual models of the projects by the use of CAD (computeraided design) tools.They have used parametric design in order to have a variety geometry featuresand enable them to explore a huge range of design options in a very shortperiod of time. 5

• THE DESIGN PROCESS

Some Virtual parametric Models of the architects’ ideas done by the SMGMEome

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Photo: www.architectureweek.com

The digital simulation model has shown that the conical shape respondsbetter to air currents than a square one. 5

Moreover, conical shape decreases the wind turbulence , and creates windpressure to assist the natural ventilation. 4

It also creates a small footprint to maximize the public use. 6

• THE DESIGN PROCESS

The wind effect on square shape, or cylindrical shape towerMEBS536esponds

and cre nd

public use 6

Photos: www.architectureweek.com

By use of the computer model and simulation of wind currents around the tower,architects have tried to reach to the exact shape.The advantage of using parametric modeling, has helped them to decide aboutshape of building, as it provides a large variety of shapes to be considered.

• THE DESIGN PROCESS

The computer simulation of windblow effect on the tower

Trying different shapes by use ofparametric modelMETU

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Experience of creating the parametric modelof the tower;some alternatives (by Abbas Riazibeidokhti)

• THE DESIGN PROCESS

Parametric Model Created By Abbas Riazibeidokhti

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Drawn By Abbas Riazibeidokhti

A radial floor plan with six fingers spreading out from a central core has used inthe building. This core contains elevators and other services.7 The core toperimeter lengths differ in different floors from 6.4m to 13.1m.8

• THE DESIGN PROCESS

A Floor Planof the BuildingMETA Floor Plano the

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13.1m.

Left Photo: Yuming Shen , Green Design & the City Buildings – Right Photo: www.aviewoncities.com

The floors’ fingers create lightwells for light penetration and naturalventilation.4 Each floor rotates 5 degrees from the one below it.8 This rotationsimplifies the air movement and let the light to come deep into the building.

• THE DESIGN PROCESS

The Arrangement of Building’s FloorsThe Arrangem

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The 30 St. Mary Axe tower is an example of Trussed Tubestructural system.3

In other words, the main weight is carried by the outerdiagrid (diagonal grid) structure.

• THE STRUCTURAL SYSTEM

The Trussed Tube structural system of the Building

Left Photo: Foster+Partners – Right Photo: Dominic Munro, MA MIStructE, Ove Arup and Partners, LondonMET Tru

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Drawn By Abbas Riazibeidokhti

• THE STRUCTURAL SYSTEM

Diagrid is a structural system made of triangular structures and horizontal rings,which is a suitable system for high rise buildings. 9

The Diagrid System Used in the Gherkin Tower, and its JointsMES536horizontal rings, The diagrid structural system has been widely used for recent tall buildings due

to its structural efficiency and aesthetic potentials. 10

• THE STRUCTURAL SYSTEM

The Diagrid Pattern of theBuilding

Drawn By Abbas RiazibeidokhtiLeft Photo: Ian McCain, DiaGrid: Structural Efficiency & Increasing PopularityMEThe Diagrid Patt

Buildin

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More than the outer diagrid structure, there also exist a set of columns whichmainly carry the weight of central service core, containing elevators and otherservices. 11

• THE STRUCTURAL SYSTEM

The Columns Which CarryWeight of the Service Core

Drawn By Abbas RiazibeidokhtiMET

The Columns WhiWeight

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Drawn By Abbas Riazibeidokhti

Each floor is circular and contains an inner ring attached to the columns, and anouter ring attached to the trussed tube structure.These rings are attached to each other by use of radial beams.

• THE STRUCTURAL SYSTEM

The Radial Beams Attaching the Columns to the Diagrid StructureMETh

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eams.

The radial beams support steel decking based composite floor slabs. The size ofthe core is constant, but the outer floors vary in diameter at each level.

• THE STRUCTURAL SYSTEM

The Radial Beams Support the Floor SlabsDrawn By Abbas Riazibeidokhti

Right Photo: Bill Fedun, 30 St. Mary Axe by Foster and Partners, 2005METhe Radial BDrawn B

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Drawn ByAbbas RiazibeidokhtiME

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At the top part of the tower, under the dome ofbuilding, there exists a restaurant which provides a360 degrees view of London.

Drawn By Abbas Riazibeidokhti Photos: Bill Fedun, 30 St. Mary Axe by Foster and Partners, 2005M

BSS536fprovides a 1 www.CTBUH.org, CTBUH Tall Buildings Database

2 www.emporis.com3 Yuksek Binalar, M. Halis Gunel & H. Emre Ilgin, 20104 Swiss Re Building, Case study by Chris Stevens, 20095 Marianne Freiberger , Perfect buildings: the maths of modern architecture, 2007,Millennium Mathematics Project, University of Cambridge6 Swiss Re HQ, 30 St. Mary Axe. Foster and Partners. 4 October 2009.www.fosterandpartners.com/Projects/1004/Default.aspx7 Spring, Martin. “30 St Mary Axe: A gherkin to suit all tastes”.Building.co.uk. 2008 Issue 16. 6 October 2009.www.building.co.uk/story.asp?storycode=31117838 Yuming Shen, Green Design and the City Buildings: The Gherkin, London October 15,20099 Ian McCain, DiaGrid: Structural Efficiency & Increasing Popularity10 K. Moon, Design and Construction of Steel Diagrid Structures, School ofArchitecture, Yale University, New Haven, USA, 200911 MCRMA (The Metal Cladding & Roofing Manufacturers Association LTD), “30 StMary Axe London”, Case Study 001

• REFERENCES:

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M e: AIssu 16 obe

co.uk/story.asp?storycodg She en D and th

Ian McCain, D tr0 K. Moon, Designchitecture, Ya

11 MCRMMary

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hs moder architecsity of Cambridge

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