When FORM and FUNCTION Blend

When Form and Function Blend                        

As structural engineers, we are predominantly concerned with the laws of physics and how to work within their constraints.   As a result, if we are truly honest with ourselves, our first instincts tend to dampen artistic expression because it often appears to defy gravity. But what if we approached our projects from a different perspective?

What if our perspective on structural engineering started with a mutual respect for both the art and the science of the built environment? What if we actually considered ourselves as part of the creative process, rather than limited to only the scientific or mathematical ones? What if we genuinely considered the impact of the building on the people who occupy it, or the natural habitat in which it will one day sit?

I realize this is not natural for most of us in the engineering world. But it is absolutely critical for us to consider if we are to balance both the left and right sides of our God-given minds.

At the very minimum, we should understand and appreciate the underlying social impact, programming, and artistic process so that we can sharpen and strengthen them with our structure. Who knows, maybe we will even be the ones to push the boundaries further and find the last 10% of truth that transforms the project!

This must not diminish the necessity of pursuing excellence within our mathematical and scientific understanding, but rather it ought to enhance the purpose behind those expressions. The most interesting projects usually result when art, science, construction expertise and financial impact find their common denominator.

FOREFRONT Structural Engineers recently had the privilege of collaborating with three different project types to blend these concepts: Willow Creek Church (a non-profit), Viceroy Hotel (for profit) and Northeastern Illinois University (higher education).

Willow Creek Community Church (North Shore) is an 80,000 square foot worship and educational facility that was the product of a collaboration between the church (Willow Creek North Shore), the architect (Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill), the contractor (GH Johnson) and the structural engineer (FSE). Highlights are reflected in:

• Exploring the very symbol of faith, a mustard seed. The cross section of this tiny seed became the backbone of the programming, the shape and the purpose of the building.
• Evaluating the most impactful and cost effective solutions that include radial framing, structural thermal breaks, long span trusses and conventional framing.
• Emphasizing the importance of the construction process that involved symmetry, control points, and BIM modeling.

Viceroy Hotel is an 18-story, 160,000 square foot boutique luxury hotel that was the result of collaboration between the developer (Convexity), the architect (Goettsch Partners), the contractors (POWER and McHugh) and the structural engineer (FSE). Highlights are represented by:

• Exploring the guest experience through the undulating curtainwall, column free corners, and a four-story lobby that pays homage to historical craftsmanship.
• Evaluating the extreme possibilities of an 8-inch thick, 15-ft long, double cantilevered slab system with vibration considerations, and very tight lot line construction.
• Emphasizing the importance of the construction speed with structural core construction, post-tensioning and formwork flexibility.    

Northeastern Illinois University is a 55,000 square foot higher education building that balances programming needs, building form and building function with a collaboration between the university (NEIU), the architect (JGMA), the contractor (Sollitt) and the structural engineer (FSE). Highlights of the collaboration include:

• Exploring the opportunities of a non-linear site, impact of adjacent highway traffic, program access and university branding.
• Evaluating cost efficient and expressive solutions that include diagrid framing, vertical trusses, and cantilevered corridors.
• Emphasizing the sequence of construction, exposed structural expression, and thermal considerations.

By asking the right questions, listening well, and engaging with all the team members of the project, a project’s success can truly be found in the blend of form and function.