The University of Chicago

Gordon Center for Integrative Science Chiller Facility

Chicago, Illinois

Size
28,500 sf

Construction Cost
$9,000,000

Services
Programming
Architecture
Lab planning
Construction administration

The Gordon Center supports the University’s goal of conducting research at the frontier of contemporary science and facilitates the collaborative and integrative nature of evolving multidisciplinary science. The Center houses the Biological and Physical Sciences Divisions, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, James Franck Institute, Ben May Institute for Cancer Research, and Institute for Biophysical Dynamics; it provides for basic research at the molecular level and combines the traditional disciplines of chemistry with structural molecular biology and biochemistry.

The primary façades of the Chiller Annex are composed of curtainwall, patterned with clear and translucent glass. Modulated to follow the Gordon Center’s limestone and metal panel façades, the plant’s articulated glass walls are further animated by reflections of the nearby campus buildings. While the insets of clear glass provide glimpses of the colorful mechanical equipment housed within, the generous expanse of curtain wall permits natural light deep into the service spaces of the facility. In the evening, the backlit translucent glass renders the chillers and pumps as silhouettes, transforming the Annex itself into a beacon for this part of the campus.

For efficient delivery of materials and removal of waste, the Chiller Annex is built directly above the Gordon Center’s main loading dock. An ivy-clad lattice surrounding the truck yard not only provides secured access to the loading dock, but also screens this service area from view.