Building Core Elements and Design

The typical floor plate of the standard commercial office structure contains the following: Vertical Circulation Core Open Lease Space Optional public corridor.

Building Core Core

Lease Area Core Tenant Lease Space

Lease Depth Core Lease Depth Tenant Lease Space

Optional Corridor Core Lease Depth Tenant Lease Space

Tenant Lease Area

Elements of the Building Core

The Building Core of the Commercial building contains Passenger Elevators & Lobby

The Building Core of the Commercial building contains Passenger Elevators & Lobby Service Elevator

The Building Core of the Commercial building contains Passenger Elevators & Lobby Service Elevator Service Elevator Vestibule

The Building Core of the Commercial building contains Passenger Elevators & Lobby Service Elevator Service Elevator Vestibule Mechanical Room

The Building Core of the Commercial building contains Passenger Elevators & Lobby Service Elevator Service Elevator Vestibule Mechanical Room Vertical Chase

Passenger Elevators & Lobby M W

Service Elevator M W

Service Elevator Vestibule M W

Mechanical Room M W

Vertical Chase M W

The Core also consists of Fire Egress Stairs

The Core also consists of Fire Stairs Restrooms

The Core also consists of Fire Stairs Restrooms Drinking Fountain Vestibule

Fire Egress Stairs M W

Public Restrooms M W

Public Restrooms M W

Core Location The Building Core can take any of basic locations relative to the floor plate. Central Core Off- set Core Exterior Core Split Core

Central Core Location In the central core the lease depth is relatively equal around the core of the building.

Central Core Location

Central Core Location

The Tenant can lease the entire floor plate Central Core Location In the central core the lease depth is relatively equal around the core of the building. The Tenant can lease the entire floor plate

Central Core Location Core Lease Depth Tenant Lease Space

Or the tenant can lease a portion of the floor plate. Core Location Or the tenant can lease a portion of the floor plate.

Central Core Location Core Lease Depth Tenant Lease Space

Bruce Graham John Hancock Bldg. Chicago, Ill. Central Core Location Bruce Graham John Hancock Bldg. Chicago, Ill.

Frank Gehry New York Times Headquarters Central Core Location Frank Gehry New York Times Headquarters

Central Core Location

Core Location

Off- Set Core Location The off Set-Core places the core off center creating differing lease depths.

Off- Set Core Location Lease Depth 1 Lease Depth 2 Core Lease Depth 3

This provides greater leasing options. Off- Set Core Location The off Set-Core places the core off center creating differing lease depths. This provides greater leasing options.

Off- Set Core Location Lease Depth 1 Core Lease Depth 2

Henry Cobb Electicite de France Paris, France Off- Set Core Location Henry Cobb Electicite de France Paris, France

Jean Nouvel Torre Agbar Barcelona, Spain Off- Set Core Location Jean Nouvel Torre Agbar Barcelona, Spain

Split Core Location The Split core divides the core with a central space, all components of the core are accessed from this central space.

Split Core Location Core Core Tenant Lease Space

Split Core Location

Off- Set Core Location This eliminates the need for any peripheral access corridor and lease space can extend right up to the walls of the core elements.

Split Core Location Tenant Lease Space Core Core

Murphy / Jahn, Deutsche Post Split Core Location Murphy / Jahn, Deutsche Post

Cesar Pelli International Finance Center II Split Core Location Cesar Pelli International Finance Center II

Split Core Location The Split Core can be divided in any number of ways. It should be noted that this increases the depth of the core and therefore the size of the floor plate.

Split Core Location Core Core Core Core Tenant Lease Space

Split Core Location The lease area can here too be divided but access must still be maintained to two means of egress in case of fire.

Split Core Location Tenant Lease Space Core Core Core Core

Split Core Location Norman Foster Swiss Re

Split Core Location

Exterior Core Location In the Exterior Core configuration the core is pulled either to one side or edge. If the core is pushed to one side creating a ‘dead wall’ this can be used to advantage where poor views or party walls present a problem.

Exterior Core Location Tenant Lease Space

Michael Graves Humana Bldg. Exterior Core Location Michael Graves Humana Bldg.

Exterior Core Location

Norman Foster Commerzbank Exterior Core Location Norman Foster Commerzbank

Exterior Core Location Steven Holl 5th Ave. & 42nd

Exterior Core Location

Exterior Core Location The Core can also be isolated as a separate mass element independent from the lease floor plate.

Exterior Core Location Tenant Lease Space Core Core

Richard Rodgers, 122 Leadenhall St. Exterior Core Location Richard Rodgers, 122 Leadenhall St.

Richard Rodgers Lloyds of London Exterior Core Location Richard Rodgers Lloyds of London

Exterior Core Location

Elevator Configurations in Tall Buildings Different banks of elevators serve different floors A B 1-20 21-40

Elevator Configurations in Tall Buildings Unused Elevator lobbies are used to hold core elements such as restrooms or mechanical M M Lobby W W

Elevator Configurations in Tall Buildings

Elevator Configurations in Tall Buildings

Elevator Configurations in Tall Buildings Elevator banks drop out of the core as they are no longer needed.

Elevator Configurations in Tall Buildings As elevator banks drop out the space becomes lease space or the floor plate is reduced Lease Space Lobby

Elevator Configurations in Tall Buildings The reduction in the core due to the drop out of elevator banks allows for the increase of lease space or reduction of floor plate allowing the building to “taper”.

Elevator Configurations in Tall Buildings It may become necessary to relocate the fire egress stairs to maintain efficiency of the lease space or for design purposes Lobby

Elevator Configurations in Tall Buildings Fire egress stairs can be are transferred horizontally

Elevator Configurations in Tall Buildings To minimize the square footage of the core on very tall buildings architects can stack the elevator banks and use express elevators to sky lobbies. Banks of elevators service only a set of designated floors while movement between them is achieved by the express system.

Elevator Configurations in Tall Buildings Minoru Yamasaki World Trade Center

Lease space can be arranged in basically two general configurations: Lease Space Planning Lease space can be arranged in basically two general configurations: Perimeter Office Executive Core

Their views make them prime locations Lease Space Planning The Perimeter Office In the perimeter office, private managerial offices line the outside wall of the building. Their views make them prime locations

Lease Space Planning Core Tenant Lease Space

Lease Space Planning The corners of the building are then the most sought after. These are often reserved for the highest staff level. Architects often facet the buildings corners to create more corner offices.

Lease Space Planning The Executive Core Increasingly we see the introduction of the executive core which moves the executive offices to the center of the floor plate. This allows greater light penetration and maximizes the number of people who get a view.

Lease Space Planning Core Tenant Lease Space

The typical residential core is smaller Residential Cores The typical residential core is smaller because it will usually not require as many elevators and there is no need for the public restrooms.

The Residential Core consists of Fire Stairs Residential Cores The Residential Core consists of Fire Stairs

The Residential Core consists of Fire Stairs Elevator Lobby Residential Cores The Residential Core consists of Fire Stairs Elevator Lobby

The Residential Core consists of Fire Stairs Elevator Lobby Residential Cores The Residential Core consists of Fire Stairs Elevator Lobby Service Elevator

The Residential Core consists of Fire Stairs Elevator Lobby Residential Cores The Residential Core consists of Fire Stairs Elevator Lobby Service Elevator Vestibule

The Residential Core consists of Fire Stairs Elevator Lobby Residential Cores The Residential Core consists of Fire Stairs Elevator Lobby Service Elevator Vestibule Mechanical Room

The Residential Core consists of Fire Stairs Elevator Lobby Residential Cores The Residential Core consists of Fire Stairs Elevator Lobby Service Elevator Vestibule Mechanical Room Trash Chute

Residential Cores

Residential Cores

It is common to push all major spaces to the perimeter. Residential Layouts It is common to push all major spaces to the perimeter. Closed spaces such as bathrooms, closets mechanical closets, and kitchens are often pushed toward the core.

Residential Cores

It also allows for maximum light penetration Residential Cores This is because code calls for all major rooms to be accessible to the perimeter for fire rescue. It also allows for maximum light penetration

Residential Cores