A 19-story building under construction in San Jose, Calif., will be the second in the country to be built with a concrete-filled composite plate shear wall system, which was first used successfully two years ago for construction of the 58-story Rainer Square tower in Seattle.
Level 10 Construction is the general contractor on the San Jose project, known locally as 200 Park, a Class A office building that, when it’s completed in May 2023, will have 937,000 sf that include 26,000 sf of outdoor terraces. The building’s owner, Jay Paul Company, is targeting LEED Gold certification. When it’s completed, 200 Park will be San Jose’s tallest office tower.
200 Park Conceptual Structural Steel Sequence from Level 10 Construction on Vimeo.
The wall system, known as Speed Core, is expected to reduce the construction time for 200 Park by three months, according to Kevin Englund, Level 10’s Partner and Vice President. Level 10 started construction on this project in March, and the Speed Core portion should be completed next year.
The building team on this project includes Gensler (architect), and Magnusson Klemencic Associates (SE and CE), which has been Speed Core’s biggest advocate. MKA was part of the project team that completed Rainer Square tower’s core nine months ahead of schedule.
200 Park in San Jose, Calif., will have 937,000 of rentable square footage, and 26,000 sf of outdoor terraces (below). Images: Jay Paul Company
FASTER AND SAFER CONSTRUCTION
The SpeedCore system relies on two steel plates connected with steel cross ties, which are then filled with high-strength concrete. (For the San Jose project, the steel section is filled with 10,000-psi grout for the structural core.) The modular nature of these prefabricated “sandwich” panels allows for faster erection speed, since the system provides stability without requiring traditional rebar reinforcing or the temporary formwork of a typical concrete core, and progress is not dependent on concrete curing times.
Also see: 3D conceptual video of the structural steel sequence
Also see: The American Institute of Steel Construction’s profile of Speed Core
Off-site, Schuff Steel fabricated the panels for 200 Park, which weigh up to 12.5 tons, and then shipped the panels to the construction site.
As described in a 3D conceptual video of Speed Core’s steel structure sequence that Level 10 posted, stanchions are embedded in concrete shear walls and the floor slab is cast. Below-grade wall panels are erected and welded into place. Grade-level seismic struts are installed. Grade-level slab is cast and the erection proceeds. Speed Core wall panels carry up to eight floors of steel prior to concrete.
200 Park Avenue Mock-Up Installation from Level 10 Construction on Vimeo.
The average floorplate at 200 Park will be 54,000 sf. Image: Jay Paul Company
Related Stories
ProConnect Events | Apr 23, 2024
5 more ProConnect events scheduled for 2024, including all-new 'AEC Giants'
SGC Horizon present 7 ProConnect events in 2024.
75 Top Building Products | Apr 22, 2024
Enter today! BD+C's 75 Top Building Products for 2024
BD+C editors are now accepting submissions for the annual 75 Top Building Products awards. The winners will be featured in the November/December 2024 issue of Building Design+Construction.
BIM and Information Technology | Mar 11, 2024
BIM at LOD400: Why Level of Development 400 matters for design and virtual construction
As construction projects grow more complex, producing a building information model at Level of Development 400 (LOD400) can accelerate schedules, increase savings, and reduce risk, writes Stephen E. Blumenbaum, PE, SE, Walter P Moore's Director of Construction Engineering.
Codes and Standards | Feb 20, 2024
AISC, AIA release second part of design assist guidelines for the structural steel industry
The American Institute of Steel Construction and AIA Contract Documents have released the second part of a document intended to provide guidance for three common collaboration strategies.
Modular Building | Feb 6, 2024
Modular fire station allows for possible future reconfigurations
A fire station in Southern California leveraged prefab, modular construction for faster completion and future reconfiguration.
75 Top Building Products | Dec 13, 2023
75 top building products for 2023
From a bladeless rooftop wind energy system, to a troffer light fixture with built-in continuous visible light disinfection, innovation is plentiful in Building Design+Construction's annual 75 Top Products report.
Engineers | Oct 12, 2023
Building science: Considering steel sheet piles for semi-permanent or permanent subsurface water control for below-grade building spaces
For projects that do not include moisture-sensitive below-grade spaces, project teams sometimes rely on sheet piles alone for reduction of subsurface water. Experts from Simpson Gumpertz & Heger explore this sheet pile “water management wall” approach.
Steel Buildings | May 19, 2023
New manufacturing processes can make steel construction a greener option and add U.S. jobs
“Green steel” that is manufactured using hydrogen generated with renewable energy makes its use as a building material more feasible for environmentally conscious designers and clients. Sustainable manufacturing processes, which are economically viable in the U.S., could also revive steelmaking in the country as the metal becomes more attractive for green building.
Steel Buildings | Apr 6, 2023
2023 AISC Forge Prize winner envisions the gas station of the future
Forge Prize winner LVL (Level) Studio envisions a place where motorists can relax, work, play, shop, or perhaps even get healthcare while their vehicles charge.
Student Housing | Mar 13, 2023
University of Oklahoma, Missouri S&T add storm-safe spaces in student housing buildings for tornado protection
More universities are incorporating reinforced rooms in student housing designs to provide an extra layer of protection for students. Storm shelters have been included in recent KWK Architects-designed university projects in the Great Plains where there is a high incidence of tornadoes. Projects include Headington and Dunham Residential Colleges at the University of Oklahoma and the University Commons residential complex at Missouri S&T.