Core design and space efficiency in contemporary supertall office buildings

Abstract

The core design in any supertall building (300+) is one of the most critical design decisions. The building core acts as an intersection of many of the important building services systems. It affects multiple design parameters such as sustainability, space efficiency, structural system, interior layout, as well as fire-escape and HVAC systems. Therefore, suitable core design for efficient space efficiency, particularly for a supertall building, through integrated design studies, is one of the very initial and important steps in delivering sustainable design, in which core planning impacts many significant aspects of the entire building enterprise including its construction, function, and maintenance. Moreover, one-third of the supertall buildings completed from the 2000s onwards have an office function as single-use, where the main objective is to maximize the rentable space. For multiuse supertall buildings that are popular now, core design adds another challenging dimension. At this point, space efficiency comes to the forefront, which is resulting from interrelated decision-making parameters during the early planning of the intended building and is considerably affected by the core planning. In this sense, this chapter addresses core planning and space efficiency in relation to the significant parameters including gross and net floor areas, space efficiency ratio, lease span, floor-to-floor height, structural system, structural material, and core type in supertall office buildings. To exemplify these discussions, 10 remarkable office towers are chosen among the world's tallest buildings that were completed since the beginning of the twentieth-first century. These case studies are mapped with exceptionally detailed information, constituting a valuable source, particularly for architectural and structural designers, developers, and researchers.