Design Assistance
Legacy Union - Bank of America
Legacy Union - Bank of America
Charlotte’s Bank of America High-Rise ‘Sparkles’ with Precast
The 1,000,000 GSF, 34-story Bank of America tower is the first and most critical piece of a 10-acre, two-block development in uptown Charlotte. Once home to the Charlotte Observer, the LEED Gold tower is now predominately inhabited by Bank of America, which occupies 23 of the 34 floors. In addition to office space, there is about 50,000 SF of retail space in the building and future plans call for residences and a hotel.
No doubt the structure’s architectural precast exterior provides a striking and memorable first impression. Architect Jim Williams, Vice President/Principal at LS3P Associates in Charlotte, compliments GATE Precast’s masterfulness in matching the desired textures, tones and colorations to give the structure the appearance of limestone, conveying a reference to the past with a contemporary flare.
“While we were able to use actual limestone at the base of the building, I knew we couldn't clad the whole thing that way,” Williams says. “It would have been cost prohibitive, to say the least.”
“The capabilities of precast today have significantly expanded, giving designers the ability to create more intricate designs with concrete.”
– Jim Williams, Vice President/Principal, LS3P Associates
GATE provided valuable constructability input from the beginning, creating mockups and inviting the architect and owner to visit the plant. A series of “back and forths” and design tweaks preceded the actual casting operation, saving both time and money in the process.
“We like to work directly with the architect; the earlier the better,” says Chad Smith, GATE’s project manager at the site. “It’s important for them to physically see the end result. They are usually amazed at the versatility of the product, as well as the level of detail that precast provides.”
GATE Precast’s ingenuity and reliance upon a variety of technological design and casting tools helped pull it off, giving the high-rise’s exterior the appearance of colored limestone. The decision to use polished concrete provided a level of detail that could only be accomplished – affordably – with precast concrete. There were other architectural features, including an acid wash finish, that “makes the building sparkle when the sun hits it just right,” Williams says.
“GATE is the Cadillac of precasters in the market. Everyone is happy with the finished result.”
– Jim Williams, Vice President/Principal, LS3P Associates
VIDEOS
LOCATION
Charlotte, NC
ARCHITECT
LS3P | HKS