TERRA: Multi-Level Timber Loft Infrastructure.
How we executed a complex structural combination of the 3rd and 4th floors to create a high-performance, integrated office environment.
TERRA represents the sophisticated evolution of Chicago’s historic timber loft fabric. As the Infrastructure Strategist for this project, Integro’s mission was to execute a seamless vertical integration, combining the 3rd and 4th floors into a single, cohesive office space.
The challenge lay in the structural "overlap": introducing modern vertical circulation and high-demand mechanical systems into a legacy timber-framed envelope. By grounding the build in building science and technical due diligence, we ensured that the building's "bones" could support the rigorous operational requirements of a modern engineering practice while celebrating the character of the original timber-framed architecture.
Project Specs.
Executed a structural floor opening to combine two levels into a single integrated operational unit.
Vertical Integration
High-Performance Timber Restoration
Preserved the timber structural frame to meet current life-safety and load-bearing standards.
Integrated high-demand mechanical systems within a historic loft ceiling height.
Specialized Commercial MEP
Implemented specialized sound attenuation strategies and lighting controls to ensure privacy across all floors.
Acoustic & Environmental Controls
Strategic Yield Optimization
TERRA demonstrates how strategic structural interventions can unlock the hidden value of legacy urban assets. By mastering the technical demands of multi-level timber loft construction, Integro de-risks the entire asset for our partners, ensuring the building supports the pro forma and the people inside.
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Tom Rossiter | Photography