Studio Gang, Chicago
Retrofit Team
Owner and Architect: Studio Gang, Chicago
Mechanical Contractor: AT Mechanical LLC, Melrose Park, Ill.
Materials
After years of renting space, in 2013, Studio Gang purchased what was the Polish National Alliance building in Chicago’s Wicker Park neighborhood and created a plan to turn the building into its office. Built in 1937, the building was closed after having served as a technical school. When the Studio Gang team began thinking about HVAC for its offices, knowing they planned to achieve Landmark status for the building became important, as did Studio Gang’s commitment to sustainability. Today, the 21,000-square-foot office is cooled and heated by a Hyper-Heating INVERTER (H2i) Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) system.
In its previous office, which was one open space, Studio Gang had one massive HVAC unit with a single zone. “In the summer, we would never get cool air over where I sat, while other people were too cold,” explains Harry Soenksen, AIA, LEED AP, Studio Gang’s senior technical director. “This time around, how can we be modern and more efficient? Landmark was adamant about not seeing the system from the street. We needed something with a small footprint that was acoustically reasonable for us and our neighbors.”
In terms of cost, VRF was competitive with a conventional system while meeting Landmark’s performance requirements of exceeding ASHRAE standards by at least 17 percent. Acoustics and visuals on the roof became particularly important as Studio Gang planned for a roof prairie and event space. Studio Gang Chief Financial Officer Meredith Mack echoes Soenksen’s satisfaction: “We had pictured a green roof with plantings and even trees, and we knew the VRF units would not be unattractive next to it. And they wouldn’t blow all over you if you were up on the roof grilling or eating lunch.”
Studio Gang’s previous office space had a monthly expenditure (electric and gas) of 14 cents per square foot. The new office space comes in at 11 cents per square foot.
VRF System Manufacturer: Mitsubishi Electric Cooling & Heating
The Retrofit
Since its renovation, the project has achieved LEED certification and Landmark status from the city of Chicago. The office also has been popular for the Chicago Architecture Foundation’s open house.
Soenksen says: “It feels good to think about how we might have saved this building from destruction. It was not much cared for over the last 50 years or so. Now it’s beautiful and ready for the next 100 years.”
Photo: Mitsubishi Electric Cooling & Heating