Zurich North America Headquarters
Goettsch Partners
- Area: 783,800 ft2
- Year: 2016
- Location: Schaumburg, Illinois, United States
- Product: Cladding
- Finish: Rustik
- Architectural solutions: Architectural panels, Exterior soffit panels, Faceted architecture
- Project type: Offices
- Awards: Certified LEED Platinum; 2017 International Architecture Award from the Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design and The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies; Silver Award Building Design+Construction's 20th annual Building Team Awards; Award of Merit at 2016 Excellence in Structural Engineering Awards; Build to Suit Project of the Year at the 29th Annual Chicago Commercial Real Estate Awards
- Photography: James Steinkamp
Zurich’s North American headquarters in Chicago, USA was designed to reflect the company’s fundamental values: strength and stability. The modern structure is made up of three stacked glass prisms. The underbelly of the largest prism, which sits on top of the other two, is covered with the distinctive NATURCLAD-W panels.
The building’s sustainable initiatives mean that it has been certified LEED Platinum; the highest level of green certification possible. To achieve this certification the headquarters had to meet various environmental criteria, many of which were met in the project’s energy efficient design.
The facades increase the amount of natural light entering the building while regulating the inside temperature. Double walls help to mitigate the difference in temperature between the interior and exterior. Both of these innovative design features led to a significant decrease in energy consumption.
