Solstice on the Park

Solstice on the Park is a 26-story residential tower optimized for environmental performance through a strategic “solar carving” of the facade in alignment with solar angles determined by the site’s specific latitude. The tower rises along the northern edge of historic Jackson Park in Chicago’s Hyde Park neighborhood. The southern facade features a rhythm of vertical and angled glazing, with the angled window panels slanted inward at 72 degrees—the precise angle at which the sun hits Chicago at the height of the summer solstice. As a result, the southern facade is self-shading, minimizing heat gain during summer months and thereby reducing the need for air-conditioning. In winter months, when the sun is low in the sky, the angled windows maximize daylight exposure to support passive solar warming. The facade also enhances residents’ connections to the surrounding urban and natural contexts. Deployed as two- or three-story modules, the angled glass creates deep balconies for the living spaces at the base of each module and dramatically angled, floor-to-ceiling windows for the apartment or apartments above. When viewed from street level, the tower’s south façade acts like a shifting palette of the city, taking on and highlighting the different colors and activities below. Interiors The building offers 250 dwellings generously sized as studios and 1-, 2-, and 3-bedroom units. To foster community among residents, the ground floor is devoted to shared amenity spaces that encourage socializing. A lobby, library, lounge, and co-working table front the southern face of the building and are filled with natural light from angled windows, which also heighten the building’s connection with passing street life and the park greenery just beyond. A catering and event kitchen can be divided or expanded with partitions to allow multiple residents to host activities and events simultaneously. A private outdoor deck located just outside the game room and across from the fitness center is an outdoor extension of the shared amenity spaces; with barbecue grills and patio furniture, the deck provides residents room to relax and entertain outdoors. A rich interior material palette balances textures and jewel and metallic tones to achieve lively and warm spaces that suit the building’s diverse mix of tenants. The amenities spaces are set against a backdrop of venetian plaster and furnished with a combination of contemporary and reupholstered vintage furniture, as well as custom pieces made from a cottonwood tree reclaimed from the construction site. A system of poplar Rulon ceiling panels are deployed across the lobby and amenities spaces, wrapping the walls and ceiling and hiding mechanical, acoustic, and fire protection systems; designed to be visible from the street, the materiality of the grilles imbue the entrance and common spaces with warmth. Neighborhood and Urban Context The building harmonizes with its context through its exterior zinc and two-toned fiber cement panels, which evoke the buff-colored character of the neighborhoods historic masonry buildings. Located 30-meters (100 feet) away from a commuter rail station, Solstice on the Park is less than 20 minutes from the bustling “Loop” of downtown Chicago. The building is also a short walk away from a public beach on the Lake Michigan shoreline. The building achieved a Walk Score of 89 points, scoring on walkable access to retail and commercial establishments, access to public transportation, and proximity to bike lanes and trails. Environmental Performance In addition to optimizing environmental performance for interior spaces, the glazing, with its angled position and subtle frit pattern, serves to deter fatal bird strikes. Atop the tower, an extensive green roof covers more than 50% of the roof area, absorbing rainwater and mitigating the urban heat island effect. Planted with drought resistant, native, and non-invasive species, the green roof celebrates Chicago flora while reducing the need for irrigation and capturing stormwater. Furthermore, a special reuse opportunity was leveraged with the site’s existing below-grade foundation, which was repurposed to house a new rainwater collection system. The project was awarded Two Green Globes following an independent assessment which stated that the project “considered the impact of many design decisions and their influence on the day to day operations of the facility. This effort recognizes a complimentary design and construction effort with attention to sustainability in the process, sensitivity to the protection of the environment of an existing site in a dense urban area, and resultant minimization of resource use in the creation of a new building.”.