INTRODUCTION
The Wilshire Grand Center, a prominent 73 storey structure, situated in downtown Los Angeles, has reshaped the western skyline of downtown Los Angeles and stands as a testament to engineering marvel and finesse. Encompassing around 2 million square feet, this structure seamlessly integrates hotel and office spaces. While the top of the structure features restaurants and a sky lobby overlooking the skyline, the surrounding podium structure include additional commercial spaces for a burgeoning resurgence of the surrounding area. The building was the brainchild of Architect AC Martin Partners Inc while M/s Brandow and Johnson were bestowed to fortify the structure against all natural hazards. M/s Thornton Tomasetti was involved in the performance based analysis and design and M/s Turner Construction Company was responsible to breathe life into the structure.
Details :
The precise architectural details including its 100 feet crown sail designed to emulate the Half Dome in Yosemite National Park and a 30 feet tall LED-laced spire it dramatically redefines the Los Angeles skyline as the city’s only building without a flat top roof. It was built into a thick foundation made from the largest continuous concrete pour in history dumping 82 million pounds. It was then supplemented with buckle-resistant braces (BRBs) at levels 70-73, that would act as shock absorbers in the case of an earthquake or strong wind. The structure was built with almost 19000 tons of structural steel.