Slipforming IBM tower

The IBM Tower in Atlanta, Georgia, is an extraordinary construction project with fascinating architectural, engineering, and construction innovation and practice. The building was constructed using a concrete slipform core with structured steel floor framing, composite exterior columns, and granite skin with insulated gray tinted glass. A team approach has resulted in a maximum amount of quality construction being accomplished in minimum time, and the project being completed within a tightly controlled schedule. A three-phase value engineering study was conducted for this project. In Phase I, eleven floor framing systems and eight wind framing systems (which in combinations gave forty-two possible schemes for the structure) were developed. In Phase II, pricing information of structural steel was developed. In Phase III, a typical floor and columns, and wind-resisting elements for the entire height were designed. Using this information, the unit cost of structure and the total construction time were estimated. This paper provides an overview of the IBM Tower, value engineering results, and slipformed core construction used in this project.