The Rainier Square Tower, designed by NBBJ with residential units designed by Ankrom Moisan Architects, is an architectural marvel with an innovative "sloping" appearance that begins with a broad base and gradually tapers as the upper floors progress. The tower offers almost 200 luxury apartments, 70,000 m2 of office space and 2,800 m2 of retail space. The parking structure is also impressive with six underground car park levels that offer space for up to 1,000 vehicles. To ensure that the tower did not obscure the unique "pedestal" base of Minoru Yamasaki's adjacent Rainier Tower, the building's taper was lowered. The tower also features a "radical" shear web system that uses steel plates instead of traditional rebar and formwork between concrete members.This innovative method shortened the construction time for the tower's floors, making it a remarkable achievement in contemporary architecture.
At JCK Acoustics, our team provided comprehensive services to support the development of the project from the early schematic design stages through to construction administration. We were tasked with conducting an environmental noise analysis for the site in order to assess the potential impact of traffic noise on the residential spaces. As per Seattle Municipal Code, all mechanical equipment was evaluated to ensure that noise levels were within the established limits.
To achieve adequate sound isolation between unit separating walls and floors, acoustic design solutions were provided. This entailed evaluating various assembly construction types in order to save space while maximizing sound isolation performance. To best minimize footfall noise, flooring underlayments were field tested, evaluated, and ultimately recommended. Other assemblies reviewed included corridor walls and shaft walls. Construction walkthroughs were also performed to inspect the installation of electrical boxes, plumbing isolation, and joint caulking. Our efforts were aimed at ensuring that our recommendations were implemented effectively.