urbanMSP

Does anyone think the balconies are strangely reminiscent of Studio Gang's Aqua in Chicago? There, they have horrible problems with thermal bridging because its a continuous slab. I really hope the renderings are just idealistic/representative because that would be a terrible mistake in our climate

Yes, the Strib article specifically mentions Aqua...

<psst>
Every building with post-tensioned concrete floors with balconies has the same problem whether they try to do something architecturally interesting or they are simple rectangles a la Lat 45 et al.

While that's definitely true, most of the time the projections are limited to the discrete balconies themselves, and not projecting all of the way around the building like they are at Aqua (and like they appear to do here).

I really love when we get to the point where we actually LINK the material. Not even kidding. Helps people understand what's out there.

I've seen these used in Europe. I'd be stunned if this project was planning on using them.

I've seen these used in Europe. I'd be stunned if this project was planning on using them.

BINGO!

I am aware of how to create a thermal break. However, until these are required by code, you aren't likely to see them until "the market" demands them (read: probably never).

I'm all for them - this is a place where policy and sustainability should align but investors, profits, capitalism, etc.

Aqua: We can certainly argue whether or not it is an architectural conceit but putting aside the design, most "l*xury" condos are going to want a balcony and the more balcony the better. In the case of Aqua, the facade has more or less balcony depending on the floor/design and I'm sure that it affects the price point of one unit over the other. If they had gone to rectangular balconies ONLY at living spaces, it would have made the building less interesting certainly AND also reduced balconies (and thus value of the units). See Lat 45 et al where you have rectangular balconies that comprise 70% of the edge of each floor plate? So, at the end of the day we are talking about 30% more balcony and the accompanying 30% less "opaque" (insulated) building face per plate. 70% thermal bridges across each PT floor plate isn't some great sustainability move, it's cheaper/easier to do rectangles.

Apologies for being dense here...but what exactly are we discussing? Cold from the outside absorbed by the concrete and transferring into the apartments?

Yes. Exactly. And heat in the summer. The concrete acts as a thermal bridge. But its a solvable issue.

Ah, thanks! Interesting...hadn't thought of that.

Apologies for being dense here...but what exactly are we discussing? Cold from the outside absorbed by the concrete and transferring into the apartments?

I also had no idea what a thermal bridge was. Fortunately, the infinite source of knowledge has a pretty good explanation https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermal_bridge.

Apologies for being dense here...but what exactly are we discussing?

Stealing Nathan's joke here, but no apology necessary - this crowd is pro-density.

That's cool technology, but does anyone know if they are putting it on the Ritz?

I see what you did there.

That's cool technology, but does anyone know if they are putting it on the Ritz?

I'm taking odds on this one if anyone is interested

10/1 that they are not using thermally broken forms for balconies at the Ritz.

10:1 seems generous. Do we know of a single project in Minnesota that's used this technology?

10:1 seems generous. Do we know of a single project in Minnesota that's used this technology?

I don't have a lot of money to lose in case of some very sustainably-minded developer who was/is willing to incur costs that others are not typical in our market and then not talk about those improvements in a way that they become common knowledge but that's kind of my point.

It was the Sheraton-Ritz, not the Ritz-Carlton...

Thank you. Way before my time so I should've checked it.