Blueprint
SOLSTICE ON THE PARK
For a building to take full advantage of the sun, it must be tilted at just the right angle, measured by its city’s latitude and longitude.
For Solstice on the Park–the residential complex in Hyde Park expected to be completed in the spring–that perfect angle is 72 degrees, a measurement that will maximize the number of sunlight hours streaming into the interiors in Chicago’s winter months and minimize heat gain in the summer.
The southern facade of the local Studio Gang-designed structure features a building-block-style pattern of glass, each tilted and growing larger over 27 stories as the 250 units increase in square footage. Crowned with a green roof, Solstice is one of the first buildings in Chicago to utilize “solar carving” as a way to reduce utilities and promote energy efficiency, marking the start of a more eco-conscious design community in a city of nearly 3 million residents.
