The Figural Core

A building’s core is traditionally defined as a centrally located, rectangular tube of reinforced concrete within a building which houses elevators, stairs, and utility services. It is a utilitarian device that does not actively participate in the design of a project, but is instead placed within one.

Traditional building cores are also rigidly consistent in their form as they rise through the levels of a structure; the cores within complex buildings are often the most simple and mundane elements.

What if this consistency were disrupted? How can a building core assume a more active role within a project? What if the core, and its shape, drove the design of a building and participated in its program?