Formal principles were used to organize this 250 acre largely empty prairie, which was master planned for 3.3 million sf of development. A centrally located horseshoe shaped ring road around an existing lake creates a front lawn for the buildings planned to front on the boulevard. An additional three ponds were constructed as wetland remediation; other site amenities include thousands of new trees, native wetland plantings, jogging and walking paths, and a heliport.
The first building constructed was a four story, 1,300,000 sf corporate office building for Ameritech. The massing of the building consists of four 35,000 sf per floor “L” shaped building blocks, separated by 30 foot wide sky lit gallerias, that pinwheel around a central full height atrium, then mirror about a central axis to create a symmetrical chateau. Ghost footprints of these pinwheels were spun out over the entire site to create future building pads.
Completed: 1991
Architect and Planner: Lohan Associates
