From the 32nd floor of Rainier Tower, we gaze out the north windows and observe our 15-year research project redefine the Seattle skyline and become a reality!

Rainier Square Redevelopment (the second tallest building in Seattle), is a 1.4-million-square-foot, 58-story mixed-use tower featuring offices, residential units, and retail space, and has been rising fast—two floors per week using the revolutionary, new “sandwich panel system.” 

The wind and seismic loads are resisted by a new structural system—a Concrete-Filled, Composite Plate Shear Wall (CF-CPSW) system, or as dubbed by American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC)—Speed Core . The first-of-its-kind design is shaving months off of construction and will top out mid-Summer!
The contractor’s evaluation of the system as compared to a traditional reinforced concrete core revealed a time savings of 9 months out of 30 months for total construction which will truly be a game changer. Developed by MKA in collaboration with Purdue University and The University at Buffalo with generous support from the Charles Pankow Foundation and AISC , Speed Core is ready for implementation worldwide.
At MKA, we are advancing the A/E/C industry with revolutionary new methods to save time and money. The benefits of the CF-CPSW system include cost savings, schedule reduction, flexibility for adaptive re-use, and increased resiliency.  
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