The Super Dense Commercial Building: A Circularity Prototype 

Concept

A densely occupied commercial building with radically shared amenities and spaces. It will feature:

• Customizable and changeable spaces and elements
• Multifunctional, symbiotic, and hybrid elements and units
• Centrally maintained and leased “stuff”
• Easily renewable products and materials from nimble manufacturers

Strategies

• Have the full occupancy allowed by code, by changing how the space is shared over time
• Accommodate multiple lease models with flexible leases for different types of tenants
• Buildings can specialize in certain tenant types—creative, biotech, professional services—to allow for clear, beneficial programming

Incentives include:

• Cost benefits to owners: Leasing costs may go up but capital costs may go down
• Intangible benefits to tenants (matchmaker to find you a roommate who helps you run and grow)

Operational costs can be managed through:

• Shared values or expectations between the tenants and owner, leading to easier decision-making
• Planned maintenance or replacement frequency
• Accountability on costs: who owns each element, who pays for maintenance or replacement, who is responsible for the performance of the property, and who has a share in the profits

Site

• The ideal site would be near public transit, with infrastructure to support bikers and other sustainable modes of commuting.
• The site should be beneficial to the main tenant types.
• The structure should leverage its situation on the site—on some plots of land, a more horizontal plan may promote a different quality of footprint, and make sharing of benefits easier.
• The siting of the building on the land should also allow for indoor-outdoor connections and plenty of natural light.
• The site should be considered as an ecosystem with people and human-made systems working alongside plants, pollinators, water systems, soil, and other species. The building should thrive on exchange—among the tenants; between the buildings and natural systems; and between people and other species.

Structure

• The lowest common denominator structural designs for floor heights and loads, to fit as wide a tenant base as possible
• A structure that shares loads most efficiently and consistently—e.g., a column grid that goes from parking to roof without transfers
• The structure supports design for disassembly, allowing interior walls and elements to be shared and reused for consecutive tenants.
• The structure itself is designed for disassembly, supporting easy deconstruction when the building needs significant modifications.

Skin

• The skin of the building provides uniform shading, insulation, and access to daylight across all spaces to allow tenants to swap, share, and cycle in and out of the building without any compromise on those benefits.
• The skin includes semi-conditioned and non-conditions transition areas between indoor and outdoor areas.
• The building supports easily changeable signage and branding, allowing each tenant to have their identity incorporated into the property.

Services

• All tenants will agree to a shared code of ethics, maintaining their spaces in accordance with the building’s circular, no-waste approach. 
• Cleaning and maintenance will be managed by the building, adopting regimens that steward the interior finishes and building systems for long-term use.
• An on-site facilities team will assist in moves, minor space modifications, simplifying the tenant improvement process.
• The building will deploy smart technology systems to modulate energy use and ventilation requirements based on variations in occupancy.
• The building will offer shared wellness hubs, mothers rooms, and neurodiverse rooms—both allowing tenants to save space and money on these features, and promoting active use of these amenities.
• Tech support can be centralized, and the building will have a library of large, specialty tech or equipment that tenants can “check out” when they need it—this could include large screens, conferencing equipment, AV for events or gatherings, and other specialized items based on the tenant type.
• The building will provide landscaping services for interior and exterior plants.

Space Plan

• Exchange is key to the success planning of this building. Tenants must be willing to share and exchange facilities and amenities to drive efficient use of resources for everyone, and provide a uniformly healthy environment for all people in the building•
• The key to the space plan will be to predict usage and occupancy patterns—how can each tenant maximally utilize a core space that is dedicated to them, and then rely on flex spaces and shared spaces to absorb any variations in occupancy?
• The plan of every floor will be optimized for high density without significantly increasing the number of materials—through use of shared spaces, hot desking, moveable walls. 
• The building could devote different floors/zones for different uses—heads down, collaboration, social, and amenity spaces that are shared among tenants. 
• The central amenity zones will ideally be stacked vertically, with an atrium to allow for natural light to penetrate into the building and make it easier to travel amongst shared spaces.
• More space may need to be allocated for egress, corridors, and multiple exits if floors need to be divided and shared.

Stuff

All materials in the building—regardless of whether they are purchased by the owners, landlords, or tenants—will be filtered for impact on people and the planet:

• All materials are assessed using the A&D Materials Pledge or Common Materials Framework.
• Materials used in high volume and with high impact on climate, health, or equity are stringently screened.

Materials and products for the building can be procured in a few different ways:

• The landlords have a group purchasing agreement with vetted vendors, allowing for sustainable choices at time of purchase, and easy refurbishment, refinishing, or takeback during the life of the materials.
• The landlord might leverage the cumulative purchasing power to explore alternative procurement models, such as leasing furniture or flooring.
• The tenants can purchase some materials to customize their spaces, but these should be assessed and screened as well, in accordance with the shared code of ethics.
• Products should be selected for adaptability—moveable or demountable options are preferred—and for easy deconstruction, maintenance, and refurbishment.