Height rank
BG Group Place
Houston
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Metrics
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Official Name
BG Group Place
Other Names
MainPlace
Type
Building
Status
Completed, 2011
Country
City
Address
Postal Code
77002
Function
A mixed-use tall building contains two or more functions (or uses), where each of the functions occupy a significant proportion of the tower's total space. Support areas such as car parks and mechanical plant space do not constitute mixed-use functions. Functions are denoted on CTBUH "Tallest Building" lists in descending order, e.g., "hotel/office" indicates hotel function above office function.
office
Structural Material
Both the main vertical/lateral structural elements and the floor spanning systems are constructed from steel. Note that a building of steel construction with a floor system of concrete planks or concrete slab on top of steel beams is still considered a “steel” structure as the concrete elements are not acting as the primary structure.
Reinforced Concrete
Both the main vertical/lateral structural elements and the floor spanning systems are constructed from concrete which has been cast in place and utilizes steel reinforcement bars.
Precast Concrete
Both the main vertical/lateral structural elements and the floor spanning system are constructed from steel reinforced concrete which has been precast as individual components and assembled together on-site.
Mixed-Structure
Utilizes distinct systems (e.g. steel, concrete, timber), one on top of the other. For example, a steel/concrete indicates a steel structural system located on top of a concrete structural system, with the opposite true of concrete/steel.
Composite
A combination of materials (e.g. steel, concrete, timber) are used together in the main structural elements. Examples include buildings which utilize: steel columns with a floor system of reinforced concrete beams; a steel frame system with a concrete core; concrete-encased steel columns; concrete-filled steel tubes; etc. Where known, the CTBUH database breaks out the materials used in a composite building’s core, columns, and floor spanning separately.
concrete
Energy Label
LEED Platinum
Official Website
Height
192.7 m / 632 ft
Floors Above Ground
46
Floors Below Ground
2
# of Parking Spaces
1109
# of Elevators
23
Top Elevator Speed
7.11 m/s
Tower GFA
117,324 m² / 1,262,865 ft²
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By function
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By material
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Developer
Architect
Usually involved in the front end design, with a "typical" condition being that of a leadership role through either Schematic Design or Design Development, and then a monitoring role through the CD and CA phases.
Other Consultant
Other Consultant refers to other organizations which provided significant consultation services for a building project (e.g. wind consultants, environmental consultants, fire and life safety consultants, etc).
Other Consultant refers to other organizations which provided significant consultation services for a building project (e.g. wind consultants, environmental consultants, fire and life safety consultants, etc).
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Owner
Hines CalPERS Green Fund
Developer
Architect
Usually involved in the front end design, with a "typical" condition being that of a leadership role through either Schematic Design or Design Development, and then a monitoring role through the CD and CA phases.
Usually takes on the balance of the architectural effort not executed by the "Design Architect," typically responsible for the construction documents, conforming to local codes, etc. May often be referred to as "Executive," "Associate," or "Local" Architect, however, for consistency CTBUH uses the term "Architect of Record" exclusively.
Kendall / Heaton Associates
Structural Engineer
The Design Engineer is usually involved in the front end design, typically taking the leadership role in the Schematic Design and Design Development, and then a monitoring role through the CD and CA phases.
Ingenium Inc
MEP Engineer
The Design Engineer is usually involved in the front end design, typically taking the leadership role in the Schematic Design and Design Development, and then a monitoring role through the CD and CA phases.
Wylie & Associates
Main Contractor
The main contractor is the supervisory contractor of all construction work on a project, management of sub-contractors and vendors, etc. May be referred to as "Construction Manager," however, for consistency CTBUH uses the term "Main Contractor" exclusively.
The main contractor is the supervisory contractor of all construction work on a project, management of sub-contractors and vendors, etc. May be referred to as "Construction Manager," however, for consistency CTBUH uses the term "Main Contractor" exclusively.
D.E. Harvey Builders
Other Consultant
Other Consultant refers to other organizations which provided significant consultation services for a building project (e.g. wind consultants, environmental consultants, fire and life safety consultants, etc).
Other Consultant refers to other organizations which provided significant consultation services for a building project (e.g. wind consultants, environmental consultants, fire and life safety consultants, etc).
CTBUH Awards & Distinctions
Best Tall Building Americas 2012 Award of Excellence
2012 CTBUH Awards
CTBUH Initiatives
BG Group Place Chosen as Featured Building
15 March 2013 - Featured Building
About BG Group Place
As one of the few new high-rise buildings to be constructed in Houston, BG Group Place provides pleasant work spaces, occupiable urban green areas, and direct and easy access to developing and existing forms of public transportation. The revitalization of Houston’s Main Street district has been an ongoing effort, which the new tower contributes to.
The building is Texas’ first LEED Core & Shell Platinum-certified building, obtaining its status though a variety of building elements and strategies. Transportation is a huge contributor to the sustainability of the building, the site location providing a variety of options for occupants. Located in the heart of Houston’s Central Business District, the tower was able to directly connect to the METRO light rail expansion, as well as Houston’s unique pedestrian tunnel system. It is served by 16 Park-&-Ride locations and nearby highways, but also provides bike storage and locker-room facilities. A nine-story parking garage makes up the podium of the building, atop which sits an occupiable green roof, offering views of the surrounding city fabric. This area provides a new amenity to building occupants which is not typically available.
A five-story “sky garden” is located on the 39th floor, creating a void in the overall form of the tower. The sky garden creates a fully planted terrace which wraps around an interior atrium that glows at night as the main feature of the building. This area also includes three observation decks as well as seating and planted areas. Aesthetically, the notch breaks the tower from being a simple formal extrusion and creates a unique and identifiable feature.
To mitigate solar gain from the Texas sun, horizontal glass and aluminum sunshades wrap around the curved north and south façades of the building, creating a textured façade. On the west face, vertical sunshades were employed to combat the evening sun’s rays, reaching nearly to the top of the building. Additionally, the corners of the building are notched to create eight corner offices per floor which are shaded by the building’s geometry, but allow views of the city.
The approach to the building is thickly planted, providing shade to the adjacent sidewalks and creating a pleasant experience to passers-by and visitors. The building has 1,115 square meters of retail space at the ground level, connected to many other retail opportunities though the pedestrian tunnel system. Each tower floor plate provides a flexible 2,500 square meter area served by 18 high-speed elevators.
Sited on a plot which originally had several dilapidated and asbestos-treated structures, the plan for the building required the demolition and remediation of these buildings before construction of the new tower could begin. The structure of the building is lightweight concrete, one of the first applications in Houston in over 40 years. This system reduced the overall weight of the building, decreasing construction time, basement depth, and cost. The building is thoroughly monitored to allow for energy efficiencies in its usage, including motion detectors for lighting fixtures, tenant occupancy monitors to determine system needs, and CO detectors in parking garages to measure ventilation needs.
The building has numerous sustainable features including condensate recovery systems for reduced water demand, but the addition of the tower to Houston’s skyline is also significant in that it is one of few new tall structures to be built since the 1980s.
CTBUH Awards & Distinctions
Best Tall Building Americas 2012 Award of Excellence
2012 CTBUH Awards
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