Fortaleza Hall
The latest addition to the renowned campus of household products maker SC Johnson, Fortaleza Hall celebrates the history of one of the company’s leaders, Sam Johnson, a daredevil who flew a biplane to Brazil, retracing the route of his father’s 1935 journey. “Fortaleza Hall has given us a unique opportunity to work along side one of the finest Modern buildings in the world, the SC Johnson building, and to tell a remarkable story of adventure and discovery,” said Norman Foster, the addition’s designer, in a statement. The 60,000-square-foot facility has an oval-shaped plan, and its glazed walls offer passersby a view of the biplane suspended below a skylight. The firm also designed a new dining room and gym for employees next door. Fortaleza Hall includes a library devoted to Frank Lloyd Wright to accommodate the more than 4,500 Wright fans who visit the campus annually in pilgrimage to its Wright-designed administration building and research tower. Also inside, a Patrick Blanc–designed vertical garden, boasting 79 plant species, climbs 18 feet with a staircase running on the bias. The project is expected to be certified LEED Silver.
