Marvels In Security And Seismic Safety Engineering

"At the $215-million U.S. Federal Courthouse in quake-prone Seattle, the designers are proving beyond doubt that it's not always a crime to deceive for appearance's sake. Their "secret" weapon in their cabal to create a building that sings out liberty and justice but provides top security and seismic safety is a hybrid shear-wall core. The system, considered a first, combines steel plates, braces and beams into cells "guarded" at the corners by giant steel "cans" filled with concrete. The spine, which has the pluses of a pure concrete core without its penalties of weight, mass and a slow work pace, is hailed as the project's unseen hero." (Includes structural renderings.)

Thanks to Chris Steins