Location: Chicago, IL
Product: BlueDuct®

An architectural masterpiece… This multinational technology company’s new flagship store in Chicago accomplished several architectural & mechanical innovations. Known for its forward-thinking and simplistic designs, the company’s flagship store design and materials required the same aspects. Most noteworthy was the tone this company wanted to provide to guests; to offer its visitors the ability to be indoors without feeling indoors. The team of engineers selected AQC’s BlueDuct to help achieve this environment

Creating an indoor space while remaining outdoors was one of the project’s most significant challenges. They wanted to build a masterpiece that consisted of continuous floor to ceiling glass on all sides and corners of the building. Beyond the unique architecture, a challenge remained for the mechanical designers; how to provide comfort for the occupants in a near-invisible manor.

Because the goal of this project was to offer the ability to be indoors with the feeling of being outdoors, AQC’s BlueDuct was presented to the engineers and determined to be the best option. The BlueDuct supplies air to the aluminum linear bar floor diffusers that line the inside of the glass around the building. This air supply system keeps the indoor space comfortable, while Chicago’s climate rages on the exterior. From the exterior, the design blurs one’s sense of where outdoors and indoors meet. Matching staircases flank each side of the building, step-for-step, the stairs on the outside of the store lead from Chicago’s famous Michigan Avenue down to the Chicago River. The only separation dividing indoors, and outdoors is the glass and an aluminum linear bar grill at the floor. BlueDuct was the perfect solution to achieve a near-invisible air supply system.

AQC Industries designs and manufactures The BlueDuct underground air duct system for heating, ventilation, and cooling in commercial and residential applications. The BlueDuct is a direct-burial underground duct system made from ultra-durable, advanced HDPE. The BlueDuct systems have been installed in thousands of buildings for over a decade with trouble-free, long-term performance. The product is sold through a nation-wide network of knowledgeable representatives and distributors.