Signature HOK Projects Under Patrick MacLeamy’s Leadership

Mercedes-Benz Stadium (2017)

Atlanta, GA

Home to the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons, Atlanta United of MLS, and many of the world’s top sports and entertainment events, HOK-designed Mercedes-Benz Stadium was the world’s first sports facility to achieve LEED Platinum sustainability status. The building is best known for its semi-transparent retractable roof that opens and closes akin to a camera aperture. Eight triangular ETFE (ethylene tetrafluoroethylene) panels move in unison along 16 tracks. In the closed position, the 143,500 square feet of panels lock together to form a watertight seal. The two-million-square-foot, $1.5-billion stadium’s sustainability features include a cistern that captures rainwater, more than 4,000 solar panels, and an edible landscape.

(Photo by Michael Robinson, courtesy HOK)

Abu Dhabi National Oil Company Headquarters (2018)

United Arab Emirates

The Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) wanted a sleek, energy-efficient headquarters. HOK’s approach pitted three of its offices against each other in a friendly design competition. Following feedback from ADNOC, a hybrid team from multiple offices created the final design—a 75-story building with two sides that soar up and form a squared-off arch, topped off by an executive entertainment area with a helipad. For energy efficiency, the building’s long north façade is clad in clear glass, offering views of the Arabian Gulf. The long south side uses fritted glass to reduce light and heat. The shorter east and west sides, where sun control is most difficult, are windowless, helping the desert building earn LEED Gold certification.

(Photo by Tim Griffith, courtesy HOK)

LaGuardia Airport Terminal B (2018-2022)

New York, NY

HOK was the design partner on the $4-billion overhaul of LaGuardia Terminal B. Originally built in 1964, the terminal became the airport’s most active hub, handling twice its intended passenger capacity. HOK’s update created two new island concourses connected to the terminal by bridges that soar over aircraft taxiways, an industry first that eliminated the previously inefficient practice of towing airplanes to their gates. The primary challenge was that the airport remained fully operational during construction. The new four-story, 850,000-square-foot headhouse hosts passenger services and amenities that include airline check-in, baggage drop-off and pick-up, and security. New amenities include extensive hospitality and retail options; an outdoor dining area offers views of Manhattan’s skyline. The Terminal B remodel has received numerous awards.

(Courtesy HOK and WSP + LaGuardia Gateway Partners)

King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) (2009)

Thuwal, Saudi Arabia

Built to honor the elderly monarch, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) transformed a 5.5-million-square-foot site into a 27-building campus in only 32 months. HOK met the accelerated timeline by assembling a design team from nine different offices. KAUST’s program includes two million square feet of some of the world’s most advanced laboratories. To shade the climate-intensive site, HOK devised an intricate roof system inspired by Arabic Bedouin tents. Upon completion, KAUST was certified as the world’s largest LEED Platinum project.

(Photo by Sam Fentress, courtesy HOK)

First Apple Campus (1993)

Cupertino, CA

Under the leadership of Patrick MacLeamy, FAIA, the San Francisco HOK office helped create Silicon Valley. Starting in 1970, the HOK-designed Xerox Palo Alto Research Center (PARC) housed such pioneering technologies as the Graphic User Interface and ethernet. One of HOK’s high-profile Silicon Valley projects was Apple’s first campus, which began as a request for a master plan. HOK responded with a three-square-foot model of a six-building campus. The tactic worked—HOK was hired on the spot without having to bid against other firms. HOK lead designer Bill Valentine, FAIA, conceived a campus with a heart for Apple, buildings clustered around a central green space. The iPhone, iPad, iPod, and more were conceived here.

(Photo by John Sutton, courtesy HOK)

Moscone Center (1981)

San Francisco, CA

Brooks Hall, the former San Francisco convention center near city hall, was undersized and outdated by the 1970s. The city wanted a larger facility located closer to its concentration of upscale hotels. As Project Manager, Patrick MacLeamy, FAIA, orchestrated design and delivery of the Moscone Center, named in honor of San Francisco’s late mayor George Moscone. The city requested a subterranean building. To combat claustrophobia, the HOK design team led by Gyo Obata, FAIA, and Bill Valentine, FAIA, conceived a column-free exhibition hall behind a lobby partially illuminated by daylight from the street, 40 feet above. Eminent structural engineer T.Y. Lin used his pocket abacus for early calculations, verified later by computer to refine and ultimately validate the hall’s post-tensioned arch design. Moscone Center sparked renewal of San Francisco’s South of Market (SOMA) neighborhood, which continues to the present day.