International architecture studio SOM has released designs of the 20-storey 934 Central Street data centre in Kansas City, USA, with a facade configured to "feel at home within its downtown context".

The 20-storey skyscraper will be built in the heart of Kansas City on a 0.23-acre site that is currently occupied by the Western Newspaper Union Building.

Developed by Miami-based Revitalization Unlimited, the structure will incorporate floors for data systems, cooling systems, and power generation, all arrayed vertically, a marked departure from the massive horizontal structures that have dominated the news cycle in the wake of the AI boom.

"A vertical closed loop"

"Unlike conventional data centers, which typically occupy large, horizontal footprints, 934 Central Street envisions a vertical data center for a dense downtown setting, closer to where people live and work," said a spokesperson for SOM.

"The proposal stacks data floors, power infrastructure, cooling systems, and public amenities within a 20-story tower on a compact 0.23-acre site, creating a vertical closed loop of power, water, and cooling."

The structure will feature an earth-coloured masonry facade with large panes of glass, even on floors dedicated to the data modules. It will have an external core allowing for more room in the interior of the skyscraper.

On ground level, SOM has planned for 4,700 square feet (436 square metres) of shops.

The commercial element was designed with the relatively standard cladding system to make the skyscraper align with the urban context, according to SOM.

"Designed to feel at home within its downtown context, the building draws from the vertical proportions, repetitive bays, and masonry character of surrounding commercial buildings," said SOM.

Increasing data centre reliance

Likely in response to recent uproar about water and energy usage in data centers, the studio has included plans for on-site power generation, reportedly from natural gas cells. A diagram of the skyscraper supplied by SOM states that the power system is "100 per cent independent from the grid".

It also states that the water will be internally cycled through equipment on the upper floors, with evaporative cooling elements shown as a feature at the bulkhead.

SOM claimed that the proximity to the urban systems that will likely utilise the data centre's output is a reason for its location.

"As cities around the world become increasingly reliant on data centers, locating this infrastructure within urban areas offers both efficient proximity to the industries and networks it serves and an opportunity for these buildings to contribute positively to surrounding communities," said the studio.

The structure also answers a question raised by many of the massive data centres going up across the country – what will happen to these structures if the demand for computation decreases?

"The tower is also configured to adapt over time, with a side core, regular structural grid, and generous floor-to-floor heights that support future conversion to residential, office, or mixed-use space as technological needs evolve," said SOM.

However, there has been community pushback, with local outlets reporting locals pushing back on grounds of the "speculative" nature of the project and the potential for urban heat island effects, which are reportedly exacerbated by data centres.

Locals also expressed concern over the demolition of the Western Newspaper Union Building, with the City Planning Commission scheduled to review the project today, 5 August 2026.

Recently, Gensler designed a massive hyperscale data centre in Utah and a data centre was approved as part of the Truman Brewery development in east London.