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Aqua- Design for new condo/hotel tower (Chicago)

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wyliepoon

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From Architectural Record... The design looks like something along the lines of those from the Absolute competition.

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Studio/Gang Designing Chicago Skyscraper

March 28, 2006


Chicago-based Studio/Gang/Architects has released its initial designs for Aqua, an 83-story residential and hotel tower just south of the Chicago River. The building will be located in the city's new 28-acre Lakeshore East Development, south of the Chicago River and east of the Loop.

Firm principal Jeanne Gang created rippling edges in the concrete-framed structure's facade by using a unique floor plate for each of its concrete slabs. The unit plans are conventional, comprising twelve variations enclosed by a glass thermal envelope. But the undulating exterior spaces, which Gang conceived as terraces rather than individual balconies, give each apartment and hotel unit its own outdoor space. Gang's team used a large-scale model in their studio to identify view corridors and help sculpt the design.

Loewenberg Architects is the architect of record for the $300 million project. The developers are Magellan Development Group and Near North Properties.

The 1.9-million square-foot building will be located a few hundred yards west of Santiago Calatrava's planned Fordham Tower, which received planning commission approval earlier this month. It will also contain a hotel, townhouses, a health club, conference facilities, and retail. Its two-story podium will be topped with a green roof.

Drawings for Aqua will soon be submitted for building permits, with completion expected in 2009. It will be Gang's largest project to date. Her most noted previous projects have been the Starlight Theatre in Rockford, Illinois, and the Chinese American Community Center in Chicago.



Edward Keegan
 
This building has been floating around the international forums for some time.
 
It would seem that this undulating style is the wave of the future.

42
 
Not nearly as wild as Absolute.

Hmm, the pressure must be on Cityplace's Signature now...

AoD
 
Its funny, I was thinking the same thing. A simple lipstick tower does not cut it anymore.
 
I really like it. Potential iconic along the waterfront. 2 storey podium is a little low, but maybe necessary for the full rippling effect. The concrete might not prove to be as glissening as well.

Chicago's got some supertall's happening with Fordham and Trump. The market is there.

Toronto doesnt have the same market for supertall's, but this could be a good thing for now.
 
Toronto doesnt have the same market for supertall's, but this could be a good thing for now.

I think this is a very good thing. Supertalls may have an appeal to some but they are not for every city. Toronto is slowly gaining some nice density levels with its current development and that will bring far more benefits than a phalic symbol for engineers and skyscraper geeks to drool over.

The Chicago tower is interesting though. The base looks interesting, seems to have a clean, crisp modern edge too it.
 
While I agree that it's not about height and that nicely developed density is far and away more beneficial to the city blabbity blabbity blaaah.................... I'd still love to see something of that scope go up in the right place here. I guess something will eventually. Hey - it's fun to have tall buildings in your city. What can I say?
 
Looks like it will be a real beauty.

Side note: ever notice how the trees in downtown Chicago never die a slow death only to be beheaded? Makes such a huge difference.
 
Interesting to note that there's no underground parking. Why isn't parking found underground in Chicago? Is water an issue?
 
^ If memory serves me correctly, it's because there's swampy clay or something like that, so most underground space is needed for structural support, and water also gets in easily. But I might be off.

Its funny, I was thinking the same thing. A simple lipstick tower does not cut it anymore.

Ahh, but what about a 90 storey lipstick tower? You have to assume they'll go to at least 88...
 
Interesting to note that there's no underground parking. Why isn't parking found underground in Chicago? Is water an issue?

Also note that this part of the city is where all the multi-level streets are located (such as Lower Wacker Drive, etc.), so the bottom part of the building will resemble an underground garage without exactly being underground.

On my latest trip to Chicago I had the chance to see the multi-level streets there. They're absolutely labyrinthine.
 

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