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Calatrava's Chicago Spire (Chicago)

^^^^ Great points!

Might I also suggest a Robert A. B. Stern skyscraper out on Chicago's lakefront, somewhere near Chicago Spire, to reinforce that idea. Calatrava in his mediocre ways in this case, could scarcely hold a candle to anything designed by Mr. Stern. And instead of all that boring glass and steel - with that gimmickry of helical shaping, outrigger bracing, and a spireless top - standing by its lonesome, we could compare it to a richly detailed masonry, with that unforgettable nostalgic stylings, that harkens back to the glory of a past Chicago skyline, both familiar and comfortable and less mediocre. Perhaps it could be an homage to the 'pink lady,' Edgewater Beach on Chicago's North shore, or a tribute to the London Guarantee Building, restored in 2001 and still on Michigan Avenue, or a kind of gorgeous rendition of Chicago Tribune Tower, in all its gothic revivalist fervour.

Now that would do the trick, in turning around a city led astray by Calatrava's efforts. If we are lucky, maybe the financing will fall through and it will never get built at all...


.​
 
Future Chicago Skyline in Silhouette

This is a photograph that has been reworked with Adobe Photoshop by Ryan81, and then corrected for proportion by Alliance. The goal was a photo-realistic rendering of the future Chicago skyline with Chicago Spire, Waterview, Trump Tower Chicago, Chicago Waldorf=Astoria and Aquitectronica's Aqua II worked into this final image. See if you can guess which is which.


Future Skyline as Viewed from the Lake

Untitled-1.jpg

Courtesy SSP-Chicago Waldorf+Astoria / Ryan91-Alliance​
 
Might I also suggest a Robert A. B. Stern skyscraper out on Chicago's lakefront, somewhere near Chicago Spire, to reinforce that idea. Calatrava in his mediocre ways in this case, could scarcely hold a candle to anything designed by Mr. Stern. And instead of all that boring glass and steel - with that gimmickry of helical shaping, outrigger bracing, and a spireless top - standing by its lonesome, we could compare it to a richly detailed masonry, with that unforgettable nostalgic stylings, that harkens back to the glory of a past Chicago skyline, both familiar and comfortable and less mediocre. Perhaps it could be an homage to the 'pink lady,' Edgewater Beach on Chicago's North shore, or a tribute to the London Guarantee Building, restored in 2001 and still on Michigan Avenue, or a kind of gorgeous rendition of Chicago Tribune Tower, in all its gothic revivalist fervour.

Now that would do the trick, in turning around a city led astray by Calatrava's efforts. If we are lucky, maybe the financing will fall through and it will never get built at all...

I disagree with Zephyr. Calatrava is definately Stern's equal, perhaps even better. But the idea of Stern taking a Chicago project is a great idea. Problem is that he's too busy in New York. Strange that Calatrava's cube tower in NY didn't sell - it was unique.
 
The Spire is a spectacular skyscraper, for sure, but it'll have a somewhat 'Asian' impact on Chicago's skyline...it might be more at home in Hong Kong than Chicago.
 
"The Spire is a spectacular skyscraper, for sure, but it'll have a somewhat 'Asian' impact on Chicago's skyline...it might be more at home in Hong Kong than Chicago."

Architecturally discriminatory, or "incorrect". Perhaps all those foreign-inspired buildings should go home?
 
buildup said:
I disagree with Zephyr. Calatrava is definately Stern's equal, perhaps even better. But the idea of Stern taking a Chicago project is a great idea. Problem is that he's too busy in New York. Strange that Calatrava's cube tower in NY didn't sell - it was unique.
Click to expand...

How can anyone be better than Robert A. B. Stern? Not Calatrava, not Frank Lloyd Wright, not Norman Foster - all mediocre pretenders.
 
Chicago Spire compared to other Chicago Buildings

Chicago's Tallest Buildings - Proposed, Approved, Under Construction or Built
chicagowaincrease1265qc6.gif

Courtesy SSP-Waldorf=Astoria / cactus22minus1, Alliance, bnk​
 
I think the spire design is extraordinary, sort of a much taller and twisted version of Foster's Gerkin in London.

I shouldn't think that it will stand out on the skyline anymore than CN does in Toronto, indeed probably less so.
 
"How can anyone be better than Robert A. B. Stern? Not Calatrava, not Frank Lloyd Wright, not Norman Foster - all mediocre pretenders."

Its not about who is better, give those guys some credit. They are all capable of work equal to Stern.
 
Ring of Steel

He goes by the name of andrsdtz. He is a 33 year old German who took photos off the SSP - Chicago Spire site, in order to repackage them to run as a video on YouTube. As audio he used Seal's "Amazing" – an excellent choice indeed.

Don’t deny yourself, it is slightly over seven minutes, and it selectively takes photos from hundreds posted, to construct this slide show. For a while it looks like the construction is making little headway, then you see caissons, and finally the construction of the "Ring of Steel" - the actual spot from which Chicago Spire will rise:

CLICK HERE to view video

"Ring of Steel"
dsc09008qp8.jpg

SSP – Chicago Spire / Chi649​
 
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