Chicago has been home to hundreds of skyscrapers since 1885. The first building to be build was only 42 meters in height and was finished in 1891. The photos here are pictures of the New Water Tower also known as the Aqua Tower. The tower is built with the illusions of waves engulfing the entire tower. The tower has 82 stories and also has six levels of parking underneath the building.
The tower has been built by Jeanne Gang who is the first woman to be commissioned with a project as big as this one. The tower has attracted a lot of attention and is one of the tallest structures in Chicago. The building is a part-residential and part-office complex and houses a lot of amenities like pools, gardens, gazebos and walking tracks. The building also contains a hotel that occupies the first 15 floors. The unique wave design of the building has got a lot of critique from architects but has been well received by everyone.
At 82 stories and over 1.9 million sf, Aqua Tower is one of few high-rises in the world that creates a community on its facade. With one of Chicago’s largest green roofs, this multi-use tower demonstrates both architectural and technical achievements. Its outdoor terraces—which differ in shape from floor to floor based on criteria such as views, solar shading, and dwelling size/type—form the tower’s distinctive undulating appearance and create a strong connection to the outdoors and to the city.
With enthralling design and innovative concept Aqua surely manages to be the biggest show stealer ever. The fluid contour of Aqua’s exterior creates distinctive floor plans with most residences having their own unique balcony design. Aqua’s balconies not only create the stunning exterior shape of the building, they bring individuality to each home. With no two balconies alike, for the first time ever, each unique owner has a unique condo. you gotta hold your breath as floor to ceiling buildings will take your breath away with that beautiful view right outside.
Aqua Tower Chicago Skyscraper – Building Information
Size: 1.9 million SF
Cost: $300M, on-time and on-budget
Unique Characteristics: Designed with undulating outdoor terraces, no two floors alike
Owner: Magellan Development Group
Status: Completed 2010
Services provided by Studio Gang Architects: Design architect from concept through completion
LEED rating: targeted Silver
Architectural Awards:
2010 International Highrise Award Finalist, Deutsches Architekturmuseum
2010 Honor Award, Distinguished Building, AIA Chicago
2009 Skyscraper of the Year, Emporis
2009 Annual Design Review Honorable Mention, Architect Magazine
2009 “Proggy” Award, PETA
2008 American Architecture Award, Chicago Athenaeum Museum of Architecture & Design
As much sculpture as structure, Chicago’s newest jewel in its breathtaking skyline is located on the 200 block of North Columbus Drive. A mixed-use skyscraper that boasts 215 hotel rooms, 475 rental units and 263 condos and penthouses, the 82-story building was developed by Magellan Development.
Despite its prime location, Aqua was not built for the super-wealthy; and in spite of its great height, it is not an iconic attention-grabber. With almost 750 residential units and nearly 2 million square feet, the challenge of Aqua was to house a large number of people at a reasonable cost, while enhancing its environment with an elegant design, according to architect Gang.
At its core, Aqua is the standard glass hi-rise. But protruding from its four surfaces are undulating concrete balconies resembling ripples or waves — a highly appropriate architectural signature, considering the building’s proximity to Lake Michigan. To capture these views of the lake as well as nearby landmarks for Aqua residents, Gang stretched its concrete balconies outward by as much as 12 feet. The result is a building composed of irregularly shaped concrete floor slabs, which lend the facade an undulating quality from a distance.
Amazing Structures 