[Alliance]

No offense to double logic here...

Honte, part of the concept of this building IS the balconies...from the construciton innovations of this building to building concept (of views) to the light regulation to the final form. Wy is making them MORE prominent with paint a violatoin of this building. Is simply showcasing what really drove the construction of the building. (The glass alos plays a small part.) Especially when the acutual buildign is (I'm going to regret saying this) just a box, I think its necessary to highlight the balconies. Why would you try to disguise the pure driving force behing the builiding? Its like saying Hancock's cross-bracing should have been internalized just behind the glass so we really wouldn't know it was there unless we were up close.

Sure, super high end concrete with a clear seal might be great for a 200' building. This thing is 800' and its true genious wouldn't have been achieved without that height. Economics drives buildings and frankly, exposed concrete can look really crappy over time if its not maintained. Paint can be repainted. And certainly its all better than balconies cracking due to weather.

I don't see a real reason to flip out on this issue or dislike this building because painted concrete is traditionally something associated with lesser buildings. As I've said before, for a building THIS complex between the glass changes and the fluctuating balconies, raw concrete is too textured. Its distracting and destroys the flow. Add in the environmental problems with unpainted concrete and the cost/feasibility issues with more durable concrete or clear sealant (because the last thing Chicago needed right now was ANOTHER Trump/Waterview class building) I see no reason to get drastically upset about it.

Especially when this building is a progressive box and not some novelty-toy, anything goes "look at me" building that everyone can oogle at ignore how there is no driving concept behind it...