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Old Posted Jun 1, 2008, 4:06 PM
honte honte is offline
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Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Chicago - every nook and cranny
Posts: 4,628
I've always liked this building too. The lobby and detailing near the base are superb. It has a richness and an opulence you won't see for a while - that might have been the best thing about the Postmodern age. Everyone certainly should take a step into the lobby if one hasn't before - it's sleek and modern without feeling cold or empty.

Also admirable is the integration of the various design elements on the front facade. I believe the AIA guide claims there is "simply too much going on," but I don't agree with that. One wishes the individual design elements were more clearly distinct, but it's nice to see something with a lot of energy rising up near all of the reserved Modernist buildings of the Loop.

Also attractive is the crown from the west, which is one of the city's most interesting without being overly historic in its form.

I am not a fan of the building from the sides, however. I think the clarity of the composition starts to break down. Also, the massing feels awkward, with the form stopping too abruptly. From the rear, it fares better, although it never made any sense to me either. But I begin to like it more, as it seems to contextualize with the top of 1 S. Dearborn and perhaps even the Stone Container building too.

I am glad they did not build the twin, because I think one of these is perfect. Twin tower proposals usually don't work for me. I hope one day soon the new garage will bite the dust and we will have a slender, taller tower on that site. This building will look better with neighbors, but it should have contrast, not a twin.
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