CHICAGO | Conservatory Tower | 82 FLOORS

Chicagoguy · #1 Posted **Aug 19, 2008, 1:55 AM**

There wasn't a tread for this one yet so I figured it would be nice to start one since there is a tread for it on skyscrapercity!

Conservatory Tower aspires to set a precedent for environmentally sensitive tall buildings in Chicago’s urban context. The 1.1 million sf project is composed of two distinct yet complementary components, a conservatory or enclosed winter garden, and an 80 story hotel and condo tower rising above.

The 28,000 sf winter garden is enclosed by a high efficiency glazing system, protecting a lush landscape and occupants from inclement weather, noise and air pollution, while optimizing natural air ventilation. The tower’s thin profile makes full use of natural light, while minimizing heat gain during summer months and shadow effect on neighboring spaces. Natural light can reach the interior spaces, reducing energy consumption year round. Topping the tower is a Sky Garden containing a number of condominium amenities and an enclosed garden.

Photos from SCB's website

WonderlandPark · #2 Posted **Aug 19, 2008, 2:06 AM**

Is there a street address for this? Looks easily 900' and I love the bottom greenhouse "blob."

Chicagoguy · #3 Posted **Aug 19, 2008, 2:15 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by WonderlandPark

Is there a street address for this? Looks easily 900' and I love the bottom greenhouse "blob."

Not sure the exact address but I heard it might be behind 200 North Dearborn and would replace that food court there. And yes I heard that somewhere around 900 is what they expect it to be although no definite height has been released.

scalziand · #4 Posted **Aug 19, 2008, 3:50 PM**

Nice to see this one finally get its own thread.

Chicagoguy · #5 Posted **Aug 19, 2008, 3:57 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by scalziand

Nice to see this one finally get its own thread.

Yea I thought it was about time for it!

SlatsGrobnik · #6 Posted **Aug 19, 2008, 8:48 PM**

Developer? Architect? Budget? Timeline to start/complete? What hotel? How many rooms? How many condos?

denizen467 · #7 Posted **Aug 19, 2008, 11:13 PM**

^ What, is that all you could come up with? I could think of about a 100 questions.

Especially since one of them was already answered in the first post. By the way, do you know what ever happened to Slata Grobnik? She disappeared from these forums maybe a year and a half ago, right around the time you appeared.

SlatsGrobnik · #8 Posted **Aug 20, 2008, 9:31 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by denizen467

^ What, is that all you could come up with? I could think of about a 100 questions.

Especially since one of them was already answered in the first post. By the way, do you know what ever happened to Slata Grobnik? She disappeared from these forums maybe a year and a half ago, right around the time you appeared.

Which question was answered?

I am "Slata." I mistyped the name when I first joined, and it took repeated requests over time to get it fixed.

Slats Grobnik was Mike Royko's fictional sidekick, if you didn't know.

NYC2ATX · #9 Posted **Aug 19, 2008, 11:40 PM**

Already my new favorite proposal in Chicago.

Alliance · #10 Posted **Aug 20, 2008, 12:22 AM**

It'd be interesting, from a historical perspective, if this building ended being up about the same height as Citigroup in New York. Conservatory is certianly the nephew of it.

scalziand · #11 Posted **Aug 20, 2008, 3:39 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alliance

It'd be interesting, from a historical perspective, if this building ended being up about the same height as Citigroup in New York. Conservatory is certianly the nephew of it.

A building on stilts with a slanted roof? Why not!

This doesn't look like it will require the groundbreaking engineering that Citigroup needed though.

shaberko · #12 Posted **Aug 20, 2008, 2:36 PM**

I guess this one will be nicknamed "the vacuum cleaner" if it's built.

Rilestone75 · #13 Posted **Aug 20, 2008, 5:42 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by shaberko

I guess this one will be nicknamed "the vacuum cleaner" if it's built.

Let's just call it the ORECK for short...

Plokoon11 · #14 Posted **Aug 20, 2008, 5:49 PM**

This tower looks very un safe.

America 117 · #15 Posted **Aug 22, 2008, 3:31 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Plokoon11

This tower looks very un safe.

Whats unsafe about it?

CHAPINM1 · #16 Posted **Aug 20, 2008, 5:58 PM**

Despite the differences between the two cities, Chicago and New York DO share quite a bit of traits between a few different buidlings. By no means is this bad, but I'm just noting that both are great and there are more simularities than one would think. For instance the following buildings can easily compare and are similar in a lot of ways:

Aqua (Chicago) - Beekman Place (New York) Difference in height by roughly 40 feet and by 5 - 10 floors, the concepts are similar in addition to the wavy/striking designs.

John Hancock Center (Chicago) - Girasole (New York) Despite the major difference in floors, the heights of both differ by only 127 feet and the concepts for both are similar.

Conservatory Tower (Chicago) - Citigroup (New York) Major difference in floors, yet environmentaly friendly concepts are there plus the slanted roofs! The heights for both may be in the same neighborhood as well.

Plus both cities are currently constructing buildings concurrently that will be the tallest once completed, something that both cities did once before.

Chicagoguy · #17 Posted **Aug 20, 2008, 6:04 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by CHAPINM1

Despite the differences between the two cities, Chicago and New York DO share quite a bit of traits between a few different buidlings. By no means is this bad, but I'm just noting that both are great and there are more simularities than one would think. For instance the following buildings can easily compare and are similar in a lot of ways:

Aqua (Chicago) - Beekman Place (New York)
John Hancock Center (Chicago) - Girasole (New York)
Conservatory Tower (Chicago) - Citigroup (New York)

Plus both cities are currently constructing buildings concurrently that will be the tallest once completed, something that both cities did once before.

I agree with you I think the two cities are very similar although they try to be different!

But I would compare The Girasole more with Waterview Tower, and Tower Verre with the John Hancock Center!

CHAPINM1 · #18 Posted **Aug 20, 2008, 6:08 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chicagoguy

I agree with you I think the two cities are very similar although they try to be different!

But I would compare The Girasole more with Waterview Tower, and Tower Verre with the John Hancock Center!

Great point, I forgot about Tower Verre. I guess the John Hancock Center would be a more appropriate comparason seeing as how it is not only different by 28 feet in height, but it also has the black exterior/X brase steel support like the JHC.

Chicagoguy · #19 Posted **Aug 20, 2008, 6:12 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by CHAPINM1

Great point, I forgot about Tower Verre. I guess the John Hancock Center would be a more appropriate comparason seeing as how it is not only different by 28 feet in height, but it also has the black exterior/X brase steel support like the JHC.

Yea Tower Verre is almost a complete younger brother to the John Hancock...just a more slim and modern version of it...

TowerGuy37 · #20 Posted **Aug 20, 2008, 9:20 PM**

I love this building !!!!!!!!!! so pretty, graceful and beautiful!!!!! What I hate is the tease of seeing the proposal! We see all these great building proposals always at the wrong time! Then the market starts to get better and all these little cookie cutter developments start stealing sales and these great proposed structures never materialize!!

1) Park Michigan
2) Inter-Continental Tower
3) Wolf Point
4) Waldorf-Astoria
5) Now Waterview possibly ( keeping my fingers crossed on this one)