CHICAGO | The Elysian | 686 FT / 209 M | 60 FLOORS | COM

[Steely Dan]

well, Kamin has now weighed in with his opinion on this tower posted on his blog:


Elegance proves elusive; Elysian's traditional wonderland is topped with a mad hat
by Blair Kamin

A lot of skyline-watchers are going to reflexively dismiss the Elysian, a new hotel and condo tower that aspires to re-create the elegance of 1920s Paris. Not me. Nearly 100 years after modern architects promised to remake the world with their revolutionary creations of steel and glass, most of America still prefers to live in colonials, Georgians and other types of traditional design. If all we do is laugh at traditionalism, rather than figuring out how to do it better, then the joke's on us.

That said, it's hard to muster much enthusiasm for the 60-story, $280 million Elysian, which was designed by Chicago architect Lucien Lagrange and his eponymous firm. Highly visible from North Lake Shore Drive, the tower never reaches the level of quality suggested by its reference to the heroes of Greek mythology. While it's an upgrade from the bland residential boxes that have blighted the Near North Side in recent years, it's nowhere near as good as the classic apartment houses along the drive. Its ridiculously overscaled top, which resembles a giant thimble or a Shriner's hat, is a major blot on the skyline.

full article: http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune.com/...d-is-topped-with-a-mad-hat.html#comments

[the urban politician]

Kamin is surprisingly gentler on this project than a lot of the forumers here have been, although I suspect he's just being nice since his views are actually published. Deep down I'm guessing he absolutely loathes this thing

[ardecila]

^^ Yes, but he also interviewed LaGrange. It's amazing how your perception of a given building can change once you understand the numerous forces that shaped the design besides the architect's personal vision.

Kamin gave Elysian a mixed review, which is entirely appropriate, considering the handful of things that Elysian does right (the ground level, for example, or the interiors). Despite the many apparent flaws and issues, the building is still better than about 75% of the crap that's gone up in River North over the course of this boom.

[Nowhereman1280]

^^^ Yeah I gotta say I think Kamin gave a very fair review. Remember a critic's job is not to spout unjustified personal opinion, but rather to analyze a work from an artistic point of view.

[The North One]

Not my favorite building in chicago, that's for sure.


but I love park tower on Michigan AVE, that one turned out great!

[Steely Dan]

Originally Posted by Ordo_

I do think its better than its siblings (Park Tower, certainly 10 E Deleware),

the elysian is superior to 10 E delaware (a true turd amongst turds), but i won't give you park tower. they're not radically different i suppose, but park tower's more elegant proportions and more dignified apex allow it some level of skyline respectability, whereas the elysian's ridiculous "mad hat", as kamin calls it, is an embarrassment upon the cityscape.

[Ch.G, Ch.G]

Well, Kamin has also (and repeatedly) been attacked as elitist for what his critics see as a knee-jerk dismissal of any building with a mansard roof. He wrote that "worst of the South Loop" article a few years back-- featuring mostly modern designs-- as a direct response, I think.

I imagine he, like the rest of us, probably loathes this building on ideological (I would say "progressive") grounds. That probably being the case, he did a great job of setting aside his personal feelings. Still, I wish he went after the building's facade work more forcefully. As an object in the skyline, that is how the vast majority of the city will experience the building; and I don't think there is any criticism too negative to describe it.

[Steely Dan]

Originally Posted by Ch.G, Ch.G

As an object in the skyline, that is how the vast majority of the city will experience the building; and I don't think there is any criticism too negative to describe it.

seriously? have you not seen that ridiculously over-sized, poorly designed, and cheaply executed mansard roof that sits atop of the building? it's a pretty clear skyline blight from just about any perspective, and kamin correctly calls it out as such with his "mad hat" quip right in the title of his write-up.

[Ch.G, Ch.G]

^ I think you misread me or maybe I just wasn't clear. "I don't think there is any criticism too negative to describe it" = there aren't enough bad words in the dictionary for this thing. Kamin would have been right to express even more outrage at its exterior ugliness.

[Steely Dan]

^ oh, gotcha. yeah, i completely misinterpreted what you wrote.

[left of center]

while i dislike the building for a number of reasons (i hate painted precast concrete), its no One Superior Place or Grand Plaza... its entirely forgettable in that its not jarringly hideous. and thats fine.

[Pandemonious]

Originally Posted by left of center

while i dislike the building for a number of reasons (i hate painted precast concrete), its no One Superior Place or Grand Plaza... its entirely forgettable in that its not jarringly hideous. and thats fine.

This one isn't painted, the color is from the concrete mix that made the pre-cast panels that clad this thing. While it makes the building slightly more honest, it definitely is just a technicality that doesn't save this beast from its own mediocrity.

[left of center]

Originally Posted by Pandemonious

This one isn't painted, the color is from the concrete mix that made the pre-cast panels that clad this thing. While it makes the building slightly more honest, it definitely is just a technicality that doesn't save this beast from its own mediocrity.

oh, no kidding? well, that does bring it up a notch, but yeah, like you said, that itself is no saving grace. cant have the entire louvre full of mona lisas, as they say

[Rizzo]

I'll keep my kitchen blinds closed, but I do have to admit, I can appreciate it at night. But despite being a luxury tower, its upper levels have an austere appearance daytime. Probably because of its monotone color

Here's a picture I took and posted earlier this winter. Again, I find the night views redeeming


Neighbors


Morning. The wonderful blank wall at the top comes into focus on Walton...

[ardecila]

Hopefully they'll grow some vines on that blank wall? Or they could do a shimmering installation like the one on the W.

[Ch.G, Ch.G]

Blair Kamin's response today to a delusional commenter:

"BK: Did you read my review? I don't consider this a creative building. I consider it a blight on the skyline."

Much more succinctly (and harshly) put than his review. Confirms my suspicions...

[Tom In Chicago]

^I also responded to you in the reader comments. . . you were quoting someone elses response to me. . . I completely agree with you. . .

. . .

[Northwest]

Originally Posted by Hayward

Here's a picture I took and posted earlier this winter. Again, I find the night views redeeming

The base goes a long way in saving this from disaster.

If this thing had poked up from ten stories of parking podium, then it would be .
The cover of darkness helps too
That oversize crown is indeed ridiculous, but in context with the crap around it... at least there are a few positive things to talk about. Still wondering why the actual crown is larger than the renderings showed? And still wishing for the corner spikes... even if they are 30 foot poles, they might make the top a bit less offensive. This is one that should omit the crown lighting at night... put up those spikes with a red light at the tips, and hopefully no one will see the mansard roof.

[FlashingLights]

The crown is bigger because of the wind dampers installed in the crown that ended up adding extra height.

[spyguy]

I think I could live with the Elysian from this angle, at this time, in these weather conditions.


thomassylthe/ flickr