Aqua (skyscraper)

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Aqua

Street Level from South West Corner
General information
Status Complete
Type Mixed Use: residential, hotel
Location Chicago, Illinois, USA
Coordinates 41°53′11″N 87°37′12″W / 41.8864694444°N 87.6201055556°W / 41.8864694444; -87.6201055556Coordinates: 41°53′11″N 87°37′12″W / 41.8864694444°N 87.6201055556°W / 41.8864694444; -87.6201055556
Construction started 2007
Completed 2009[1]
Modern architecture
Height
Roof 858.73 ft (261.74 m)
Top floor 822.18 ft (250.60 m)
Technical details
Floor count 86, 1 underground
Floor area 1,990,635 sq ft (184,936.0 m2)
Elevator count 24
Design and construction
Main contractor James McHugh Construction Co
Architect Jeanne Gang
Developer Magellan Development Group

Aqua is an 86-story mixed-use residential skyscraper in the Lakeshore East development in downtown Chicago.[2] Designed by a team led by Jeanne Gang, the building is the tallest in the world to have a woman as lead architect, at 859 ft (262 m). It includes one level of parking below ground. The building's eight-story, 140,000 sq ft (13,000 m2) base is topped by a 82,550 sq ft (7,669 m2) terrace with gardens, gazebos, pools, hot tubs, a walking/running track and a fire pit. Each floor covers approximately 16,000 sq ft (1,500 m2).[3] The Aqua was named the Emporis Skyscraper Award 2009 skyscraper of the year[4] and was shortlisted in 2010 for the biannual International Highrise Award.[5]

Contents

[edit] Architecture

[edit] Architect

Aqua Tower's striking eastern facade departs dramatically from the surrounding modernist high-rises in Chicago.

Aqua is designed by Jeanne Gang, principal and founder of Studio Gang Architects, and it is her first skyscraper project.[6] This is the largest project ever awarded to an American firm headed by a woman.[7] Loewenberg & Associates are the architects of record, led by James Loewenberg.[8]

[edit] Design

The Aqua Tower is located on the 200 block of North Columbus Drive, and is surrounded by high-rises. To capture views of nearby landmarks for Aqua's residents, Gang stretched its balconies outward by as much as 12 feet (3.7 meters).[9][10][11] The result is a building composed of irregularly shaped concrete floor slabs which lend the facade an undulating, sculptural quality.[12][13] Gang cites the striated limestone outcroppings that are a common topographic feature of the Great Lakes region as inspiration for these slabs.[14]

Aqua rises into the Chicago sky
Aqua's western facade

The building will contain 55,000 square feet (5,100 square meters) of retail and office space, in addition to 215 hotel rooms (floors 1-18), 476 rental residential units (floors 19-52), and 263 condominium units & Penthouses (floors 53-80).[15] Aqua will also be the first downtown building to combine condos, apartments and a hotel. Strategic Hotels & Resorts had agreed to acquire the first 15 floors of hotel space upon completion of the building, but terminated its $84 million contract for the space in August 2008, citing significant changes in the economic environment.[16][17]

On May 12, 2010, it was announced that Carlson Hotels Worldwide agreed to spend $125 million to open the first Radisson Blu hotel in the United States on 18 vacant floors of the highrise.[18]

The name 'Aqua' was assigned to the building by Magellan Development Group LLC. It fits the nautical theme of the other buildings in the Lakeshore East development, and is derived from the wave-like forms of the balconies; the tower's proximity to nearby Lake Michigan also influenced the name.[12]

Sustainability was an important factor in Aqua's design. Gang and her team refined the terrace extensions to maximize solar shading, and other sustainable features will include rainwater collection systems and energy-efficient lighting. The green roof on top of the tower base will be the largest in Chicago. The tower will seek LEED certification.[19]

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Chicago Architecture Info: Aqua
  2. ^ Diesenhouse, S. (28 February 2007). Work to begin on Aqua tower. Chicago Tribune. Retrieved March 1, 2007, from, http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-0702280163feb28,0,7209815.story?track=rss
  3. ^ http://www.acppubs.com/article/CA6614365.html
  4. ^ http://www.nbcchicago.com/around-town/real-estate/aqua-chicago-skyscraper-award-84988917.html
  5. ^ "»The Met« High-rise apartment building wins International Highrise Award 2010". http://www.highrise-frankfurt.de/en/index2.html. Retrieved 2010-11-14. "Commendation certificates were awarded to the 262-meter high-rise apartment building Aqua Tower (Chicago) by Studio Gang (Chicago)…" 
  6. ^ King, John (2006-10-10). "Visionary architect fuses imagination, common sense". San Francisco Chronicle (Hearst Communications Inc.). http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/10/10/DDG40LKPJQ1.DTL&hw=Millennium+Park+Chicago&sn=006&sc=219. Retrieved 2008-08-04. 
  7. ^ http://www.chicagoreader.com/features/stories/aqua/
  8. ^ http://www.cement.org/buildings/buildings_mixed_aqua.asp
  9. ^ McHugh Construction -::- Chicago
  10. ^ "Featured Articles from the Chicago Tribune". Chicago Tribune. http://archives.chicagotribune.com/2008/mar/23/entertainment/chi-0323_gangmar23. 
  11. ^ http://www.worldarchitecturenews.com/index.php?fuseaction=wanappln.metronewsdetails&rn=997246239
  12. ^ a b http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=190323
  13. ^ http://www.worldarchitecturenews.com/index.php?fuseaction=wanappln.projectview&upload_id=1918
  14. ^ Sharoff, Robert (2006-06-04). "How a Park Changed a Chicago Neighborhood". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/04/realestate/04nati.html?ei=5088&en=358b78a841751de1&ex=1307073600&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&pagewanted=all. Retrieved 2010-04-25. 
  15. ^ Sharoff, Robert (2006-06-04). "How a Park Changed a Chicago Neighborhood". The New York Times (The New York Times Company). http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/04/realestate/04nati.html?. Retrieved 2008-08-04. 
  16. ^ "Strategic Hotels & Resorts, Inc. Acquiring 15 floors of the Aqua Building in Chicago for $82.4 million; Space to be Completed as 200 Hotel Rooms and 20,000-square-foot (1,900 m2) Ballroom". Hotel Online. Strategic Hotels & Resorts, Inc.. 2006-09-28. http://www.hotel-online.com/News/PR2006_3rd/Sep06_AquaChicago.html. Retrieved 2008-08-04. 
  17. ^ http://www.chicagorealestatedaily.com/cgi-bin/news.pl?id=31268
  18. ^ http://www.chicagorealestatedaily.com/cgi-bin/news.pl?id=38204
  19. ^ http://www.aia.org/aiarchitect/thisweek08/1010/1010d_aqua.cfm

[edit] External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Aqua (skyscraper)
Awards
Preceded by
Mode Gakuen Cocoon Tower
(Tokyo, Japan)		 Emporis Skyscraper Award (Gold)
2009		 Succeeded by
Hotel Porta Fira
(L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain)
Hotels in Chicago
20th Century Buildings
21st Century Masterplan
340 on the Park • 375 East Wacker Drive • Aqua • Benton Place Parkhomes • The Chandler • Lakeshore East Building 1-K • Lakeshore East Building 2-A • Lakeshore East Building 2-O • Lakeshore East Building 3-I • Lakeshore East Building 3-J • Lakeshore East Building 3-L • The Lancaster • The Park at Lakeshore East • The Regatta • The Shoreham • The Tides • Village Market Center
Surroundings environs
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