Architect Santiago Calatrava had big plans for Chicago. In 2007, construction started on the Spire, a twisting supertall skyscraper along the lakeshore and Chicago River. The 2,000-foot tower would have been right up there with Dubai’s Burj Khalifa as one of the tallest towers in the world.
Then the economy tanked, construction of the Chicago Spire was canceled, and the site was left vacant.
Curbed Chicago reports that Gensler is stepping in with its own supertall building. The Gateway Tower will be the same height as the Chicago Spire, only without the twisting shape. Gensler conceived a glass rectilinear structure with X-bracing. The tower bends at the base, and a supporting “leg” extends over Lake Shore Drive.
The tower will have space for condos, apartments, hotels, and tourist attractions. Access will be made available to the Riverwalk and water taxis. A skydeck will have a restaurant and sky garden. Vertical cable cars will carry passengers up to mid-level attractions.
Specific designs are still unknown for the 2.2-acre site, as it remains in only the conceptual stage. If built, the Gateway Tower will be the tallest building in Chicago, considerably higher than the 1,450-foot Willis Tower.
Click to enlarge.
Related Stories
| Oct 13, 2010
Modern office design accentuates skyline views
Intercontinental|Exchange, a Chicago-based financial firm, hired design/engineering firm Epstein to create a modern, new 31st-floor headquarters.
| Oct 13, 2010
HQ renovations aim for modern look
Gerner Kronick + Valcarcel Architects’ renovations to the Commonwealth Bank of Australia’s New York City headquarters will feature a reworked reception lobby with back-painted glass, silk-screened logos, and a video wall.
| Oct 12, 2010
Guardian Building, Detroit, Mich.
27th Annual Reconstruction Awards—Special Recognition. The relocation and consolidation of hundreds of employees from seven departments of Wayne County, Mich., into the historic Guardian Building in downtown Detroit is a refreshing tale of smart government planning and clever financial management that will benefit taxpayers in the economically distressed region for years to come.
| Oct 8, 2010
Union Bank’S San Diego HQ awarded LEED Gold
Union Bank’s San Diego headquarters building located at 530 B Street has been awarded LEED Gold certification from the Green Building Certification Institute under the standards established by the U.S. Green Building Council. Gold status was awarded to six buildings across the United States in the most recent certification and Union Bank’s San Diego headquarters building is one of only two in California.
| Sep 21, 2010
New BOMA-Kingsley Report Shows Compression in Utilities and Total Operating Expenses
A new report from the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) International and Kingsley Associates shows that property professionals are trimming building operating expenses to stay competitive in today’s challenging marketplace. The report, which analyzes data from BOMA International’s 2010 Experience Exchange Report® (EER), revealed a $0.09 (1.1 percent) decrease in total operating expenses for U.S. private-sector buildings during 2009.
| Aug 11, 2010
New data shows low construction prices may soon be coming to an end
New federal data released recently shows sharp increases in the prices of key construction materials like diesel, copper and brass mill shapes likely foreshadow future increases in construction costs, the Associated General Contractors of America said. The new November producer price index (PPI) report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics provide the strongest indication yet that construction prices are heading up, the association noted.
