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
High-rise Construction | Feb 8, 2019
Dubai’s newest supertall will be covered in digital displays
SOM designed the tower.
High-rise Construction | Jan 18, 2019
‘Paramount’ will become Nashville’s tallest tower
Goettsch Partners is the project’s architect.
High-rise Construction | Jan 14, 2019
AS+GG-designed tower will be the tallest in China
The tower is at the center of the Shimao Longgang Master Plan.
High-rise Construction | Jan 10, 2019
Indoor-outdoor amenities open leasing value at a San Francisco skyscraper
The amenities that set this 605-foot-tall building apart are its 50,000 sf of outdoor and open spaces that include 14 skydecks and large terraces on its 12th and 28th floors.
High-rise Construction | Dec 13, 2018
Record number of 'supertall' towers were completed in 2018
Citic Tower in Beijing and Vincom Landmark 81 in Ho Chi Minh City are among 18 "supertall" skyscrapers completed this year—a record number, according to the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat.
High-rise Construction | Aug 27, 2018
The world’s tallest buildings with dampers
The CTBUH created the list as part of a recent study.
High-rise Construction | Aug 8, 2018
Bjarke Ingels Group’s new Shenzhen tower includes a folded building envelope
The new skyscraper is the home of Shenzhen Energy Company.
Multifamily Housing | Aug 7, 2018
Even after redevelopment, the iconic 'Chicago Tribune' sign will remain at 435 N. Michigan Ave.
The newspaper and the building's new owners reached a settlement.
Lighting | Aug 1, 2018
Willis Tower upgrades antenna lighting
The new lights will save Willis Tower more than 70% in antenna-lighting energy costs.
High-rise Construction | Jul 31, 2018
A 350-foot waterfall splashes down from a skyscraper in China
The tower is located in Guiyang’s central business district.
