A municipal commission of Chicago has approved the construction of a tower of apartments devised by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava. The Spire tower (Needle) will upper become the building of the United States with 610 meters and 115 floors.
It is hoped that the construction begins this one spring and finishes in 2009. The tower will lodge 1,200 houses and not only he will be the building upper of the U.S.A. but the building of houses upper of the entire world.

haha did u use Google Translator?

Alex es un joto.

Alex es un joto.

:sleepy: don't spam the thread..

Great design very nice !

^^ I believe just one more on May 9. It is expected to pass with flying colors though. Thanks Kngkyle for that great video.

No, it's still two more. First it has to pass the zoning committee, before going before the full city council, which will most likely be around May 9th since the zoning committee doesn't meet for about 2 more weeks. Even so, the last two steps are mostly a formality, seeing how the Plan Commission approved it unanimously. Once that happens, they will apply for permits which are expedited on green buildings in Chicago and they will immediately start on caissons and the foundation. From what I heard at the meeting from Calatrava, the working drawings for most of the building have not been finalized, but the foundation drawings are already done so there shouldn't be delays getting started once permits are received.

from SSP:

Two large renderings from Edward Lifson's blog
http://img187.imageshack.us/img187/327/cslgdc0.jpg
http://img183.imageshack.us/img183/2752/cs2lglm4.jpg

I dont get you guys. this building is one of the ugliest buildings I've ever seen and it's going to destroy Chicago's beautiful skyline!

no it just gonna stand out and it gonna the most mordern building in the city :bash: :nuts: :lol:

stunning

I don't really like all the white horizontal lines on it, makes it look a bit tacky.

Otherwise, it's great!

I love the design very modern

Does anyone else notice that the spiral shape creates an illusion of the building curving slightly to the right? That could be problematic.

Thanks for the renderings zz
I really liked the base of the tower and that fountain spire shaped, it fits so well with the design

on the pic with the base you definitely can see how big it is. it's only the height which makes it so thin

woah....

Wonderful to hear it got approved! It's a beautiful design in form and works because of function. Though it may be overly tall for the immediate area, it will without a doubt reshape the skyline. Besides, when would forumers on a skyscraper website complain about a tower being too tall? ^_~.

I know it's been said before that there is no observatory because of the fact it's a residential building, but I wonder how they will work with all the tourists who'll flock to this thing once finished?

SWEET!

its a beauty. remember all skylines change eventually.

I loved the original concept. I hated the redesign so much for awhile. This final product is starting to grow on me though. It looks a lot better and not as twisty. Less tacky looking than the intermediate designs.

The original concept with it's HUGE spire was better

i think the building looks great, much better without the spire
good design, good location, good for chicago

I dont know if this has been posted yet:

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/americas/article2474399.ece

:cheers:

Developers behind what would be the nation's tallest building - a twisting, lakefront tower in Chicago - will this week discover whether they have crossed one of two final hurdles before proceeding with their record-breaking plan.

The city's planning board last week endorsed a plan for the 150-storey building, known as the Chicago Spire. This week the plan goes before the city's zoning committee and if that gives the green light, the full council is due to vote next month.

"This is a wonderful project, and everyone is very enthused," Constance Buscemi, a spokeswoman for the city's planning department said.

The 2,000ft tower featuring 1,200 residences, would top the city's 1,451ft Sears Tower and become the tallest building in the US. It would soar above the 1,776ft Freedom Tower that is currently being constructed on the site of the World Trade Centre, which was destroyed in the September 11 attacks.

The Chicago Spire was designed by Santiago Calatrava, the Spanish-born architect known for designing the Milwaukee Art Museum addition and the Athens Olympic sports complex. It is being built by the Irish developer, Shelbourne Development.

Shelbourne executives have declined to say how much the development will cost. Estimates by local media have placed it at around $1bn (£500m) though some have suggested it could be as much as $2bn. Currently, the tallest building in the world is the Taipei 101 tower in Taiwan, which measures 1,671 ft and has 101 floors. A tower in Dubai now under construction is expected to reach to 2,300ft and have more than 160 floors.

Garrett Kelleher, chairman of Shelbourne, has said he intends to market the tower's residences internationally with help from the British estate agents Savills and that he expects interest from potential buyers in London, St Petersburg and Madrid.

"I have absolutely no doubt this project is going to sell out," Mr Kelleher told city officials last week.

The developer has said he will contribute 30 per cent of the project's cost while the Dublin-based Anglo-Irish Bank is to provide the remaining 70 per cent.

Calatrava is a genious! I don't think the tower has much to do with the city though... I 'd choose the version A.

I really love the tower, I like the horizontal lines and I usually don't like antennas.
But maybe it's because this tower joins directly my deep cultural roots.

Surprisingly, there is no reference in this forum to Calatrava towers in Valencia.
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y183/buendia/calatrava001.jpg

Calatrava's tendence to autocopiate is obvious. Should I open a thread? It´s 308 m

Calatrava forever! After the roof of the Olympic Stadium in Athens, he produces a new work of art!

Calatrava forever! After the roof of the Olympic Stadium in Athens, he produces a new work of art!
Not only that, but also the Milwaukee (WI) Art Museum addition from a few years ago. Exquisite!

:cheers1:

Mike

Surprisingly, there is no reference in this forum to Calatrava towers in Valencia.

Calatrava's tendence to autocopiate is obvious. Should I open a thread? It´s 308 m

why not

Here are some mega-renders showing some more detail.


http://www.archiportale.com/immagini/FileProgetto/2896_6.jpg?693,8135

http://www.archiportale.com/immagini/FileProgetto/2896_5.jpg?271,8927

http://www.archiportale.com/immagini/FileProgetto/2896_4.jpg?216,839

http://www.archiportale.com/immagini/FileProgetto/2896_3.jpg?117,84

http://www.archiportale.com/immagini/FileProgetto/2896_2.jpg?693,6456

http://www.archiportale.com/immagini/FileProgetto/2896_1.jpg?267,4524

Not bad at all.

Calatrava’s Chicago Spire wins approval

The Chicago Spire, a 2000-foot tall twisting tower designed by Santiago Calatrava, has received approval from the City of Chicago Planning Commission. The approved plan features several improvements over earlier schemes. These include a four-storey glass lobby, an underground parking garage for residents, and a one-acre landscaped public plaza. Construction is to begin spring 2007 with completion anticipated in 2010.

Consider the Chicago Spire as beig apart of the new Chicago skyline! :applause:

http://www.worldarchitecturenews.com/index.php?fuseaction=wanappln.showhome

Calatrava’s Chicago Spire wins approval

The Chicago Spire, a 2000-foot tall twisting tower designed by Santiago Calatrava, has received approval from the City of Chicago Planning Commission. The approved plan features several improvements over earlier schemes. These include a four-storey glass lobby, an underground parking garage for residents, and a one-acre landscaped public plaza. Construction is to begin spring 2007 with completion anticipated in 2010.

Consider the Chicago Spire as beig apart of the new Chicago skyline! :applause:

http://www.worldarchitecturenews.com/index.php?fuseaction=wanappln.showhome
that's great..
:banana:

I dug a little deeper into secondary data from Wikipedia.org and realized that the Chicago Plan Commission approved the final plans of the Chicago Spire around the 19th of April 2007. [30][9][35] Now if Chicago's zoning committee approves the tower on 26 April 2007, the final vote will go before the Chicago City Council on 9 May 2007, the last step in the political approval process.

Either way this baby is being built, with construction starting within the next couple of months. :applause:

Either way this baby is being built, with construction starting within the next couple of months. :applause:

Don't get your hopes up. Approvals are just a formality in much of Chicago. The real test will be if this building is financial viable and if the developer is able to find financing for later stages of construction.

AWESOME!!!! I'm so happy that is becoming reality now! :banana:

BTW, I'm curious how deep will they dig to construct this tower?

I dug a little deeper into secondary data from Wikipedia.org and realized that the Chicago Plan Commission approved the final plans of the Chicago Spire around the 19th of April 2007. [30][9][35] Now if Chicago's zoning committee approves the tower on 26 April 2007, the final vote will go before the Chicago City Council on 9 May 2007, the last step in the political approval process.

Either way this baby is being built, with construction starting within the next couple of months. :applause:

not months.. i think it's weeks because if they said that the construction will start in SPRING, so they're going to start in a couple of week because summer is coming..

It'll probably be at the beginning of June, because after city council approval it may take up to a month before they get all of the proper permits.

BTW, I'm curious how deep will they dig to construct this tower?

I was wondering the same thing.

Thankyou for posting those renders Kyle.

WOOHHOO THATS A NICE PROJECT, REALLY ORIGINAL

THANKS FOR THE RENDERS KNGKYLE, IT LOOKS REALLY NICE

http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/chi-0704240060apr25,1,5755543.story

ARCHITECTURE NOTES

More questions (and answers) about Calatrava spire

By Blair Kamin
Tribune architecture critic
Published April 25, 2007


As architect Santiago Calatrava's plan for the Chicago Spire heads to likely approval at the City Council's zoning committee Thursday, readers are sharing their thoughts, questions and criticisms about the twisting, 150-story condominium tower, which would be the nation's tallest building.

Several readers pejoratively liken the supertall tower to a part of the male anatomy. Others, usually more positive about the design, favor the metaphor of a drill bit or a screw. Still others are asking fresh questions about the proposed skyscraper, which is slated to rise west of Lake Shore Drive and on the north bank of the Chicago River.

One of them is Dan Baldwin, an avid sailor who lives in Chicago's Old Town neighborhood. Baldwin wonders if the Spire would be visible from the Michigan shoreline across Lake Michigan. Sailors, he says, can already see Sears Tower from about halfway across the lake.

Noting that the Spire would be taller than Sears (550 feet taller, to be exact) and located along the lakefront rather than on the west side of downtown, as Sears is, Baldwin predicts: "You won't need a GPS or even a compass to sail across the lake to Chicago."

It's an interesting point: As the destruction of the World Trade Center in 2001 underscored, people get their bearings, both physical and psychological, from skyscrapers, just as they once must have done with church spires. Seen through Baldwin's eyes, the Spire wouldn't simply be a skyscraper; it would be a kind of lighthouse.

Speaking of light, Paul Borzo of St. Paul, Minn., asks whether the latest renderings of the Spire display a spire atop the building or a thin beam of light that would be turned on at night.

Answer: A beam of light.

Calatrava said in an interview last Wednesday that the light could change colors to mark holidays -- green for St. Patrick's Day, for example. Lights atop Sears Tower, the John Hancock Center and other skyscrapers around the nation, such as New York's Empire State Building, already practice this festive custom.

Borzo isn't entirely happy with that response and he isn't alone, judging by the comments I've received.

In an e-mail, he commented: "I'll probably look at the tower mostly at night when I visit because it doesn't look complete without a spire!"

He clearly belongs to the Daley School of Architecture. In 2005, Mayor Richard M. Daley ordered developer Donald Trump to put a spire atop his heretofore flat-topped Trump International Hotel & Tower in Chicago.

Should that happen again here?

I don't think so.

In the architectural model Calatrava showed the Chicago Plan Commission last week, the Spire's design in an integrated whole, twisting elegantly to its tiplike top. No add-on necessary.

Speaking of the mayor, many readers have asked whether the Spire would be a green building, in keeping with Daley's agenda of promoting environmentally-sensitive architecture.

Answer: It would.

The Spire would meet the gold standard of the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design rating system. Gold is the second highest LEED rating after platinum.

A press release from the project's developer, Dublin-based Garrett Kelleher, says the gold rating "dictates among other things that rainwater be recycled for landscaping treatments, river water be used for cooling and special glass be included to protect migratory birds."

Kelleher wants to begin construction on the Spire this spring, with completion expected in 2010. However, he has not released the total cost of the project, nor has he divulged the per-square-foot costs of the 1,200 condominium units the Spire will house. Skeptics say Kelleher lacks the finances to get the project off the ground or may be forced to stop midway through construction for lack of funds.
----------
bkamin@tribune.com



Copyright © 2007, Chicago Tribune

congrats chicago, this is a pretty brave decision I think, but it will pay off!

Finally. Good one! A new mega-tall to watch rise in the future. :cheers:

BTW Thanks for posting those superb renders Kngkyle. I love scrolling the page up & down - it's really effective. *twirls*

The huge base of the tower and plaza area with water feature look so wonderful.....& they will be, knowing Calatrava's work. Beautiful!

Not pre selling raises an alarm for me. I love this building as well as Chicago. I really hope Chicago does not end up with it's version of TO's BA stump.

Ive seen pictures of chicago through the clouds..only the supertalls tall enough to show through, and it looks amazing. this spire poking through the clouds in that shot would be legendary stuff.

Does anyone know more info about the bridge. In the renderings the bridge looks problematic in a few areas. First, it looks to low to allow ships to pass under it. Second, it also looks immoveable. I understand some detail may be left out, but If this is the case, and there arent any missing deails I dont think this is the bridge that will actually get built.

Does anyone know more info about the bridge. In the renderings the bridge looks problematic in a few areas. First, it looks to low to allow ships to pass under it. Second, it also looks immoveable. I understand some detail may be left out, but If this is the case, and there arent any missing deails I dont think this is the bridge that will actually get built.

Im not sure if money has been set aside yet for the bridge. Someone else can tell you more but the bridge would swing out to let boats pass through. Of course, as opposed to lifting up.

About the money: In Valencia we already know that we must put a "Calatrava coeficient" on costs that goes between 1,5 and 2 and must be applied in the projected costs to obtain the final costs.

Im not sure if money has been set aside yet for the bridge. Someone else can tell you more but the bridge would swing out to let boats pass through. Of course, as opposed to lifting up.

Thanks, thats what I was figuring, but I didnt see a "swing joint" in the rendering that would allow for that...dont these people know we want as much detail as possible...geez:lol:

This will be a monumental building. It is the perfect building for the location, IMHO.

Does anyone know more info about the bridge. In the renderings the bridge looks problematic in a few areas. First, it looks to low to allow ships to pass under it. Second, it also looks immoveable. I understand some detail may be left out, but If this is the case, and there arent any missing deails I dont think this is the bridge that will actually get built.

The bridge pivots. You can see it in the video I posted a couple pages back.
http://www.brightcove.com/title.jsp?title=769453130

I can't wait for the CS construction to get under way...hopefully its beauty will hide the truly bland architecture going up across the river in Lakeshore East :puke:

Wow after viewing the close up of the base, I just creamed myself. That is the most awesome base I have ever seen in a supertall!!!

Here is an insane animation showing what the Chicago skyline will look like in 5 years. Not all the projects are shown, just the big ones. Most of them are under construction or will be starting soon. It was made by Alliance on SSP.
http://www.fileden.com/files/2007/4/24/1014568/Chicago-2007-11-Animation.gif

[QUOTE=Kngkyle;12848639]Here is an insane animation showing what the Chicago skyline will look like in 5 years. Not all the projects are shown, just the big ones. Most of them are under construction or will be starting soon. It was made by Alliance on SSP.
[QUOTE]

That truly is terrific. I realize this is a very greedy request but any chance of a South Loop view?

Here is an insane animation showing what the Chicago skyline will look like in 5 years. Not all the projects are shown, just the big ones. Most of them are under construction or will be starting soon. It was made by Alliance on SSP.
http://www.fileden.com/files/2007/4/24/1014568/Chicago-2007-11-Animation.gif:D

wow, chicago will look impressive!

Alliance did an amazing job, but it's worth mentioning that one of the buildings he included in Lakeshore East is speculative design-wise--the official design hasn't yet been released. But the rest of the buildings shown, except for CS, are either under construction or in site prep. Now, if I could only stop looking at his rendering, I might get some work done.

what tower is that close to the john hancock, and it's tall

what tower is that close to the john hancock, and it's tall
Assuming that it is that very tall one just to the left of the Hancock, isn't that one of the reaaaally tall buildings planned/UC in that former IC railroad yard (it's early for me and I forget offhand that project's name)?

Mike

Assuming that it is that very tall one just to the left of the Hancock, isn't that one of the reaaaally tall buildings planned/UC in that former IC railroad yard (it's early for me and I forget offhand that project's name)?

Mike

The entire mega-project is called Lakeshore East. The building to the left of JHC is the speculative project mentioned above. The design you see in this image was imagined by Alliance, who made this .gif. The real design is by Arquitectonica and will likely not be as thin.

They are cutting down trees along the Ogden Slip edge and chipping them up as I type this.

http://images.photo.walgreens.com/349%3A83955%7Ffp69%3Dot%3E2335%3D45%3C%3D36%3C%3DXROQDF%3E23237845%3A4%3A%3B4ot1lsi

TIMBERRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!

well that should be a good sign

The zoning committee has approved CS. The final hurdle is the full City Council on May 9th:

City's zoning panel OKs site increase for Chicago Spire tower

By Susan Diesenhouse and Gary Washburn
Tribune staff reporters
Published April 26, 2007, 12:48 PM CDT

As expected, the developer of the 2,000-foot tall Chicago Spire condominium tower received unanimous approval Thursday morning from the City Council Zoning Committee to increase the amount of space it can build on its 2.2-acre lakefront site from 10 times the lot size to 25 times.

"We're delighted," said Shelbourne General Counsel John Murphy. "It's another step toward completion of the Chicago Spire."

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As Dublin-based Shelbourne Development Ltd. won its request to construct a 2.4 million square foot tower, aldermen heaped praise on the project designed by famed Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava.

"This building will be a landmark, I predict," said Ald. Burton Natarus (42nd) who represents the downtown ward where the skyscraper is planned.

"I just hope that it comes to pass; that it doesn't hit any pitfalls along the way," added Ald. Bernard Stone. (50th).

Indeed, questions swirl around the financing of the project that could cost $2.4 billion, according to industry experts. Shelbourne Chief Executive Garrett Kelleher declined to tell reporters' the estimated cost of the building or its condominium units. John George, his attorney, said he could not comment on financial issues but added that caisson work on the site will begin in May or June.

sdiesenhouse@tribune.com

The entire mega-project is called Lakeshore East. The building to the left of JHC is one of the speculative projects I mentioned above. The design you see in this image was imagined by Alliance, who made this .gif. The real design is by Arquitectonica and will likely not be as thin.

Also, we have insider information that the height will be about 1075'. But since it is not officially released yet it could be wrong.
The City Zoning Council just approved the plans. Now onto May 9th for the final OK.

Spire's financing mum, aldermen cross fingers

April 26, 2007
BY FRAN SPIELMAN City Hall Reporter/fspielman@suntimes.com
A lakefront known for its architectural wonders on Thursday moved closer to getting another one: a twisting, 150-story Chicago Spire billed as the “thinnest structure in the world” and the tallest in North America.

Thirteen months after authorizing construction of a tower with 300 units and a hotel, the City Council’s Zoning Committee approved the revised design by celebrity architect Santiago Calatrava that calls for 1,200 condominiums and 1,350 underground parking spaces.

Aldermen were willing to cross their collective fingers even though developer Garrett Kelleher was positively mum about his financing plans.

Kelleher won’t say how much the units at 410 N. Lake Shore Drive will cost. He claims to have a financial commitment from the Anglo Irish Bank without the pre-sales normally required to secure financing. He’s even promising, through his attorney, to be “in the ground with caissons” as early as next month.

But, when pressed for specifics, Kelleher left the City Council chambers without saying a word.

His only comment came when an alderman asked whether the tower would be completed in time for a 2016 Summer Olympics in Chicago.

“I certainly believe so, yes--at the very, very latest. But, I think it should be finished well before that,” Kelleher said.

Despite the financial hurdles that remain, aldermen were willing to take that leap of faith. They’re in awe of Calatrava and dazzled by his design.

“He’s a fascinating man. It’s a fascinating project. There’s no question of its value to the skyline. No question of its value to Chicago. I just hope it comes to pass—that it doesn’t hit any pitfalls along the way,” said Ald. Bernard Stone (50th).

“This is a very unique project—another good example of why Chicago is such a world-class city,” said Zoning Committee Chairman William Banks (36th).

Outgoing Ald. Burton F. Natarus (42nd) called the Chicago Spire a “unique piece of architecture” that would someday join the list of city landmarks.

“We had to give attention to [the design] in such a way that we don’t…insult the architect. How can you be critical of a genius?” Natarus said.

Natarus praised the developers for committing $9.6 million toward the long-sought DuSable Park to be built east of the tower along the lakefront. And he credited Kelleher’s zoning attorney Jack George, for convincing area residents to get on board.

George is a partner in the law firm of Daley & George, which once included Mayor Daley and still includes the mayor’s brother, Michael.

Neighbors “understand the importance of a project like this to Chicago. They were willing to talk. They were willing to…work things out. And the reason for that is Jack George…He understands people. I don’t know of anybody [else] who…takes the developer to the neighborhood,” Natarus said.

After the meeting, George tried to fill in the blanks left by Kelleher.

“The man has committed substantial dollars already to the development team. He’s hired the best, most qualified people from around the world to work on this project…He’s beginning to go into the ground in short order…probably in May or June,” George said.

Architect Ray Clark added, “I’m not one of the skeptics. I’m one of the believers because of the pace with which this project is moving forward and the degree of detail we’ve already covered with the statutory authorities….I don’t deal with the money issues. I’m the eternal optimist.”

The full Council is expected to approve the Chicago Spire on May 9. After that, it’ll be up to Kelleher to prove his critics wrong.

http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/359866,spire042607.article

great news, the next step is done :)

BTW, I'm curious how deep will they dig to construct this tower?

No one knows the answer? :(

Some diagrams that I've aquired.

http://img329.imageshack.us/img329/452/pdexhibits9151copyzy7.jpg

http://img408.imageshack.us/img408/9669/pdexhibits9152copypp5.jpg

http://img408.imageshack.us/img408/9125/pdexhibits9153copypf7.jpg

http://img329.imageshack.us/img329/9209/pdexhibits9154copyep8.jpg

http://img329.imageshack.us/img329/5136/pdexhibits9155copytr3.jpg

http://img329.imageshack.us/img329/6871/pdexhibits9156copyzp8.jpg

http://img329.imageshack.us/img329/3903/pdexhibits9157copyco6.jpg

Thank you very much Bvic.

thinnest structure in the world? im sure hes ment to say FINNEST.

interesting plans, thank you

"This building will be a landmark, I predict," said Ald. Burton Natarus (42nd).

What a bold prediction. :lol:

Looks great. Those large graphics show clearly how the roads will be worked. Awfully lot to squeeze in that small spot.

"This building will be a landmark, I predict," said Ald. Burton Natarus (42nd).

What a bold prediction. :lol:
Hahaha

Chicago Spire, Sydney Tower Comparison.

http://img237.imageshack.us/img237/4967/chicagospiresydneytowerfl5.th.jpg (http://img237.imageshack.us/my.php?image=chicagospiresydneytowerfl5.jpg)
(click to enlarge)

Nearly twice the height. LOL

Sorry for the poor quality. How do I download the diagrams off SSP? How do I get the Burj Dubai and Chicago Spire diagrams to fit on to my Monitor? LOL

Chicago Spire, Sydney Tower Comparison.

http://img237.imageshack.us/img237/4967/chicagospiresydneytowerfl5.th.jpg (http://img237.imageshack.us/my.php?image=chicagospiresydneytowerfl5.jpg)
(click to enlarge)

Nearly twice the height. LOL

Sorry for the poor quality. How do I download the diagrams off SSP? How do I get the Burj Dubai and Chicago Spire diagrams to fit on to my Monitor? LOL


Wow, the mass difference is the most impressive difference in my book.
BTW what is the tallest building in Sydney currently?

Wow, the mass difference is the most impressive difference in my book.
BTW what is the tallest building in Sydney currently?

Sydney Tower is the tallest structure in Sydney at 309 metres. World Tower (residential) is the tallest building at only 230 metres. Sydney has a height limit for buildings in the CBD (downtown) of Sydney of 235 metres.:ohno:

Chicago Spire, Sydney Tower Comparison.

http://img237.imageshack.us/img237/4967/chicagospiresydneytowerfl5.th.jpg (http://img237.imageshack.us/my.php?image=chicagospiresydneytowerfl5.jpg)
(click to enlarge)

Nearly twice the height. LOL

Sorry for the poor quality. How do I download the diagrams off SSP? How do I get the Burj Dubai and Chicago Spire diagrams to fit on to my Monitor? LOL

:eek:, impressive!

Wow! That newest animation thing from 2007 to 2011... crazy... Those buildings add SO MUCH to the skyline.

Edit.

why have you posted them again....some posts above BVictor1 has posted them ^^

Is this the tallest Proposed/Approved building in the US? or is there another one bigger

it is the tallest. runner up is the las vegas tower

Is this the tallest Proposed/Approved building in the US? or is there another one bigger

Tallest in the US. The 2nd tallest in the Las Vegas Tower, 1888' I believe.

Chicago Spire will be the tallest residential building in the world.

love the design what a class building has the construction started yet if so is there any pictures of the construction if not when will the construction be commencing??????????????

love the design what a class building has the construction started yet if so is there any pictures of the construction if not when will the construction be commencing??????????????

At the earliest, next month.

Chicago Spire will be the tallest residential building in the world.

I thought Burj Dubai will be the tallest residential building in the world since it got more than 700 units since it is mixed uses building?

Burj has a hotel though, so it is not purely residential like this is.

^^ That what I thought... Just making sure. :)

COOL!!!

Burj has a hotel though, so it is not purely residential like this is.

Hotel, Residential and office I believe in Burj Dubai.

Here is an insane animation showing what the Chicago skyline will look like in 5 years. Not all the projects are shown, just the big ones. Most of them are under construction or will be starting soon. It was made by Alliance on SSP.
http://www.fileden.com/files/2007/4/24/1014568/Chicago-2007-11-Animation.gif

nays:)

^^ What is that tall bulding between Chicago Spires and Amco Center?

^^ What is that tall bulding between Chicago Spires and Amco Center?

It is a future development in LakeShore East rumored to be 950-1075 ft. That is just a filler.

^^ WOW! Sorry to be off subject here... Does here has thread for that development?

Wow that is a fantastic render!!!!

http://www.fileden.com/files/2007/4/24/1014568/Chicago-2007-11-Animation.gif

Wow nice render but they build the Chicago spire reflection before they build the tower Looool :lol:

Haha^^^

The chi spi :o

I think I just created a new nickname

Chi Spire truly inspires the skyscraper craver. :okay:

Chitown is a skyline BEAST in that 2011 "preview."

I would have to agree with the above poster that the skyline is a beast! It's also incredibly beautiful, unlike many major world skylines. I love the way it arches and has an almost bridge-like shape to it. Beautiful!

Subliving.

I love this building, exactly how I love all the bulidings calatrava does!!

I do hope it will be done soon!

^^ WOW! Sorry to be off subject here... Does here has thread for that development?

Not now, but when renders and solid information is released there will be. Should be within a couple months.

When will this project be discussed ...for approval...?? does anybody knows..??? when the discutions..are to be initiated...? :)

It is a future development in LakeShore East rumored to be 950-1075 ft. That is just a filler.

its funny that a 950-1075ft tower can be considered "filler" :lol:

its funny that a 950-1075ft tower can be considered "filler" :lol:

I was referring to the design of the tower in that animation as being a filler.

That chicago animation is great.Very good idea!

^^ What is that tall bulding between Chicago Spires and Amco Center?The tallest already built or under construction is Aqua. The thread for it:
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=450045

Love this photo....:cry::cry::cry::cry:
http://i17.tinypic.com/5z3eydu.jpg

do i like it or love it???LOVE IT!!!

Ginormous drill bit.

From SSP:


I was down by the site today with my new road bike and camera. I was delighted to see two drilling rigs in addition to the backhoe (drilling was in process, perhaps for soil samples).

1. View of entire site (with shiny new Streeterville, Big John in background)

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/171/478902983_e86c947573.jpg?v=0

2. Two new drilling rigs

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/224/478892150_d106451ff8.jpg?v=0

3. Hmm, what could these guys be up to ...

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/220/478895104_3a13c7851e.jpg?v=0

4. Unmanned backhoe

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/179/478916477_76f3374492.jpg?v=0

they're just waiting for the approval..

Hopefully they won't have to wait long. Verdict comes through on the ninth, but it's basically a sure thing. What really concerns me is the funding.

the pics show me that they'll start with that building as soon as they've the approval

ok...ok...u' s guys in Chi-town know how to pull some string or sumthan...i mean is in "proposal stage" however theres some kinda of activity...drilling, possible escavation???.....no matter what this building must be built....if the US cant have the tallest at least we can have the second tallest....ehh....but o well...it would have a couple of records so thats a plus too....may-b the should consider some different type glass tent...i like that of the current tallest...the 101's jade....BEAUTIFUL ! ! ! ! !

The articles I've read indicate Calatrava hasn't decided on a material just yet, so you might get to blow your wad if he picks a different color. I think it would be interesting to at least EXPERIMENT with a darker color, like maybe a navy or even a black-blue style. Hell it'd be interesting to see what it might look like in bronze like the Sears Tower.

This is a damn great project BUT i don't like it. The design is to futuristic in my eyes.

Maybe i will like it when i see it in real life:)

Haha^^^

The chi spi :o

I think I just created a new nickname

No way dude, I came up with that several months ago. You can check my old posts.

ChicagOwned

The articles I've read indicate Calatrava hasn't decided on a material just yet, so you might get to blow your wad if he picks a different color. I think it would be interesting to at least EXPERIMENT with a darker color, like maybe a navy or even a black-blue style. Hell it'd be interesting to see what it might look like in bronze like the Sears Tower.

I suppose the safest choice would be stainless steel and glass, but I'd like to see what it would look like in some natural looking earth tones.. it may look beautiful if it they were to accentuate the natural, organic seashell look of this tower. Perhaps some corals or some natural orangy-brown materials..

Btw, I usually (not always) hate blue in towers. blue glass against a blue sky looks anemic in my opinion.

Maybe some talented photoshoppers could come up with some examples.

I imagine that's a request; now from two users. *sheepish grin*

I suppose the safest choice would be stainless steel and glass, but I'd like to see what it would look like in some natural looking earth tones.. it may look beautiful if it they were to accentuate the natural, organic seashell look of this tower. Perhaps some corals or some natural orangy-brown materials..

Btw, I usually (not always) hate blue in towers. blue glass against a blue sky looks anemic in my opinion.

Maybe some talented photoshoppers could come up with some examples.

The articles I've read indicate Calatrava hasn't decided on a material just yet, so you might get to blow your wad if he picks a different color. I think it would be interesting to at least EXPERIMENT with a darker color, like maybe a navy or even a black-blue style. Hell it'd be interesting to see what it might look like in bronze like the Sears Tower.

I wasnt really sure if these are what you both meant, but I tried a few colors anyway.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y63/UniversalDiablo/spireblue.jpg
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y63/UniversalDiablo/spirebrowngold.jpg
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y63/UniversalDiablo/spiregreen.jpg

is it gonna work?

It should frail

construction maybe will begin still this month

I like the golden one. The blue one doesn't somehow match the hood. :)

Hmm and what about this black Sears style Chicago Spire :lol:

http://img265.imageshack.us/img265/4547/chispisearsstylepn7.jpg

It matches even better, not just the hood, but the whole city. Seriosly! :yes:

Why can't they build buildings that look like buildings? We have an eight years old's interpretation of a rocket being buillt in Dubai, a proposed 1800 ft tall dildo in Vegas and now a soon to be approved 2000 ft drill bit in Chicago.

haha ^^

they should change the color.. Black would be perfect for the Chicago' skyline

I agree! :)

And the black Chicago Spire with its surrounding buildings. I think it looks pretty good on this photoshopped render, but think it would look shit in reality.

http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/8580/chispi2searsstyleru3.jpg

the black looks really nice but i still prefer blue :D

the black looks really nice but i still prefer blue :D

aha...agree! definitely blue looks the best! ;) :okay:

Blue for me also

Why can't they build buildings that look like buildings? We have an eight years old's interpretation of a rocket being buillt in Dubai, a proposed 1800 ft tall dildo in Vegas and now a soon to be approved 2000 ft drill bit in Chicago.

well what does a "building" look like then? square? i love these designs, as do most others

Why can't they build buildings that look like buildings? We have an eight years old's interpretation of a rocket being buillt in Dubai, a proposed 1800 ft tall dildo in Vegas and now a soon to be approved 2000 ft drill bit in Chicago.

There are thousands of regular box buildings. Why can't they build something that is actually interesting instead of boring?
The original color is the best, all these other colors posted are just horrible.

well what does a "building" look like then? square? i love these designs, as do most others

A "building" doesn't look like a Saturn V rocket, a dildo, or a drill bit, LOL. It lools like a building. Look at Chicago or New York at the classic architecture that you see in those existing buildings. This new stuff does not fit with what surrounds it, it stands in stark contrast to what surrounds it.

The only one that has a chance not to look silly in practicality is the Burj Dubai, since it's surroundings are being built with it. But every time I see a render I start a countdown, 10, 9, 8, 7.... :)

i like the grey/black design lots =)

Me too :) But a little bit lighter, maybe sylver reflection would look best. But that's just my oppinion.

A "building" doesn't look like a Saturn V rocket, a dildo, or a drill bit, LOL. It lools like a building. Look at Chicago or New York at the classic architecture that you see in those existing buildings. This new stuff does not fit with what surrounds it, it stands in stark contrast to what surrounds it.

The only one that has a chance not to look silly in practicality is the Burj Dubai, since it's surroundings are being built with it. But every time I see a render I start a countdown, 10, 9, 8, 7.... :)

The JHC and Sears tower both stood out like a sore thumb when they were first built. They sure as hell did not fit with the surroundings. I suppose you would have opposed the construction of those at the time? There will always be change and it will take some getting used too for some. Skylines evolve. Get used to it.

Heh. I don't think having another black tower for Chicago... It would make Chicago skyline BLACK! I think Chicago skyline should be high diverse of colors. I prefer blue one to help balance Chicago skyline better. Chicago already have two tallest buildings that are already black (e.i. Sears Tower and John Hancock) Also one of Chicago's new tallest buildings... Trump Internationl Tower that is blue too. Imagine if ALL skyscrapers in Chicago is BLACK, its would turn Chicago into gothic city.

Like one on your avatar? :D

The JHC and Sears tower both stood out like a sore thumb when they were first built. They sure as hell did not fit with the surroundings. I suppose you would have opposed the construction of those at the time? There will always be change and it will take some getting used too for some. Skylines evolve. Get used to it.


Who ever said I was opposed to any of this being built? It's not my money. Lighten up my friend, I happen to be a fan of classic architecture and I generally don't like these designs. I know I am in the minority here but so be it. I, that is me, and I only speak for me, thinks this spire is very very silly looking. I for one would not look forward to driving to work and looking downtown at a giant drill bit, but that's just me. I don't type that to try to convince you or anyone else here of that.

I agree those two buildings stuck out, but because of height, not necessarily design. Remember also that those entire n-hoods were developed either after those two structures were built or were soon re-developed. THis will not be the case around this spire or in Vegas.

Like one on your avatar? :D

:lol: :lol: :lol:

dont matter what color it is...build it Chi-town....give the US some respect back for the high tech, best looking, and some of the tallest in the world.

Heh. I don't think having another black tower for Chicago... It would make Chicago skyline BLACK! I think Chicago skyline should be high diverse of colors. I prefer blue one to help balance Chicago skyline better. Chicago already have two tallest buildings that are already black (e.i. Sears Tower and John Hancock) Also one of Chicago's new tallest buildings... Trump Internationl Tower that is blue too. Imagine if ALL skyscrapers in Chicago is BLACK, its would turn Chicago into gothic city.

THAT'S RACIST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!










JK

^^:weird:

THAT'S RACIST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!










JK

That would be called skyscraperist! :lol: :lol: :lol:

You better not let Al Sharpton see THIS! Or else he will condemn you of hatin against black skyscrapers and AT THE SAME TIME tell America needs more BLACK Skyscrapers!

woot, I like this drillbit skyscraper.

Icicle skyscraper.

Loved number 3.... with the flat roof.. this latest version is.. great, but... slightly more phallic. and... eh.

i love how one will be able to view chicago from michigan after the chicago spire is built. what an amazing skyline it will be. the spire will be a lighthouse for all seamen. they won't need a compass or a map. they can just set sail from michigan straight to the chicago spire. :cheers:

hopefully this tower will be only the first of more such megatowers

Heh. I don't think having another black tower for Chicago... It would make Chicago skyline BLACK! I think Chicago skyline should be high diverse of colors. I prefer blue one to help balance Chicago skyline better. Chicago already have two tallest buildings that are already black (e.i. Sears Tower and John Hancock) Also one of Chicago's new tallest buildings... Trump Internationl Tower that is blue too. Imagine if ALL skyscrapers in Chicago is BLACK, its would turn Chicago into gothic city.

I agree. I would like to see a diversity in colors, as most Chicagoans would. How else could you explain Chicagoans' affinity for the CNA building? Besides, who ever said that all the biggest ones were black. Sometimes they're blue. Just ask Smurfette! :banana:

one will be able to view chicago from michigan after the chicago spire is built.

really? isn't the closest part of michigan like 40 miles away??

^^ you can already see Chicago from Michigan

I like the blue best.

In regards to mister flyfish...as long as a building is practical and useful, it should be any shape. The only reason we didn't see more of these unique shapes in the past is because of engineering constraints. You can like "classical" architecture, but you can appreciate futuristic, avant-garde architecture as well (though I don't think I'd even call the Spire particularly avant-garde). When you've got cities like London building more "edgy" skyscrapers than Chicago, you know you've got to fix something. The Spire is a step in this direction.

I like the blue best.

In regards to mister flyfish...as long as a building is practical and useful, it should be any shape. The only reason we didn't see more of these unique shapes in the past is because of engineering constraints. You can like "classical" architecture, but you can appreciate futuristic, avant-garde architecture as well (though I don't think I'd even call the Spire particularly avant-garde). When you've got cities like London building more "edgy" skyscrapers than Chicago, you know you've got to fix something. The Spire is a step in this direction.

The Chicago Spire is a huge step in taking skyscraper ingenuity in a new direction, not to mention its 610 meters tall>>> :nuts:

Definitely liked the black renderings. Someone else asked about a two-tone combo with black structuring and silver windows. That'd be interesting.

BTW, is there some sort of architectural rule that says all new glass buildings are required to project glimmering shades of bright blue or emerald green?

Glass is without a doubt the perfect exterior for the Spire, but I hope Chicago doesn't get "too glassy." I just love the raw power and classic clean designs of masterpiece 'scrapers like the Sears Tower, John Hancock and Aon Center. There is something to be said for purity and simplistic design, but the Spire truly blows my mind. Sure hope to see Calatrava's dynamic vision come to full fruition in the Windy City.

if this building is completed, with the detailing showed in the prevoius post... I will have a Chicago Spire in my pants!!!!:nuts: :nuts:

Love this!

Loved number 3.... with the flat roof.. this latest version is.. great, but... slightly more phallic. and... eh.

I agree, version A, B and C are all much better.

Why can't they build buildings that look like buildings? We have an eight years old's interpretation of a rocket being buillt in Dubai, a proposed 1800 ft tall dildo in Vegas and now a soon to be approved 2000 ft drill bit in Chicago.

What is your idea of what a building of what a building should look like? Why don't you design something then?

People need to get away from being stuck in the past. Not everything has to be a box. It's time for people to start thinking outside of the box.

A "building" doesn't look like a Saturn V rocket, a dildo, or a drill bit, LOL. It lools like a building. Look at Chicago or New York at the classic architecture that you see in those existing buildings. This new stuff does not fit with what surrounds it, it stands in stark contrast to what surrounds it.

The only one that has a chance not to look silly in practicality is the Burj Dubai, since it's surroundings are being built with it. But every time I see a render I start a countdown, 10, 9, 8, 7.... :)

Well you do realize that when the classical buildings were built, they didn't fit into their surroundings don't you? Chicago was a wind swept prairie. When the internation style came to this country with it's sleek lines and simple form, they weren't traditional.

It's called progress. That's while Chicago is the way it is because of forward thinking design. When the Chicago School of architecture was invented, it was forward thinking design, some of the worlds first skyscrapers.

Step of the box....

Are you going to go back to the typewrite because of the computer? You going to back to the Model T because of the Thunderbird?

Progress man, progress...

Definitely liked the black renderings. Someone else asked about a two-tone combo with black structuring and silver windows. That'd be interesting.

BTW, is there some sort of architectural rule that says all new glass buildings are required to project glimmering shades of bright blue or emerald green?

Glass is without a doubt the perfect exterior for the Spire, but I hope Chicago doesn't get "too glassy." I just love the raw power and classic clean designs of masterpiece 'scrapers like the Sears Tower, John Hancock and Aon Center. There is something to be said for purity and simplistic design, but the Spire truly blows my mind. Sure hope to see Calatrava's dynamic vision come to full fruition in the Windy City.

There's not really a rule or something. But it's the same as clothing and cars, colors and styles change all the time. At the moment bright blue and green are very hot. :)

This building IS GONNA beautify Chicago!

And to those people who still believe a Squarish skyline with straight cuts is the true beauty..... Go play LEGO... :nuts:

Can have an affaire :lovethem: between the Chicago Spire and the Smurfit-Stone?

Loved number 3.... with the flat roof.. this latest version is.. great, but... slightly more phallic. and... eh.

so wats the latest news on the spire....saw pics like the were ready to start excavation or drilling foundation holes....any city meetings or advertisments...pics....gimmie sumthan guys..:)

so wats the latest news on the spire....saw pics like the were ready to start excavation or drilling foundation holes....any city meetings or advertisments...pics....gimmie sumthan guys..:)

Nothing stopping you from getting "sumthan" yourself. If you would have read the past couple pages you would know that the final approval is on May 9th. As for information, try searching Google news. http://news.google.com

just 3 more days :cheers:

I still can´t believe they´ll build this thing. That shape looks very tricky, are there any building early stages pictures?

AMBITIOUS!

not to rain on anyones parade or anything, i think its a cool project, just looks like a giant 2000 foot tall dildo

not to rain on anyones parade or anything, i think its a cool project, just looks like a giant 2000 foot tall dildo

There are twisting dildos?? jk :lol:

id like to see the glow in the dark version render. anyone up to the task? the first glow in the dark scyscrapper! and no, 'lighted' buildings dont count. its facade has to be made of the limish plastic stuff. :banana:

Article from a Milwaukee paper this weekend:

http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=601629

Tall building with a twist
Calatrava design carries Chicago's lofty aspirations
By WHITNEY GOULD
wgould@journalsentinel.com
Posted: May 5, 2007

In its various incarnations, it has been likened to a drill bit, a swirling ball gown, a soft-serve ice cream cone, a licorice Twizzler and a birthday candle. Whatever metaphor you choose, Santiago Calatrava's proposed Chicago Spire is a twisting, shimmering symbol of both the Windy City's downtown renaissance and its global aspirations.

An artist's rendering shows the 2,000-foot spire, which would be the tallest building in North America if Spanish-born architect Santiago Calatrava's plan comes to fruition.

Architect Santiago Calatrava makes a presentation of his design of the Chicago Spire to the City of Chicago Planning Commission on April 19.

At 2,000 feet, the 150-story skyscraper would be the nation's tallest building, eclipsing Chicago's own 1,450-foot Sears Tower and muscling into the ranks of the world's most stratospheric towers in advance of the 2016 Olympics, which Chicago hopes to host.

Having cleared several bureaucratic and neighborhood hurdles, the proposal will go before the City Council on Wednesday.

Whether the vertiginous spire actually gets built - on a former dump site west of Navy Pier, where the Chicago River meets Lake Michigan - is another matter. Some Chicagoans are skeptical, noting that the developer, Garrett Kelleher of the Dublin-based Shelbourne Development Group Inc., has yet to reveal details about costs or financing.

Some real estate sources estimate construction costs could approach a staggering $2.4 billion. An earlier iteration of the building, floated by a different developer in 2005, failed to win financing. But city officials are upbeat.

"We have every reason to believe it will be built," says Connie Buscemi, a spokeswoman for Chicago's Department of Planning and Development.

The developer has said he expects to start construction this year, with completion by 2010.

"We have had more inquiries than we have condos," said Kim Metcalfe, a spokeswoman for Kelleher. She said that nibbles for the 1,200 living units are coming from as far away as Belarus, England, Ireland and Sweden.

Kelleher will put up 30% of the equity financing himself, with the Anglo Irish Bank taking the lead for 70%, an arrangement that is common in Europe, Metcalfe said.
A burst of new housing

The spire would become the instant star in a dizzying constellation of new housing development. For each of the last seven years, Chicago has built an average of 4,000 new condos and apartments downtown.

"And we expect the same level for the next several years," says Benet Haller, the city's director of urban design and planning.

Millennium Park, a sweeping downtown green space filled with blockbuster architecture and public art, is a major catalyst, sparking a projected $1.4 billion worth of residential development between the time the park opened in 2004 and 2014, according to a study for the city by real-estate consultants.

In this metropolis where the modern skyscraper was born 122 years ago, most of the new units are in tall buildings, including 40 towers of 50 stories or more built since 2000. Mayor Richard M. Daley, known for his emphasis on "green" architecture, has pushed developers to build taller and skinnier to promote density in the fight against sprawl and encourage innovative design. Calatrava's spire will incorporate numerous green features, including special glass to protect migratory birds and a system to recycle rainwater for landscaping.

"We want to be known not only for the history of the skyscraper but for cutting-edge architecture," Haller says.

Some in the design community, however, are less enthusiastic about the quality of many skyscrapers of recent vintage. "We built a lot of really ugly buildings very quickly," says architect Joe Valerio, a former Milwaukeean. Valerio thinks even the Calatrava spire would have been more elegant in its original, thinner guise, which had a drill-bit-like spire. (A second version was less tapered and had an almost flat top, which no one much liked.)
'Light and fluid' landmark

Still, the current version - slightly thicker, and softly tapered like a birthday candle, with each floor rotating slightly above the one below it - is winning mostly raves.

"It's the right building for this era: light and fluid and of landmark quality," says Philip Enquist, an architect with Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, the firm that designed Chicago's two tallest buildings from an earlier time, the Sears Tower (1974) and the John Hancock Center (1970). "It goes along with the Olympic wave," Enquist said, referring to the U.S. Olympic Committee's recent designation of Chicago as the American city that will bid for the 2016 Summer Games.

Donna Robertson, dean of the College of Architecture at the Illinois Institute of Technology, says the tower will continue Chicago's "history of courageous architecture" and solidify Calatrava's presence in the Midwest. His only other commission in the region is his bird-in-flight addition to the Milwaukee Art Museum (2001).

"Now there will be a synergy for people coming to see a cache of Calatrava's work," Robertson says.

Even new urbanists, who generally prefer small-scale, street-friendly architecture over look-at-me showstoppers, have been won over.

"We're delighted any time you can get lots of people living close together," says former Milwaukee Mayor John O. Norquist, now CEO of the Chicago-based Congress for the New Urbanism.

Residents of Streeterville, the neighborhood where the tower will be located, worry about the project's traffic impact. But with primary access off Lake Shore Drive, not local streets, that problem should be eased, according to Haller, the planner.

Norquist credits Streeterville activists with helping to improve Calatrava's design, which originally envisioned a building somewhat cut off from its site and soaring above a plinth-like parking garage. Now the garage will be underground and the transparent, cathedral-like lobby of the building will overlook a public plaza. The developer has also pledged $9 million to create a 3-acre park just to the east.

"It's an example of how community agitators who take design seriously can make a building better," Norquist said.
Lingering nervousness

In the background of all the buzz about the spire is a lingering, post-9/11 nervousness: Could the tower become a target for terrorists?

"Any work of iconic architecture could be seen as a terrorist target," admits Antony Wood, executive director of the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat. "But the corrective for that is to address the causes of terrorism," not to shrink from the urge to test the limits of human achievement with soaring buildings.

Besides, Wood says, Calatrava's tower won't remain the nation's tallest for long. "Someone," he says, "is probably making plans for an even taller one right now."

Also contained this video:
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=599062

^^ Love the video! :cheers:

If "someone" is possibly making the plan for next tallest one... I wonder where it would get built... Chicago? New York City? or else?

^^ Love the video! :cheers:

If "someone" is possibly making the plan for next tallest one... I wonder where it would get built... Chicago? New York City? or else?

Obviously the smart money is on Dubai. They just seem to want to compete with themselves.

good video!

Obviously the smart money is on Dubai. They just seem to want to compete with themselves.

I know. I was talking about next tallest one in USA not Dubai.

Well you do realize that when the classical buildings were built, they didn't fit into their surroundings don't you? Chicago was a wind swept prairie. When the internation style came to this country with it's sleek lines and simple form, they weren't traditional.

It's called progress. That's while Chicago is the way it is because of forward thinking design. When the Chicago School of architecture was invented, it was forward thinking design, some of the worlds first skyscrapers.

Step of the box....

Are you going to go back to the typewrite because of the computer? You going to back to the Model T because of the Thunderbird?

Progress man, progress...

Read a little further before you ask questions. I spoke to the "way back when" remark down the page.

And I don't know what the h*** you are talking about with the Model T reference.

Look, you call it progress, I call it a giant drill bit, and I call it UGLY. You have your opinion, and I won't try to change it. I have my opinion. You should respect it though you disagree.

I think in order to have these cities (Chicago, NY) stay attractive as they are today it is important to design these new buildings to compliment the surroundings, not be on the "cutting edge" whatever the heck that means.

Just becasue you CAN design it and you CAN build it without it falling over doesn't necessarily mean you SHOULD.

That being said, it is 600 meters tall and TALL is what we want right? So build away.

I think in order to have these cities (Chicago, NY) stay attractive as they are today it is important to design these new buildings to compliment the surroundings, not be on the "cutting edge" whatever the heck that means.


Do you know what the surrounding area is like? Basically all new construction with little bits of the past. This building is along the river and lake where tall buildings are encouraged, so it does fit in. For the most part, the immediate skyscrapers (completed) are pretty mundane and mistakes (IMO) in the first place. So to compliment the surroundings should we change the design to some 50 story concrete box sitting on top of a huge parking podium? Or should we let one of the world's best living architects design a spectacular and innovative building that is on a perfect site for a supertall?

Also, I should remind you that Lake Point Tower is pretty close by. A pretty radical design for 1968 and it certainly didn't fit into the neighborhood, but Chicago's architecture is so much richer with it.
http://img140.imageshack.us/img140/5363/238169796ec2d4b52e1vh8.jpg

i didnt realise the plot was right next to the north pier tower... thats cool

Damn it's tall...

what a hugh screwdriver! marvelous!!! one of my favorite.

There was an article in yesterday's Chicago Tribune:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/arts/chi-0705041162may06,1,4823066.story

Extreme is no equal for excellence

By Blair Kamin
Tribune architecture critic
Published May 6, 2007

It is too early to say anything definitive about the possibility of a Chicago skyscraper where one floor would rotate independently of the other, creating an ever-shifting silhouette. No site-specific plans exist. No site has even been selected. Such a skyscraper promises to be an eye-grabbing exercise in hip-swiveling hoochie-coochie. Sexy? Yes. Yet the thrill could wind up being cheap.

In a broader sense, the idea is disturbing because it encapsulates a trend that has come to define the way buildings are made and marketed these days: Extreme architecture. By that, I do not mean buildings of extreme height or size that win the dubious distinction of an entry in the Guinness World Records.

What I mean, instead, is extreme expression, the ceaseless quest for aesthetic novelty powered by new technologies that help generate new forms, which are always interesting but not so often good. The media, ever hungry for the latest "wow," is an accessory to the crime. In many cases, one wonders if the designs were meant for magazine covers, newspaper front pages or Web sites rather than real life.

Sometimes, as in the hands of Frank Gehry, extreme architecture has produced masterworks, such as that architect's Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, whose exuberant mounds of stainless steel were realized with the same computer technology that made possible the complex curves of French Mirage jet fighters.

But Gehry only reached the pinnacle of Disney Hall, where he more satisfactorily resolved the demands of form and function than at his more-celebrated Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain, after years of painstakingly refining a neo-Baroque design language that evokes the chaotic quality of modern life.

To hand the Chicago skyline over to a relative novice, the Florence, Italy-based architect David Fisher, who is pushing the idea of a condominium, hotel and office tower here as well as in Dubai, would be akin to turning over the hallowed walls of the Art Institute to a high school art class.

To be sure, Fisher's idea is not without merit. His use of prefabrication techniques, with units made off-site and then hoisted into place around a concrete core, promises to drag antiquated construction technology into the 21st Century.

The prospect of a perpetually morphing shape would build on Santiago Calatrava's successful experiments in kinetic architecture, such as the birdlike sunshade of the Milwaukee Art Museum addition.

On the other hand, good luck solving the plumbing stack.

One can imagine -- and maybe even cotton to -- the prospect of such an attention-getting gesture in Dubai, where the cityscape is still forming and may need new landmarks to give people their physical and psychological bearings. But in Chicago?

On a riverfront parking lot next to NBC Tower, which is among the possible sites? A short walk from the Wrigley Building and the Tribune Tower? Why bother with those two venerable early 20th Century towers as you cruise down the Chicago River when you've got twirling pies in the sky within camera range?

rchitects say they "practice" for good reason. Every building is a form of preparation for the next one. Architects even talk of "practice buildings," the commissions that let an idea germinate and be tested before it is completely realized down the line. Ludwig Mies van der Rohe didn't simply shake the glorious bronze-clad Seagram Building in New York City out of his sleeve. He did more modest practice buildings, the curtain-walled apartment towers of 900 and 910 N. Lake Shore Drive in Chicago, first.


Calatrava has the edge

For that reason, I have far more faith in Calatrava's plan for the twisting, 150-story Chicago Spire than Fisher's notion of a spinning tower, 60 to 90 stories tall. Calatrava's already got a twisting skyscraper to his credit in Malmo, Sweden, the so-called Turning Torso tower. It's a dazzling sculpture, but disappointingly detailed. Presumably, he'll do better next time, drawing on the experience of a long career in which he has taken structures to -- and, sometimes, unreasonably beyond -- their natural limits.

Presumably.

In the end, Fisher's proposed rotating tower may be less important for itself than what it says about the extreme architecture of our time: Too few architects are making a dogged, continual search for underlying truths. Too many are giving in to the seductive, superficial allure of a perpetual revolution. It's a great way to get noticed, to advance careers and to sell real estate. And it gives us spectacle by the bushel. But the real question is whether it is giving us art -- and, oh, yes, a decent place to live.

----------

bkamin@tribune.com

Chicago Spire

Very odd, I'm not convinced ;//

Wow this is one of the best projects in the world right now! It is amazing looking with all those twists! :)

one more day... :cheers:

Can't wait!!!!!!:nuts:

I found Chicago's skyline is better than New York's. Keep Growing!

When they are going to start building?

Let's hope soon. :cheers:

I really hope everything goes well at todays meeting. lets all prey that this things gets started real soon!

I really hope everything goes well at todays meeting. lets all prey that this things gets started real soon!

Me too! Awesome tower! :banana:

The Chicago Spire Receives Final Approval from The Chicago City Council

Construction on Calatrava’s Architectural Icon to Begin within the Month

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Shelbourne Development Group, Inc. announced that The Chicago Spire, an iconic building designed by internationally renowned architect and engineer Santiago Calatrava, received final approval today from the 50-member Chicago City Council. This action follows unanimous approval from both the City Council Planning Commission and the Zoning Committee in April. The Chicago Spire is scheduled for completion in late 2010 with construction expected to begin this month.

“The city of Chicago has enthusiastically embraced Mr. Calatrava’s vision, and we are both thrilled and humbled by the opportunity to add another architectural icon to the city’s skyline,” said Garrett Kelleher, executive chairman of Shelbourne Development Ltd. & the Shelbourne Development Group, Inc. “The Chicago Spire will be the world’s most celebrated address, and we look forward to beginning construction in a matter of weeks.”

The Chicago Spire, designed by a development team with experience in constructing some of the most prominent properties in the world, will provide a lifestyle unsurpassed by any other distinguished residence in the United States or abroad. Located at 400 North Lake Shore Drive, where the Chicago River meets Lake Michigan, the 2,000-foot tall elegantly twisting tower will house 1,200 unique residences with the finest amenities available anywhere in the world.

The Chicago Spire extends Santiago Calatrava’s artistic vision to create a modern and technologically advanced residential experience. Among its many extraordinary features, The Chicago Spire will include a spectacular four-story transparent glass lobby, unparalleled views from all residences, a six-story underground resident parking garage for 1,350 cars, and a one-acre landscaped public plaza.

The building will feature several innovations in engineering, including the world’s longest elevator run, a steel perimeter and concrete core. Also, The Chicago Spire will be engineered to meet the gold standard of LEED certification, which dictates among other things that rainwater be recycled for landscaping treatments, river water be used for cooling and special glass be included to protect migratory birds. Shelbourne is currently receiving bids for the caissons, which are part of The Chicago Spire’s support structure.

The Chicago sales center will be located in the NBC Tower, which overlooks The Chicago Spire site. The sales effort will be led by United Kingdom-based Savills, Plc. and will launch in early fall 2007 with a global marketing campaign. Savills is a leading international property advisor with experience marketing some of the finest residences around the globe, including One Hyde Park in London, and the Four Seasons Ocean Residence, a private ship.

For more information about The Chicago Spire and Shelbourne Development Group, Inc., see http://www.shelbournedevelopment.com/ and http://www.thechicagospire.com.

About Shelbourne Development

Shelbourne Development, headquartered in Dublin, is one of Ireland's leading property development companies, widely regarded as one of the country’s most professional and progressive developers. In the past three years, Shelbourne’s experienced team, known for its track record in evaluating and capitalizing on cycles in property markets, has completed in excess of 1.5 million square feet of construction in Ireland. It currently has a development pipeline in Dublin in excess of $2 billion US. Shelbourne is currently pursuing developments and projects in Ireland, UK, France and Chicago. Garrett Kelleher, executive chairman of Shelbourne Development Ltd & the Shelbourne Development Group, Inc. holds significant investment properties in Europe.

http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20070509005991&newsLang=en

Great news, even if it was expected. I'll change the thread title.

Now let's get this one built!!!

:banana:, go Chicago!! that's one of the best skyscrapernews i've ever heard :)

w0000000000000000000000t!!!

Yahoo!! This is gonna be the tallest best building in the Western Hemisphere.

YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana:
:dance:

CHICAGO ROCKS!!!!!!!!!

No surprises here. Approval was such a lock that's probably why Shelbourne could confidently proceed with getting ready to start construction as if it was already approved. Hence they are starting in just a couple weeks.

¡CONGRATULATIONS, FOR US AND CHICAGO!

Nice!

YES :banana: (first time I've used the dancing banana)

I can't wait to see this skyscraper.:)

This is such amazing news for us Chicagoan's! I can imagine the ammount of coverage this building is going to have during it's construction. LOL it will be like Burj Dubai's Thead.

Haha... I wouldn't doubt it. :lol:

The only thing that sucks is there is no observation deck for the public, right?

I like this tower since its true height is 2000 no spires or anything so you cant deny that.

Yeah, quite frequently they add these huge spires just to jack up the height.

Great Stuff and Congratulations!
:dance: :dance:

sweet! And construction starts right around the corner!!! :banana:

I wonder what the Donald is saying right now...

Woooopty dooooo

woooow beautiful, cant wait to see it , btw , so its should has the highest roof, whene its done, right?

^^ For residential tower i think so..

nahh, Burj Dubai's roof still a few meters higher.

Tallest All-residential tower in the world though.

This Chicago Spire is more aesthetically pleasing than the BD, and is more massive to the top of the pinnacle than anything remotely close to the Spire's height.

Congratulations to Chicago and the United States for taking skyscraper evolution to the next step. :applause:

This Chicago Spire is more aesthetically pleasing than the BD, and is more massive to the top of the pinnacle than anything remotely close to the Spire's height.

Congratulations to Chicago and the United States for taking skyscraper evolution to the next step. :applause:

And spain since isnt the architect spanish?

I've just got, home (its 23:53 in Budapest) so I've just recived the great news!

CONGRATULATIONS CHICAGO FROM BUDAPEST, HUNGARY!!!

:banana: :cheers: :cheers2: :bow: :applause: :cucumber: :rock: :cheers1: :master: :banana2: :righton: :cheer: :drunk: :nocrook: :happy: :yes: :rofl: :kiss: :colgate: :okay: :laugh: ;) :carrot: :D :hahaha: :dance: :pepper: :dj:

And spain since isnt the architect spanish?

...and for Santiago Calatrava love for the color white and the ocean.

w00t ? this by 2010???? just in 2 and a half years ??? wow this will even rise faster than burj is doing now

Go Chicago!!! Congratulations!

The Chicago Spire Receives Final Approval from The Chicago City Council

Construction on Calatrava’s Architectural Icon to Begin within the Month

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Shelbourne Development Group, Inc. announced that The Chicago Spire, an iconic building designed by internationally renowned architect and engineer Santiago Calatrava, received final approval today from the 50-member Chicago City Council. This action follows unanimous approval from both the City Council Planning Commission and the Zoning Committee in April. The Chicago Spire is scheduled for completion in late 2010 with construction expected to begin this month.

“The city of Chicago has enthusiastically embraced Mr. Calatrava’s vision, and we are both thrilled and humbled by the opportunity to add another architectural icon to the city’s skyline,” said Garrett Kelleher, executive chairman of Shelbourne Development Ltd. & the Shelbourne Development Group, Inc. “The Chicago Spire will be the world’s most celebrated address, and we look forward to beginning construction in a matter of weeks.”

The Chicago Spire, designed by a development team with experience in constructing some of the most prominent properties in the world, will provide a lifestyle unsurpassed by any other distinguished residence in the United States or abroad. Located at 400 North Lake Shore Drive, where the Chicago River meets Lake Michigan, the 2,000-foot tall elegantly twisting tower will house 1,200 unique residences with the finest amenities available anywhere in the world.

The Chicago Spire extends Santiago Calatrava’s artistic vision to create a modern and technologically advanced residential experience. Among its many extraordinary features, The Chicago Spire will include a spectacular four-story transparent glass lobby, unparalleled views from all residences, a six-story underground resident parking garage for 1,350 cars, and a one-acre landscaped public plaza.

The building will feature several innovations in engineering, including the world’s longest elevator run, a steel perimeter and concrete core. Also, The Chicago Spire will be engineered to meet the gold standard of LEED certification, which dictates among other things that rainwater be recycled for landscaping treatments, river water be used for cooling and special glass be included to protect migratory birds. Shelbourne is currently receiving bids for the caissons, which are part of The Chicago Spire’s support structure.

The Chicago sales center will be located in the NBC Tower, which overlooks The Chicago Spire site. The sales effort will be led by United Kingdom-based Savills, Plc. and will launch in early fall 2007 with a global marketing campaign. Savills is a leading international property advisor with experience marketing some of the finest residences around the globe, including One Hyde Park in London, and the Four Seasons Ocean Residence, a private ship.

For more information about The Chicago Spire and Shelbourne Development Group, Inc., see http://www.shelbournedevelopment.com/ and http://www.thechicagospire.com.

About Shelbourne Development

Shelbourne Development, headquartered in Dublin, is one of Ireland's leading property development companies, widely regarded as one of the country’s most professional and progressive developers. In the past three years, Shelbourne’s experienced team, known for its track record in evaluating and capitalizing on cycles in property markets, has completed in excess of 1.5 million square feet of construction in Ireland. It currently has a development pipeline in Dublin in excess of $2 billion US. Shelbourne is currently pursuing developments and projects in Ireland, UK, France and Chicago. Garrett Kelleher, executive chairman of Shelbourne Development Ltd & the Shelbourne Development Group, Inc. holds significant investment properties in Europe.

http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20070509005991&newsLang=en

WOW OMG i cant believe it.. Im so happy. :banana: :banana: :cheer:

will the tower have an observation deck? hope so..

will the tower have an observation deck? hope so..

NO OBSERVATION DECK

It has been said over and over again on this thread. If you want to see the view, buy a unit. There are many reasons for there not being one, and I support their decision to not have one.

[b][SIZE="7"]NO OBSERVATION DECK[/ b]

It has been said over and over again on this thread. If you want to see the view, buy a unit. There are many reasons for there not being one, and I support their decision to not have one.


Cut the man a little slack. He has not been around long enough to yell at yet. Plus he is probably not a frequent poster in the USA forums.

Cut the man a little slack. He has not been around long enough to yell at yet. Plus he is probably not a frequent poster in the USA forums.

I just wanted to make it clear and stand out (hence the bold and huge) so the question doesn't keep popping up on every page.

I like to see the real thing, at least in photos before I can pass judgement. I'm not overly excited about the design. Someone said more aesthetically pleasing than BD? I'd love to see a forumwide poll on that one. Lookswise it doesn't touch BD at all. Not including antenna, the so-called 808m version of BD goes to 740m.

I'm sure it is going to look much better in real life than in the cheap renderings they show it. I like the height though. That part is good.

KICK ASS

I am ELATED!!!!

horray. Soon chicago will have the worlds largest dildo. Good for them.



No seriously, i think this project is awsome and i cant wait to see construction start.

It was even posted on Fark.com! Now you know its legit news!

"The 2,000-foot-tall Chicago penis-shaped compensating-for-something spire receives final approval of city council"

It linked to...

http://go.fark.com/cgi/fark/go.pl?i=2793218&l=http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp%3FndmViewId%3Dnews_view%26newsId%3D20070509005991%26newsLang%3Den

I love this building, and I'm sooooo happy it is going to be built. Now I have one extra reason to go and visit chicago!

This is a FREAKING GOOD NEWS!~!!!!

Excellent....BRING IT ON!

Poor trump!:lol: :lol: :lol:

horray. Soon chicago will have the worlds largest dildo. Good for them.



No seriously, i think this project is awsome and i cant wait to see construction start.


Now we need the world's biggest woman. send your mother to chicago in 2010. :lol:

Congratulations guys! This will be an amazing addition to a fantastic skyline. I can't believe construction will start in a month! I'll be visiting Chicargo in October so it'll be interesting to see how much progress they've made since then. Great job guys!!

because of this news, for the next 75 minutes Ill have a quite noticeable bounce in my step. sorry if this is already asked, but have they decided on the color?

it'll be blue

Yeaaaaaaaahhhh!!!! I saw it today in a spanish newspaper and I think it's a great new!!! :banana: :banana: :banana:

Is there gonna be an observation deck?



Haha just playin

To bad derigibles (blimps) were just a fad, a mooring mast at 2,000 feet would have been awesome....imgine walking the gangplank at that height...

That would be interesting... :cheers:

This tower is one of the by far best looking supertalls at there! Great for Chicago!

It's great to hear this building is approved!This will be one of the most unique adresses in the world!

Congratulations Chicago!

I really look forward to seeing this rise! Should be a fantastic race to the top between this and the Freedom Tower in New York!

what great news! so this will worlds tallest block of flats? Dubais pentonium misses out. just a question. is 2000ft the height limit for structures in USA?

http://www.thechicagospire.com/

^^ yes 2000ft the height limit for structures in USA

^^ yes 2000ft the height limit for structures in USA

????What are you talking about? I dont think there is a height limit for the whole country.

yes it is

????What are you talking about? I dont think there is a height limit for the whole country.

In order to build past 2,000 feet there has to be a good reason for it. Or else the FAA won't approve of it. Every building over 500 feet already needs FAA approval, but going over 2,000 feet needs to take it a step further I suppose. There has already been a big long discussion about this earlier in this thread or in another thread.