Chicago Trio

The outlines of what could be Chicago’s thirdtallest skyscraper came into sharp focus this spring when the project’s developers unveiled their latest plan for the riverfront tower — a trio of interconnected high-rises that would bring stacks of undulating glass to the city’s skyline.

Defining a new edge of the city, the Wanda Vista Tower more tightly knits the thriving Lakeshore East community to its environment with unprecedented urban connections. At approximately 1,100 feet in height, and more than 1.8 million sf, this new hotel and residential tower will be one of the tallest buildings in the city and a dynamic new presence on the horizon.

Nested side by side, three vertical elements step down gradually, maximizing views of the city and river below. The distinct tapering block used to form the towers is derived from the frustum geometry, a shape that offers multiple benefits for the building, from the inside out and the outside in. Alternating these blocks allows for multiple column-free corner rooms on each floor. The subtle gradient of the exterior glazing not only provides visual interest from near and far, but also performs an energy-saving function. The building navigates the street and ground levels with engaging public space for the enjoyment of residents and visitors alike.

Backed by China’s Wanda Group and Chicago’s Magellan Development Group the new version of the tower retains the three-tiered profile, first shown last year, but adds a cloak of light-reflecting, blue-green glass and eliminates inset balconies that resembled zippers on its most visible facades. At 1,144 feet, the skyscraper would be 8 feet taller than the city’s current third-tallest building, the Aon Center, provided it conforms to the standards of the Chicago-based Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat.

Called Wanda Vista, the skyscraper would be built on the north edge of the 28-acre Lakeshore East, a complex of apartments, condominiums, shops, a school and a hotel bounded by multilevel roads including Wacker Drive and Lake Shore Drive. The complex, which has a park at its center, is just north of Millennium Park.

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Materials provided by Studio Gang Architects