311 South Wacker Drive
| 311 South Wacker Drive | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| General information | |
| Status | Complete |
| Type | Office |
| Location | 311 S. Wacker Drive Chicago, Illinois |
| Construction started | 1988 |
| Completed | 1990 |
| Height | |
| Architectural | 292.9 m (961 ft)[1] |
| Roof | 961 feet (293 m) |
| Top floor | 256.8 m (843 ft)[1] |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 65[1] |
| Floor area | 1,400,000 sq ft (130,000 m2)[2] |
| Lifts/elevators | 34[1] |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates HKS |
| Developer | Gerald Kostelny/Lincoln Property Company |
| Main contractor | J.A. Jones Construction |
| References | |
| [1] | |
311 South Wacker Drive in Chicago, USA, is a post-modern 65-story skyscraper completed in 1990. At 961 feet (293 m) tall, it is the seventh tallest building in Chicago and the 21st tallest in the United States. It was once the tallest reinforced concrete building in the world. The building is also the tallest building in the world known only by its street address.[3]
The lower level of the winter garden was designed for a possible connection via underground passageway to Chicago Union Station. The building also contains three levels of underground parking. The building contains both retail and commercial tenants.[4]
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Contents
Lobby
The lobby is a two-level (one below ground) 85-foot (26 m)-tall glass-ceilinged "winter garden" with palm trees and a fountain, supported by a steel structure influenced by the Chicago "L" tracks and bridges. It was envisioned as a commuter link or "pedestrian station" serving as a connection from the nearby Union Station through a disused streetcar tunnel under the South Branch of the Chicago River.[5] Raymond Kaskey's bronze sculpture "Gem of the Lakes" looks over the garden from the Wacker entrance. The fountain shell form is taken from the city seal with a heroic figure representing Chicago as the "city of broad shoulders" wearing a cape symbolic of the great engineering feat which reversed the flow of Chicago River.[5]
Crown
The top of the building is a 105-foot (32 m)-tall translucent cylinder, surrounded by four other smaller cylinders, which was inspired by the massing of the Tribune Tower. This makes it among the most visible Chicago skyscrapers at night, as its crown is brightly illuminated. The five cylinders on top are lit at night by 1,852 fluorescent tubes, and a lantern at the top changes colors for various holidays and special events.[citation needed]
Park
311 South Wacker is surrounded to the northwest by a grassy area, commonly used as a lounging and public lunch area during warm months, which is the largest area of green space in the Chicago Loop. This park is used to host local farmer markets, musical events, and various art and cultural festivals. To the southwest is a parking lot.[citation needed] This land was originally to be occupied by two companion towers that were never developed due to office market conditions.
Position in Chicago's skyline
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Gallery
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311 South Wacker Drive and Willis Tower
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311 South Wacker Drive top viewed from the top floor of Willis Tower
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See also
- List of tallest buildings in the United States
- List of tallest buildings in Chicago
- List of tallest buildings and structures in the world
- List of tallest buildings in the world
- Wacker Drive
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ http://www.311southwacker.com/PropertyInformation/BuildingFacts.axis
- ↑ emporis.com 311 South Wacker
- ↑ David Ibata, S. Wacker Skyscraper Launching chicagotribune.com October 21, 1986
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=311southwackerdrive-chicago-il-usa
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to 311 South Wacker. |
- Official Building web site
- 311 South Wacker Drive on CTBUH Skyscraper Center
- Emporis listing
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