CHICAGO | BMO Tower | 727 FT | 50 FLOORS

[rgarri4]

Did they say anything at the meeting about the design being a place holder? I mean this thing is even facing the same direction as 110 N Wacker.
Of course it wouldn't be the first time Goettsch did a copy paste design.

http://images.skyscrapercenter.com/b...astructure.jpg

https://img.archilovers.com/projects...23034983fd.jpg

But if you're going to copy paste at least do it in a different country. Not down the street.

[Clarkkent2420]

Originally Posted by rgarri4

Did they say anything at the meeting about the design being a place holder? I mean this thing is even facing the same direction as 110 N Wacker.
Of course it wouldn't be the first time Goettsch did a copy paste design.

Right

[Mr Downtown]

The architect described the design as "evolving," and specifically mentioned the fins visible on the columns of the main volume. I think the big idea, though, is one they're pretty committed to: instead of bringing piers to grade on 30-foot centers that would create a psychological separation between the public open space and the area under the building, they gather them together to make the ground level all flow together as a 50,000 sf area open to the public.

But yes, exactly like many of Goettsch's other buildings, this one is expected to obey the law of gravity.

[patriotizzy]

Originally Posted by Clarkkent2420

The people on this board tend to not have an understanding of how real estate projects get financed, or how the market differs from location to location (like equating WPS to a non-Wacker, non-riverfront southwest Loop site). All people know is “taller is better” and “rectangles are bad”, without the foggiest notion as to why or how such decisions get made.

You can make non-rectangle buildings, while maintaining the integrity of the tenant's needs. You make it seem like the modern tenant can only rely on rectangles to work in. Your argument for this banal design does not make sense.

[Daprato Rigali]

looks like 110 N. Wacker was the first of twins.

[rlw777]

Originally Posted by Clarkkent2420

Right because a 30 story concrete building is the same as a 55-story composite building, and a trapezoidal building with a serrated facade is the same as a rectangular building with a planar facade. Trump tower is a ripoff of the Burj, which was inspired by the shape of Lakepoint Tower at the base. And so on. Oye!

You're just trolling now. One minute you're pedantic about materials and in another you can't tell why this might be seen as more derivative of 110 Wacker than Trump tower is of Burj.

The design is plainly derivative and the critique that it may be overly so is a valid one.

[Daprato Rigali]

[IMG][/IMG]

[left of center]

Originally Posted by pilsenarch

I don't think there was any chance that the bus terminal would ever get 'whacked'. What would have been a superior design would have been to build over the bust terminal which is what I thought an earlier proposal had suggested...

I remember this as well. I thought it was a very efficient use of space, certainly more so that this current proposal. If they wanted to make a park, go bold and make an actual usable park. Place the building on piers over the big bus station, in order to open up over half the block to park space. A tiny quarter block park is basically a glorified lunch spot for office workers who are in a hurry.

[10023]

The site plan is extremely unimpressive.

First, get rid of the fucking bus depot. Put it under the tower or underground. Then have the open space/park face Union Station, so that it can be a proper public space.

And then yeah, the tower itself is derivative and underwhelming. But I’m sorry to say that Chicago hasn’t produced much interesting architecture in some time.

[Clarkkent2420]

#

[Freefall]

Originally Posted by 10023

The site plan is extremely unimpressive.

First, get rid of the fucking bus depot. Put it under the tower or underground.

They just spent $40 million dollars on that!

[Ned.B]

Originally Posted by Freefall

They just spent $40 million dollars on that!

Exactly! The designers and development team have wanted to do all sorts of things with the bus transit center, because they rightfully see it as unfortunately cutting their site in two. But they tried building over it, moving it, or integrating the canopy, and it all came down to lack of support from CTA to do any of those things and major issues with tearing something up that just got a federal grant (if the station was changed too substantially, the CTA may have had to pay back the money they got) I guess it ended up being pretty much impossible to do anything but leave it where it is.

And yes, in a time when many tenants are trying to cram as many small workstations and hotelling spots on a floor as possible, rectangular buildings have a definite advantage over their more creatively shaped neighbors. Efficiency of the floor plate is way more important than having a signature design. Look at 151 N Franklin for example. It's a box and it's nearly invisible, but it's having no issues getting tenants. That all said, I think we should see how this thing really takes shape.

[the urban politician]

The bus transit center rocks!

Bus fumes, loud noises, commuters. It's all screams "you are in a big, bustling city!"

Why hide that?

[AMWChicago]

Originally Posted by Freefall

They just spent $40 million dollars on that!

Haha was about to chime in as well

[Mister Uptempo]

Originally Posted by Mr Downtown

The slides should go up on Reilly's website by tonight.

Link to the slideshow.

[BonoboZill4]

Originally Posted by Mr Downtown

I think floor count was 50-something, but the architect may have been vague because the design isn't yet finished. The slides should go up on Reilly's website by tonight.

I don't understand the bitching. Not only will the historic headhouse not be marred by an incompatible addition, and 1700 parking stalls reduced to 400 invisible ones, but the new tower is integrated with street level and plaza in a very promising way. From an urban design perspective, it's doing lots of good things.

Agreed

[BonoboZill4]

Originally Posted by Daprato Rigali

looks like 110 N. Wacker was the first of twins.

I was thinking second of triplets because of the UBS building

Also thanks for the link Mister Uptemp.

[SamInTheLoop]

Originally Posted by rlw777

You're just trolling now. One minute you're pedantic about materials and in another you can't tell why this might be seen as more derivative of 110 Wacker than Trump tower is of Burj.

The design is plainly derivative and the critique that it may be overly so is a valid one.

Correct.

This a copy. O’Donnell, Goettsch and ClarkKent just completely phoning it in now, unfortunately.....

[BVictor1]

Originally Posted by Mister Uptempo

Link to the slideshow.

More than 1,000,000 sq ft of FAR left undeveloped. Pathetic...

[LaSalle.St.Station]

If any block qualified for super density based on TOD principles it would be this block. Downtown should be split up between multiple wards. One aldermen shouldn't be in control of the central business district.


Btw, a park next to a bus depot reminds me of how Pritzker park was on south state st.