CHICAGO | One Bennett Park | 837 FT | 68 FLOORS

[PittsburghPA]

I'm not sure if that is real or faux bronze but copper would have been a nice touch. Watching it oxidize so forth and so on. Would have been a great ode to true art deco architecture.

[kolchak]

Originally Posted by PittsburghPA

I'm not sure if that is real or faux bronze but copper would have been a nice touch. Watching it oxidize so forth and so on. Would have been a great ode to true art deco architecture.

I agree here 100%. I like the De Young in San Francisco which was designed to turn green (oxidize) over time to blend in with Golden Gate Park's trees. Maybe not exactly the same in this case but copper and terracotta (for the base) would have been much better materials to match the use of precast panels. It would have made the building feel more Deco period and more 'organic.'

I like the design of this building but there have been flaws in the choice of materials. I know it was VE'd but they still could have done a better job.

[maru2501]

it still needs a dark element at the tippy top there. Going to look washed out if it tops out with precast in the sky

[LouisVanDerWright]

It probably doesn't even have 1% copper in it guys, it's not real bronze or copper. That would be excellent if it were. I was just driving by the base and looking at how nice the real limestone is turning out, with how long it is taking them to wrap up the precast on this they may as well have set real stone. This would have been a pretty cool building if it was real stone and copper the whole way up.

Hey at least we didn't get VE'd suburban warehouse siding like we did at Elysian!

[BonoboZill4]

Originally Posted by maru2501

it still needs a dark element at the tippy top there. Going to look washed out if it tops out with precast in the sky

That's what I'm worried most about, and it's probably the reason Lagrange always puts those dumb hats on his buildings. He knows that is a problem with this style of high rise, but his solutions are always the same and just look wonky.

[PittsburghPA]

Originally Posted by LouisVanDerWright

It probably doesn't even have 1% copper in it guys, it's not real bronze or copper...

I think you may have misunderstood my comment.

[Donnie77]

Can't figure out how to post pics, plz help

[the urban politician]

This building’s base is indeed very impressive. I do sort of imagine how breathtaking this entire tower would be if they used limestone the whole way up. Oh well, no point in fantasizing I guess....

[kolchak]

Originally Posted by maru2501

it still needs a dark element at the tippy top there. Going to look washed out if it tops out with precast in the sky

Well, that's an interesting point. I don't think it will look any different than the latest rendering - some additional dark window framing with the rest precast. Better at least than the crappy VE'd mansard roof they stuck on the Elysian (now Waldorf.)

What the Elysian roof was supposed to look like -


What we wound up with -


Latest OBP rendering -

[cozy]

Originally Posted by the urban politician

Some swanky dinner parties they will be. The rich and powerful will look down on the city, fine glasses of brandy and sherry in hand, and laugh with great pleasure

The drink:couch price ratio discussion you started is some of the funniest stuff I've read in a while.

[maru2501]

Elysian sure is odd

[Zerton]

The fez hat. That building is a travesty.

[BonoboZill4]

I hope this gets lit up as well as NBC tower at night

[Suiram]

Originally Posted by BonoboZill4

I hope this gets lit up as well as NBC tower at night

Agreed, of course limited by residents, but something on the crown.

Everyone is still slowlyshifting from absolute hatred for "this pre-cast beige monstrosity" to grudging acceptance that it looks pretty good (with the immediate caveat that its not even close to X, Y, & Z buildings). I think once its done people will have to swallow their pride and admit its a damn interesting building. Great detail at the top, great detail at the base. Totally distinct from everything else nearby. The base and park alone are amazing compared with some other recent projects. Even Vista is still TBD in terms of how well everything they are trying to do actually works (referring to the base and circulation, not the curves which are already impressive in raw concrete).

Someone else said before that hopefully it sets a new standard for how to ornament a luxury beige building. I hope so.

[Investing In Chicago]

Originally Posted by Suiram

Agreed, of course limited by residents, but something on the crown.

Everyone is still slowlyshifting from absolute hatred for "this pre-cast beige monstrosity" to grudging acceptance that it looks pretty good (with the immediate caveat that its not even close to X, Y, & Z buildings). I think once its done people will have to swallow their pride and admit its a damn interesting building. Great detail at the top, great detail at the base. Totally distinct from everything else nearby. The base and park alone are amazing compared with some other recent projects. Even Vista is still TBD in terms of how well everything they are trying to do actually works (referring to the base and circulation, not the curves which are already impressive in raw concrete).

Someone else said before that hopefully it sets a new standard for how to ornament a luxury beige building. I hope so.

I agree with you...I just wish OBP was clad in real limestone like 520 Park Ave, it makes such a huge difference in person.

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/show...&postcount=355

[the urban politician]

Originally Posted by Investing In Chicago

I agree with you...I just wish OBP was clad in real limestone like 520 Park Ave, it makes such a huge difference in person.

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/show...&postcount=355

Real limestone.....

[Steely Dan]

Originally Posted by Suiram

Everyone is still slowlyshifting from absolute hatred for "this pre-cast beige monstrosity" to grudging acceptance that it looks pretty good (with the immediate caveat that its not even close to X, Y, & Z buildings)..

be careful with the word "everyone".

we've a had sizeable and very vocal chorus of haters on this project from day one, but there is another (much less vocal) group that doesn't fall in-line with the haters.

i've said all along that this is a nice enough tower, and that stern is certainly one of the best in his particular genre, but his genre overall doesn't get my architectural blood terribly excited.

this is a good tower (it would be better with real stone though), and it fits just fine into the tapestry that is the chicago skyline, but it's not likely to ever enter the pantheon of the most highly-revered towers like the reliance building, inland steel, marina city, etc. in chicago architectural circles given this town's general sensibilities in that department.

[RedCorsair87]

^ I agree 100%. As previously stated, this tower would look significantly better with limestone/copper roof and if all the setbacks/balconies were well-lit at night. Regardless, this tower still looks good and I can't really complain about another 800+ building being added to our skyline.

I hope this building reveals an strong appetite in Chicago for luxury Art-Deco buildings like this. Perhaps in the future, we may see a taller, more lavish version like the ones in NYC--maybe even in one of lots next to NBC Tower.

[maru2501]

people keep talking about lighting up the crown.. I don't see a crown

[rgarri4]

Originally Posted by maru2501

people keep talking about lighting up the crown.. I don't see a crown

The top 5 percent