Aqua Tower by Studio Gang: At 82 stories, reaching a height of 876 feet, is one of few tallest buildings to create a community on its facade. Combining a hotel, offices, rental apartments, condominiums, and parking, along with one of Chicago’s largest green roofs, it facilitates strong connections between people and to the city.
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Photography by © Hedrich Blessing
The Design of The Aqua Tower:
The design uses architecture to capture and reinterpret the human and outdoor connections that occur more naturally when living closer to the ground. Its distinctive form is achieved by varying the floor slabs across the height the tower, based on criteria such as views, sunlight, and use.
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Strategically sculpting the shape of each floor slab offers comfortable outdoor terraces, where neighbors can casually and comfortably interact when desired, as well as views to Chicago landmarks, navigating sight lines around the corners and through the gaps between existing buildings. The overall design is the cumulative result of responses to specific conditions of density, environment, and use.
Photography by © Hedrich Blessing
Borrowing from the characteristics of terrestrial topography, the Aqua tower Chicago was imagined as a vertical landscape made up of hills, valleys, and pools. “Pools” of high performance glass and “hills” of the floor plate extensions are visible from adjacent towers.
Photography by © Hedrich Blessing
Project Info
Architects : Studio Gang
Location : Chicago, United States
Year : 2010
Status : Built
Client : Magellan Development Group LLC
Type : Office/ Residential
Hadeer Shahin is the Built Projects Editor at Arch2O, where she curates innovative architectural works from around the globe. With a background in architecture from Alexandria University and hands-on experience in design and digital content, she bridges the gap between technical precision and editorial vision. Hadeer’s keen eye for spatial storytelling and her passion for contemporary design trends make her a vital contributor to Arch2O’s mission of highlighting excellence in the built environment.