St. Regis Chicago

The St. Regis Chicago, formerly Wanda Vista Tower, is a recently-completed 101-story, 1,198 ft (365 m) supertall skyscraper in Chicago, Illinois.[2][3][4][5][6][7] Construction started in August 2016, and which took several years to complete.[8] Upon reaching completion, it became the city's third-tallest building at 1,198 ft (365 m),[9] surpassing the Aon Center, and the tallest structure in the world designed by a woman.[10]

The St. Regis Chicago
The St. Regis Chicago, under construction in 2019
Alternative namesVista Tower, Wanda Vista Tower, 375. E Wacker
General information
StatusComplete
Typeresidential / hotel
Location363 East Wacker Drive, Chicago, Illinois, United States
Coordinates41°53′14″N 87°37′02″W
Construction started2016
Estimated completion2020
ManagementMagellan Development Group
Wanda Group
Height1,198 ft (365 m)
Technical details
Floor count101[1]
Floor area1,414,000 sq ft (131,400 m2)
Design and construction
ArchitectStudio Gang Architects
Main contractorMcHugh Construction

Designed by architect Jeanne Gang and her architectural firm, Studio Gang Architects, the St. Regis complements the design of the nearby Aqua skyscraper, also designed by Gang, as the two tallest structures in the world designed by a woman. Initially a joint project between Magellan Development Group and Chinese based Wanda Group, the skyscraper cost nearly $1 billion to construct.[11] Magellan bought the project entirely in 2020, and then partnered with St. Regis Hotels & Resorts,[2] which will open the hotel portion later in 2021.

The structure consists of three interconnected towers, called "stems" with differing heights in a step-like arrangement. The stems are formed from alternating truncated pyramidal shapes called "frustums", giving each tower an undulating appearance. The composition has been likened to sculptor Constantin Brâncuși's Endless Column.[12] According to Studio Gang Architects, the tower "presents itself as three interconnected volumes of differing heights, moving rhythmically in and out of plane" as a result of the curvilinear design. The tower topped out in April 2019. It forms a part of the Lakeshore East development and overlooks the Chicago River near Lake Michigan.

St. Regis Hotel and Residences (December 2020 photo)

Usage

The project was initially planned to house Wanda's Vista luxury hotel brand, its first in North America, and include condominium residences.[13] The St. Regis will contain 393 condominium residences, and 191 hotel rooms, including 33 suites.[14] The restaurateurs associated with Alinea will also open spaces in project.[2]

Design

The building's chief architect is Jeanne Gang, head of Studio Gang Architects and Chicago based bKL Architecture is the project's architect of record. The design has three interconnected volumes with differing heights.[15] Totalling a height of 101 stories, the east, middle, and west towers are 47, 71, and 93 stories tall, respectively.[16] Mechanical space occupies the remaining floors. Upon completion, Vista Tower designers are targeting a Silver Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification.[17]

The three towers feature a curvilinear design,[18] and are made up of alternating frustums. The towers are cladded in 6 different shades of glass. The uppermost segment of the tallest tower contains unoccupied "blow through" floor to prevent the structure from swaying in the wind.[19] This design was described as "stacks of tapering, truncated pyramids that alternate between right-side-up and upside-down" by the Chicago Tribune.[20] The tower has a notably smaller footprint than other supertalls in Chicago; it has a building height-to-core aspect ratio of 40-to-1.

Condominium interiors will be designed by hospitality design firm Hirsch Bedner Associates, while the hotel interior will be designed by San Francisco firm Gensler.[21] Philadelphia-based OLIN will design the project's green spaces, including the rooftop gardens. The structural engineering of the tower was managed by Magnusson Klemencic Associates.[22]

Columns

Unlike most buildings, the buildings perimeter columns step inward and outward instead of going directly upwards. Each column projects about 5 inches outward or inward from the one below it. This was chosen over using columns set over a diagonal, which would have sacrificed interior space.[20]

Wind resistance

The tower uses coupled dual-core shear-wall assembly that connects the three buildings for wind resistance. The two outer cores are tied together via a 508-ft-tall reinforced concrete spine, from floors 15 to 51 above the upper street grade. For gravity loads, columns that continue to foundations support a 123-ft-long spine wall. This 2-ft-thick spine transfers wind loads from the middle tower to the cores of the 51-story tower to the east and the 101-story tower to the west.[23]

The building contains uninhabited "blow-through floors" to reduce wind-induced sway.[20] Six tanks, holding more than 400,000 US gallons (1,500,000 l; 330,000 imp gal) of water, counteract the movement of the wind. A "spine wall" in the tower’s midsection links two outer cores, helping the two towers act as one unit. The wall is perforated so doors and hallways go through. A "buttressed core" in the two outer stalks are built out to the outer edge of the building. The outer walls are also perforated, leaving openings for windows.

Reception

Edward Keegan of Crain's Chicago Business praised the design of the building, calling it "second only to Hancock in the gracefulness in its silhouette" and a "proud and soaring thing". However, he also criticised several engineering choices, notably the execution of the tower's blow-through floors.[24]

See also

References
  1. Ori, Ryan; Brinson, Jemal R. (June 13, 2018). "Don't look now, but at 50 stories, the Vista Tower is halfway done". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 3 July 2018.
  2. Ori, Ryan (2020-11-25). "Goodbye Vista Tower, hello St. Regis. Chicago's newest skyscraper has a new name, new hotel and a restaurant deal with Alinea Group". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2020-11-25.
  3. "Vista". Magellan Development Group. Retrieved July 1, 2018.
  4. "Vista Tower". The Skyscraper Center. Retrieved July 2, 2018.
  5. Gallun, Alby (June 16, 2017). "Vista Tower developers score $700 million construction loan". Crain's Chicago Business.
  6. Gerasole, Vince (July 24, 2017). "Chicago's Vista Tower To Have 'Blow-Through' Floor". WBBM-TV News.
  7. Koziarz, Jay (July 17, 2017). "Chicago's supertall Vista Tower to get empty 'blow through' floor, minor height bump". Curbed Chicago.
  8. LaTrace, A.J. (5 October 2015). "The New Class of Skyscrapers That Will Forever Change the Chicago Skyline". Curbed Chicago. Retrieved 11 October 2015.
  9. Kamin, Blair (November 19, 2015). "Chicago Plan Commission approves tower that would be city's 3rd tallest". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2015-11-20.
  10. Rodkin, Dennis. "What's That Building? A Towering New Addition To Chicago's Skyline". WBEZ. Retrieved 19 January 2020.
  11. "Vista Tower 'a $1 billion vote of confidence in the future of Chicago'". Crain's Chicago Business. 7 September 2016. Retrieved 19 January 2020.
  12. Kamin, Blair (2020-11-23). "Column: An exclusive look at Jeanne Gang's Vista Tower, now Chicago's third-tallest building". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2020-11-23.
  13. "Vista Tower". Magellan Development Group. Retrieved 19 January 2020.
  14. https://www.hospitalitynet.org/announcement/41005549/the-st-regis-chicago.html
  15. "Wanda Vista Tower: Can Jeanne Gang Avoid a Sophomore Slump in the Second City?". Architizer. 23 December 2014. Retrieved 24 March 2015.
  16. Kamin, Blair (April 14, 2015). "Proposed skyscraper could be third-tallest -- or fifth-tallest -- in Chicago". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
  17. "Wanda Vista Tower". Innovation Glass LLC. Retrieved 19 January 2020.
  18. Kamin, Blair. "Architecture's broad reach in 2020: From Chicago towers for the super-rich to plans for Thompson Center and struggling neighborhoods". chicagotribune.com. Retrieved 2020-01-03.
  19. Koziarz, Jay (2019-04-26). "Vista Tower officially tops off at 1,191 feet". Curbed Chicago. Retrieved 2020-01-03.
  20. Kamin, Blair. "Column: Vista Tower tour reveals the engineering secrets that hold up Chicago's latest skyline standout". chicagotribune.com. Retrieved 2020-04-29.
  21. LaTrace, A.J. (April 14, 2015). "What the Studio Gang-Designed Wanda Vista Supertall Means for Chicago". Curbed Chicago. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
  22. "Vista Tower". studiogang.com. Retrieved 2020-04-29.
  23. "A Double-Decker Road Runs Through Vista Tower, Chicago's Third-Tallest Building". www.enr.com. Retrieved 2020-04-29.
  24. "Jeanne Gang's Vista: A 'proud and soaring thing'—with a flaw". Crain's Chicago Business. 2020-02-26. Retrieved 2020-04-29.
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