Chicago skyline guideChicago's skyline is the world's tallest and easily ranks among its most magnificent. It boasts three of America's five tallest buildings and, if you include its antenna, the massive Sears Tower remains the tallest skyscraper in the world.
Understand
''See Architecture for more on Chicago's skyscrapers and some of their shorter, notable counterparts.''
In the late 19th century, Chicago's downtown was an ideal location for architects of ambition; the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 had literally gutted the downtown area, creating a relentless drive to re-build and ample space in which to do it. Chicago's engineers solved the problem of the load-bearing wall, liberating structures from the limits of what a masonry foundation could support. Built in 1885, William LeBaron Janney's 10-story Home Insurance Building was the first to use a steel-frame skeleton to support its walls — at one-third of the weight of a structure using conventional means. Real estate prices and building heights soared in the years that followed, but the boom years of the 1920s financial bubble saw an unprecedented wave of skyscrapers that shattered previous records for size, including the still-extant Mather Tower, Tribune Tower, and later the Chicago Board of Trade.
The second wave, oddly enough, occurred during the 1960s and 70s, when urban centers across America were experiencing white flight and severe population decline. The answer of Chicago's first Mayor Daley was simple: build, and then build some more. As a result, while the residential population spread across a wide range of suburbs, commercial activity remained fixed at the center of the city. It was during this time when Chicago gained its most famous modern skyscrapers, including the three of the tallest: the Sears Tower, the Aon Center, and the John Hancock Center. (It was also during this time — as occurred during the first wave — when a giant swathe of early skyscrapers were recklessly demolished.)
The third wave of supertall construction is underway ''right now''. Driven by downtown Chicago's residential real estate boom (the hottest in the country prior to the current financial crisis), existing buildings are converting office space to condominiums and hotels, and builders are racing to erect what will be some of the world's tallest buildings, which may radically re-shape the city's skyline. The latest result of the building spree is, of course, the Trump Tower, now the second tallest building in the U.S., and the ninth tallest in the world. In the past six months, construction has ground to a halt as virtually all sources of credit dried up, leaving a few of the most intriguing projects in jeopardy, including the highly anticipated Chicago Spire.
Views
Using this guide, you should be able to figure out what buildings you are looking at from any of Chicago's most popular skyline-gazing spots. The CTA Red Line is the best means for reaching most of the viewing points that follow; see individual district articles for more detailed directions.
The most popular views of Chicago's skyline are over Lake Michigan from the east. The two main locations for easterly views are:
The Loop view from '''Adler Planetarium''':
and the Near North Side view from '''Navy Pier''':
The clearest view from the North Side is at Uptown's '''Montrose Point''':
The most popular view from the South Side is at '''US Cellular Field''':
And a typical West Side view can be found at '''Ashland L Station''' on the CTA Green/Pink Line, near the '''United Center''':
But perhaps even more remarkable are the views from the skyline itself, none of which are more spectacular than from the '''John Hancock Center Observatory''':
Buildings
The following is a reference list of Chicago skyscrapers, in descending order by height, listed on the views maps. For directions, maps and information for buildings that are open to visitors, see individual district articles. All but one of these buildings can be found in the Loop and the Near North.
The top ten
Sears Tower. 33 S Wacker Dr. 1451 ft. The Sears Tower remains John Hancock Center. 75 N Michigan Ave. 1127 ft. The John Hancock Center is the sixth tallest skyscraper in the US and, if you include its very long antennae, the fourth tallest in the world from base to pinnacle. The building was a pioneer of several architectural features designed by Fazlur Khan, a Bangladeshi-American structural engineer. According to the logic of the structural expressionist school, these features are visible and emphasized, lending the building its originality. Most notable is the building's pioneering use of X-bracing—if you don't know what this means, you will when you see it. There is a great view from the Observation Deck on the 94th floor and a fine restaurant on the 95th. Floors 45 through 92 contain more than 700 condominiums.
AT&T Corporate Center. 27 West Monroe St. 1007 ft. Built by Adrian Smith in 1989, the granite-clad AT&T Corporate Center is one of the city's more distinctive skyscrapers for its massive size, spiked roof pinnacles, and a style evocative of both Gothic and Japanese architectural styles. It is the ninth tallest building in the US.
Two Prudential Plaza. 80 N Stetson Ave. 995 ft. This tower was built and connected to the original Prudential One for the Prudential Financial Corporation in 1990. It is the twelfth tallest building in the US.
311 S Wacker Dr. 961 ft. This is perhaps the tallest building in the world without an official name, although locals know exactly what to call it: The White Castle Building. It is distinctive for its "crown," which is brightly illuminated at night. If you are nearby, head into its lobby to see its enormous indoor garden and fountain.
900 N Michigan. 871 ft. This skyscraper is a vertical shopping mall on the Magnificent Mile, anchored by Bloomingdales in the back and the Four Seasons Resort between the towers. It's especially visible at night when its four "lanterns" are lit up.
Water Tower Place. 45 N Michigan Ave. 859 ft. This is the pioneer vertical mall on the Magnificent Mile and is home to the luxurious Ritz-Carlton Hotel, a ton of retailers, and some of Chicago's swankiest apartments. (Oprah's selling her rooftop mansion for around $5.5 million, in case you're interested.)
Chase Tower. 1 S Clark St. 850 ft. Located at the exact epicenter of CTA's Loop transit system, this building is distinctive for its vertical curve. It has been re-named for each of the successive banks that have bought out its previous tenants — for example, it was the BankOne Tower until a couple years ago.
Shorter, but proud
Park Tower. 00 N Michigan Ave. 844 ft. This very narrow skyscraper houses the Park Hyatt at the street level and luxury condos in the upper levels. It is one of the tallest buildings in the world that lack a steel frame, constructed of pre-cast concrete.
Three First National Plaza. 0 W Madison St. 767 ft. This huge office building, just north of the Chase Tower, was built in 1981. Its nine-story atrium features Henry Moore's gigantic statue, Large Internal-External Upright Form.
Chicago Title & Trust Center. 61 N Clark St. 756 ft. This 1992 building's slanted roof is brightly illuminated at night.
One Museum Park. 215 S Prairie Ave. 734 ft. One of the newest members of the Chicago skyline, and the tallest building in Chicago south of Van Buren St by far. It's the first real building on Grant Park's budding south wall, and serves as its soaring centerpiece.
Olympia Center. 37 N Michigan Ave. 725 ft. Built in 1986, this is a tall red granite building, hard to miss on the Magnificent Mile for its red coloring and tapering shape as it goes up. Mostly residential.
330 N Wabash. BM Plaza. 695 ft. This is Mies van der Rohe's second tallest building, built in 1973 for IBM. IBM has since left the building, and the building may at present be as much as 50% vacant, prompting a plan to convert floors into luxury condominiums.
111 S Wacker. 681 ft. Built in 2001, an attractive blue glass building. But the lobby is the most interesting sight, as its unique spiraling ceiling is actually the floor of the building's parking garage.
One Magnificent Mile. ne Mag Mile. 80 N Michigan Ave. 673 ft. An odd bundle of four hexagonal tubes, each at different heights. Those heights were carefully chosen and placed to aid Oak Street Beach sunbathers by ensuring the buildings shadow would never shade the sand!
RR Donnelley Building. 7 W Wacker Dr. 662 ft. This 1992 building is one of Chicago's more attractive skyscrapers and has a classical theme to its design. Notable current tenants include United Airlines and Microsoft.
Daley Center. 5 W Washington St. 648 ft. The 1965 Daley Center is Chicago's principal civic center and boasts a gigantic Marina City. 00 N State St. 588 ft. One of the Chicago skyline's most distinctive features are the 1964 twin concrete corncob towers of Marina City. They are mostly residential, with precarious looking parking on the lower middle levels, and house the House of Blues concert hall and hotel on the bottom. Its apartments are "wedge-shaped" and the building is unique (among other things) for having no interior right angles. The building was used in the movie ''Bullet'' in which a car plunges off one of the parking garage levels into the Chicago River below.
Smurfit-Stone Building. iamond Building. 50 N Michigan Ave. 582 ft. Anyone who has seen ''Adventures in Babysitting'' should immediately recognize this 1984 building, as its slanted roof, the outline of which is well lit at night, played a very important role in the film's climax. Popular wisdom holds that the building was intended as an, ahem, anti-phallic complement to Chicago's many masculine skyscrapers.
Mid-Continental Plaza. 5 E Monroe St. 582 ft. Although not among the very tallest, this 1972 skyscraper is one of Chicago's (and the world's) most massive buildings. It has no setbacks and covers a full city block.
Last, but not least
Onterie Center. 46 E Ontario St. 570 ft. Named after the two streets at its base, Ontario and Erie, the 1985 Onterie center features prominently the diagonal x-bracing structure, dedicated to the pioneer of that structure, Fazlur Khan, the structural engineer behind the John Hancock Center and Sears Tower. It is a mixed-use structure with retail, office, and residential space.
Palmolive Building. layboy Building. 19 N Michigan Ave. 565 ft. This art deco Chicago landmark was built in 1929 for the Colgate-Palmolive Company, but became better known for its next tenant, the Playboy Company. The building really stands out on nights when its powerful beacon lights up the Chicago sky. Although previously sweeping a full circle, the beacon is now limited so as to not intrude upon the taller buildings around it. The building is currently being converted for residential use.
Kluczynski Federal Building. 19 S Dearborn St. 545 ft. This skyscraper was built in 1975, designed by Mies van der Rohe. The building is named for the Illinois 5th district congressman John Kluczynski, who served from 1951–1979. An adventurous (and oddly urban) raccoon may have set a raccoon world climbing record by reaching the scaffolding on the 36th floor in 2006.
Mather Tower. 5 E Wacker Dr. 521 ft. This 1928 building is instantly recognizable for its slim octagonal tower, which houses the smallest floors in Chicago. In 2000, the terra cotta crown began to fall off and was removed and subsequently replaced by helicopter.
Carbide and Carbon Building. ard Rock Hotel. 30 N Michigan Ave. 503 ft. The Carbide and Carbon building is a beautiful 1929 Art Deco tower covered in dark green terra cotta and adorned with a gold terra cotta leaf at the pinnacle. It is rumored that the architects, the Burnham Brothers, intended the building to resemble a bottle of champagne. It's easily one of Chicago's most attractive buildings, a point not lost on Waterview Tower. 11 W Wacker Dr. 1047 ft. This building was intended to open in 2009 to house luxury condos and the Shangri-La Hotel. It will be Chicago's fifth tallest upon completion. In addition to being supertall, it will be superthin as well, being built upon only 1/4 of a block! In 2008 the project has gone on hold mid-construction, as there have been financial problems related to ongoing turmoil in credit markets.
Aqua. Water Street & N Stetson. 823 ft. Jeanne Gang's new skyscraper is the biggest American project ever to be headed by a woman. It is slated to be completed by 2009 and will distinguish itself by its series of undulating balconies, which will extend as far as 12 feet from the building's walls, to give the building a surreal "rippling" effect. It uses an unforgettable curtain wall that compliments wavy balconies. While still under construction, it's worth seeking out if only because the rippling effect is most interesting when viewed from just under the tower.
Legacy Tower. 1-39 S Wabash. 822 ft. This very visible and hotly anticipated slender glass tower will bring 360 new condos onto the downtown market, right in the heart of the Loop in 2009.
Blue Cross Blue Shield Tower. 00 E Randolph. 796 ft. The existing tower on the north wall of Millenium Park is being built up from 411 ft to become one of the city's taller skyscrapers. Construction should finish by 2010.
300 N LaSalle. 775 ft. A major sustainable design project intended to create a new "green" skyscraper on the Chicago River by the end of 2008, thereby extending the Chicago River's skyscraper canyon, and as an added bonus destroying a hideous riverfront parking garage.
Elysian. 1 E Walton St. 700 ft. A thin skyscraper to be finished in 2008 in Chicago's Gold Coast, which will house a hotel, luxury condos (of course), and restaurants. It will sport a faux-stone facade, a faux-French style roof, and general faux-taste.