Aqua

Have you ever seen vertical puddles? The Aqua building in Chicago is an innovative way that water now appears towers 82 stories into the sky. The architectural design makes the building’s windows look like puddles in comparison the balconies. Aqua is located in the New East Side neighborhood of Chicago, close to Lake Michigan. Its located at 430 East Waterside Drive.  In 2006 construction began on this creative project.  By 2009, the building was completed and awarded #22 on Chicago Magazine's list of the Top 40 Buildings in Chicago in 2010.


Among being awarded the placement in Top 40 buildings, it was also awarded as the 2009 Skyscraper of the year by Emporius. Aqua was the sole U.S. structure nominated for the 2010 International Highrise Award sponsored by the Deutsches Architekturmuseum of Germany. It also has been nominated for the prestigious 2011 Prix Residential High-Rise Award from the International Real Estate Federation. It is top 10 tallest building in Chicago and top 50 tallest in the U.S.


One of the main reasons this building got so much attention other than for the design and architecture was that it was created with a female lead architect. Jeanne Gang, of Studio Gang, an architecture firm in Chicago, is the woman responsible for this work of art that towers into the sky. It is the tallest and only skyscraper in the world designed and led by a female architect.


Jeanne, James McHugh Construction Company, and Magellan Development worked together to make this building possible. They managed to make a luxury building with green features as well. The wave inspired balconies not only serve as a form of artistic elegance but they also help to create shade for the rooms and thus lowering the cooling costs in the summer. The design is also bird friendly since the etched glass and organic shape helps birds to dodge flying into the building’s windows.


Unlike most buildings, Aqua has a unique mixture of window surface and balcony surfaces. Each floor has concrete balconies that vary in size all the way up to 12 feet in depth creating a wave-like appearance. It is an oddity to consider that that the overall look of the building changes based on the time of day, the angle of view, and the distance from it. It is a remarkable sight and one that can never be given justice with just words.


Every side of the structure is unlike the others. The gray concrete in contrast with the seemingly blue windows make the water illusion that much easier to grasp.  The smooth and fluid design fits right in with Lake Michigan nearby.  The floor to ceiling windows accentuate this feature by allowing for magnificent views both from the inside looking at the lake and from the outside looking at Aqua.


While comparable to the Spertus Institute, also here in Chicago, with the different views depending on the location, time of day and distance from the building it differs since the Aqua doesn’t just have windows creating an intriguing surface. Some would argue that the balconies take away from the “clean” look that only glass gives buildings but others would argue that it gives the main “character” to the building and makes it unlike any other.


819 feet isn’t easy to ignore, especially when the building doesn’t look like the ones around it but Aqua still manages to keep some of its charm to those who can find it. It is in plain view from Millennium Park’s concert area but from down the street, it gets tucked behind some of the more prominent typical buildings.


Although remarkable and innovative, some may argue that Aqua just isn’t impressive but they just probably haven’t allowed the time to let the structure to move and flow into the various views it can show throughout the day and prove its magnificence.  Award-winning, towering and sculptural, Aqua is not only a well-known building now a days but it’s also a work of art. Just as water leaves its mark on things it comes in contact with, Aqua is sure to leave its impression on you too.