32
Global
Height rank

Trump International Hotel & Tower

Chicago
Height
1
To Tip:
Height is measured from the level of the lowest, significant, open-air, pedestrian entrance to the highest point of the building, irrespective of material or function of the highest element (i.e., including antennae, flagpoles, signage and other functional-technical equipment).
423.2 m / 1,389 ft
2
Architectural:
Height is measured from the level of the lowest, significant, open-air, pedestrian entrance to the architectural top of the building, including spires, but not including antennae, signage, flag poles or other functional-technical equipment. This measurement is the most widely utilized and is employed to define the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) rankings of the "World's Tallest Buildings."
423.2 m / 1,389 ft
3
Occupied:
Height is measured from the level of the lowest, significant, open-air, pedestrian entrance to the highest occupied floor within the building.
340.1 m / 1,116 ft
1 2 3 Trump International Hotel & Tower
  Floors
Above Ground
The number of floors above ground should include the ground floor level and be the number of main floors above ground, including any significant mezzanine floors and major mechanical plant floors. Mechanical mezzanines should not be included if they have a significantly smaller floor area than the major floors below. Similarly, mechanical penthouses or plant rooms protruding above the general roof area should not be counted. Note: CTBUH floor counts may differ from published accounts, as it is common in some regions of the world for certain floor levels not to be included (e.g., the level 4, 14, 24, etc. in Hong Kong).
98
Below Ground
The number of floors below ground should include all major floors located below the ground floor level.
2
Height 423.2 m / 1,389 ft
Floors 98
Official Name
The current legal building name.

Trump International Hotel & Tower

Type
CTBUH collects data on two major types of tall structures: 'Buildings' and 'Telecommunications / Observation Towers.' A 'Building' is a structure where at least 50% of the height is occupied by usable floor area. A 'Telecommunications / Observation Tower' is a structure where less than 50% of the structure's height is occupied by usable floor area. Only 'Buildings' are eligible for the CTBUH 'Tallest Buildings' lists.

Building

Status
Completed
Architecturally Topped Out
Structurally Topped Out
Under Construction
Proposed
On Hold
Never Completed
Vision
Competition Entry
Canceled
Proposed Renovation
Under Renovation
Renovated
Under Demolition
Demolished

Completed

Completion

2009

Country
The CTBUH follows the United Nations's definition of Country, and thus uses the lists and codes established by that organization.

United States

City
The CTBUH follows the United Nations's definition of City, and thus uses the lists and codes established by that organization.

Chicago

Function
A single-function tall building is defined as one where 85% or more of its usable floor area is dedicated to a single usage. Thus a building with 90% office floor area would be said to be an "office" building, irrespective of other minor functions it may also contain.

A mixed-use tall building contains two or more functions (or uses), where each of the functions occupy a significant proportion of the tower's total space. Support areas such as car parks and mechanical plant space do not constitute mixed-use functions. Functions are denoted on CTBUH "Tallest Building" lists in descending order, e.g., "hotel/office" indicates hotel function above office function.

Residential / Hotel

Structural Material
All-Steel
Both the main vertical/lateral structural elements and the floor spanning systems are constructed from steel. Note that a building of steel construction with a floor system of concrete planks or concrete slab on top of steel beams is still considered an “all-steel” structure as the concrete elements are not acting as the primary structure.

All-Concrete
Both the main vertical/lateral structural elements and the floor spanning systems are constructed from concrete which has been cast in place and utilizes steel reinforcement bars and/or steel reinforced concrete which has been precast as individual components and assembled together on-site.

All-Timber
Both the main vertical/lateral structural elements and the floor spanning systems are constructed from timber. An all-timber structure may include the use of localized non-timber connections between timber elements. Note that a building of timber construction with a floor system of concrete planks or concrete slab on top of timber beams is still considered an “all-timber” structure as the concrete elements are not acting as the primary structure.

Mixed-Structure
Utilizes distinct systems (e.g. all-steel, all-concrete, all-timber), one on top of the other. For example, a Steel Over Concrete indicates an all-steel structural system located on top of an all-concrete structural system, with the opposite true of Concrete Over Steel.

Composite
A combination of materials (e.g. steel, concrete, timber) are used together in the main structural elements. Examples include buildings which utilize: steel columns with a floor system of reinforced concrete beams; a steel frame system with a concrete core; concrete-encased steel columns; concrete-filled steel tubes; etc. Where known, the CTBUH database breaks out the materials used within a composite building’s primary structural elements.

All-Concrete

Official Website

Trump Chicago

Height
Architectural
Height is measured from the level of the lowest, significant, open-air, pedestrian entrance to the architectural top of the building, including spires, but not including antennae, signage, flag poles or other functional-technical equipment. This measurement is the most widely utilized and is employed to define the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) rankings of the "World's Tallest Buildings."

423.2 m / 1,389 ft

To Tip
Height is measured from the level of the lowest, significant, open-air, pedestrian entrance to the highest point of the building, irrespective of material or function of the highest element (i.e., including antennae, flagpoles, signage and other functional-technical equipment).
423.2 m / 1,389 ft
Occupied
Height is measured from the level of the lowest, significant, open-air, pedestrian entrance to the highest occupied floor within the building.
340.1 m / 1,116 ft
Floors Above Ground
The number of floors above ground should include the ground floor level and be the number of main floors above ground, including any significant mezzanine floors and major mechanical plant floors. Mechanical mezzanines should not be included if they have a significantly smaller floor area than the major floors below. Similarly, mechanical penthouses or plant rooms protruding above the general roof area should not be counted. Note: CTBUH floor counts may differ from published accounts, as it is common in some regions of the world for certain floor levels not to be included (e.g., the level 4, 14, 24, etc. in Hong Kong).

98

Floors Below Ground
The number of floors below ground should include all major floors located below the ground floor level.

2

# of Apartments
Number of Apartments refers to the total number of residential units (including both rental units and condominiums) contained within a particular building.

486

# of Elevators
Number of Elevators refers to the total number of elevator cars (not shafts) contained within a particular building (including public, private and freight elevators).

27

Top Elevator Speed
Top Elevator Speed refers to the top speed capable of being achieved by an elevator within a particular building, measured in meters per second.

8 m/s

Tower GFA
Tower GFA refers to the total gross floor area within the tower footprint, not including adjoining podiums, connected buildings or other towers within the development.

241,548 m² / 2,600,001 ft²

Rankings

#
32
Tallest in the World
#
7
Tallest in North America
#
7
Tallest in United States
#
2
Tallest in Chicago

Construction Schedule

2001

Proposed

2005

Construction Start

2009

Completed

Architect
Design

Usually involved in the front end design, with a "typical" condition being that of a leadership role through either Schematic Design or Design Development, and then a monitoring role through the CD and CA phases.

Structural Engineer
Design

The Design Engineer is usually involved in the front end design, typically taking the leadership role in the Schematic Design and Design Development, and then a monitoring role through the CD and CA phases.

Contractor
Main Contractor

The main contractor is the supervisory contractor of all construction work on a project, management of sub-contractors and vendors, etc. May be referred to as "Construction Manager," however, for consistency CTBUH uses the term "Main Contractor" exclusively.

Other Consultant

Other Consultant refers to other organizations which provided significant consultation services for a building project (e.g. wind consultants, environmental consultants, fire and life safety consultants, etc).

Façade

These are firms that consult on the design of a building's façade. May often be referred to as "Cladding," "Envelope," "Exterior Wall," or "Curtain Wall" Consultant, however, for consistency CTBUH uses the term "Façade Consultant" exclusively.

Vertical Transportation
Wind
Material Supplier

Material Supplier refers to organizations which supplied significant systems/materials for a building project (e.g. elevator suppliers, facade suppliers, etc).

Cladding
Elevator
Owner/Developer
The Trump Organization
Architect
Design

Usually involved in the front end design, with a "typical" condition being that of a leadership role through either Schematic Design or Design Development, and then a monitoring role through the CD and CA phases.

Structural Engineer
Design

The Design Engineer is usually involved in the front end design, typically taking the leadership role in the Schematic Design and Design Development, and then a monitoring role through the CD and CA phases.

MEP Engineer
Design

The Design Engineer is usually involved in the front end design, typically taking the leadership role in the Schematic Design and Design Development, and then a monitoring role through the CD and CA phases.

WMA Consulting Engineers
Contractor
Main Contractor

The main contractor is the supervisory contractor of all construction work on a project, management of sub-contractors and vendors, etc. May be referred to as "Construction Manager," however, for consistency CTBUH uses the term "Main Contractor" exclusively.

Other Consultant

Other Consultant refers to other organizations which provided significant consultation services for a building project (e.g. wind consultants, environmental consultants, fire and life safety consultants, etc).

Façade

These are firms that consult on the design of a building's façade. May often be referred to as "Cladding," "Envelope," "Exterior Wall," or "Curtain Wall" Consultant, however, for consistency CTBUH uses the term "Façade Consultant" exclusively.

Vertical Transportation
Wind
Material Supplier

Material Supplier refers to organizations which supplied significant systems/materials for a building project (e.g. elevator suppliers, facade suppliers, etc).

Cladding
Elevator

CTBUH Awards & Distinctions

Best Tall Building, by Region, Americas 2009 Award of Excellence

2009 CTBUH Awards

 

CTBUH Initiatives

Top Company Rankings: The World’s 100 Tallest Buildings

13 October 2016 - CTBUH Research

Chicago Regional Tour

29 October 2015 - Event

Videos

16 September 2014 | Chicago

Developments in CFD Responding to the Increased Demands of Taller Buildings

Accurate analysis of the aerodynamic effect of tall buildings is vital for the sustainable development of the vertical urban habitat. The established analysis methods are...

Research

31 January 2019

Interactive Study on Tall Buildings in Numbers: 2018 Year in Review

CTBUH Research

In 2018, 143 buildings of 200 meters’ height or greater were completed. This is a slight decrease from 2017’s record-breaking total of 147, and it...

Global News

18 February 2022

Offer Placed on $30 Million Unfinished Penthouse in Chicago

The unfinished penthouse at the top of Trump International Hotel & Tower is tentatively under contract to a buyer. The unit, more than 14,200 square feet...

About Trump International Hotel & Tower

The Trump International Hotel & Tower stands at 401 North Wabash Avenue in Chicago, the site of the former Chicago Sun-Times building. The tower includes the 339-room Trump International Hotel, 486 luxury condominium units, 9,300 square meters (100,000 sq ft) of riverfront retail space, 960 parking spaces, restaurant, banquet space, health club, spa, lounges and a ground floor beautified by a landscaped riverfront public plaza and a riverfront promenade.

The tower creates a significant new addition to the Chicago skyline and changes the way in which individuals experience the Chicago River. Shaped to reflect its orientation along the riverfront, the tower’s width is sensitive to its urban surroundings. The south side of the tower parallels the river bank, enabling the structure to connect with Chicago’s north–south grid. Adding to the tower’s sculptural quality, the building’s massing is lifted by 12 meters (40ft), opening up an expansive, landscaped promenade that steps down, like terraces on a hillside, for three levels until it meets the Chicago River. This promenade establishes a pedestrian connection between Michigan Avenue and State Street. By providing public assembly spaces and retail activity at the river’s edge, the tower will connect two bustling areas together: North Michigan Avenue and the Loop.

The tower relates to its neighbors through a series of setbacks, the first of which occurs on the east side, at a height that is essentially the same as the cornice line of the Wrigley Building. The next setback, on the west side of the tower, relates to both the height of the residential tower to the north and Marina City, to the west. The third and final setback is on the east side of the tower and relates to the height of the IBM Building immediately adjacent.

The lateral structural system for the Trump Tower consists of a concrete core and outrigger system. Concrete was chosen as the primary structural material to take advantage of its ability to provide a stiff frame with high damping. The tower foundation consists of a three meter (10ft) thick mat supported on rock caissons. It is believed that the 3,823 meters cubed (5,000 yd3) mat foundation pour represented the largest single self-consolidating concrete placement in North America to date.

As part of the tower’s sustainable strategy, Chicago River water is used to cool the building. The building’s cooling system returns the water back into the river, unlike buildings with conventional cooling towers. A computerized-control system regulates the temperature and ventilation of the building, determining how much the air must be conditioned. Partial green roofs can be found on the tower’s terrace levels. Each of the 3 meter by 1.5 meter (10ft x 6ft) curtain wall panels are made of thermal-pane glass encased in aluminum, with a thermal coating that helps retain heat in the winter and cool air in the summer.

Early on in the design and development of the project, the client identified the desire for a project with phased occupancy. The occupancy phasing was incredibly unique—while the bottom 30 floors of the hotel were completed, occupied and functioning, construction continued on the remaining 60 floors. This phased occupancy required a concerted effort of the project management staff to meet regularly with the City of Chicago inspectors and Building Department heads.

CTBUH Awards & Distinctions

Best Tall Building, by Region, Americas 2009 Award of Excellence

2009 CTBUH Awards

16 September 2014 | Chicago

Developments in CFD Responding to the Increased Demands of Taller Buildings

Accurate analysis of the aerodynamic effect of tall buildings is vital for the sustainable development of the vertical urban habitat. The established analysis methods are...

07 November 2013 | Chicago

Fazlur Khan Lifetime Achievement Medal: Geotechnics for the World’s Tallest

Clyde Baker has performed geotechnical engineering for seven of the 16 tallest buildings in the world, and a major portion of the high-rise buildings built...

03 November 2011 | Chicago

Lynn S. Beedle Lifetime Achievement Award: 40 Years of Designing the Supertall

As one of the world’s foremost experts on supertall buildings, Adrian has contributed greatly to the development of this highly specialized building type. Adrian will...

23 October 2009 | Chicago

Interview: Broadgate Tower

Timothy Poell of SOM is interviewed by Jeff Herzer during the 2009 CTBUH Chicago Conference at Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago. Timothy discusses The Broadgate...

22 October 2009 | Chicago

Skyscrapers as Business Strategy: Trump International Hotel and Tower - Chicago

The Trump International Hotel and Tower Chicago completes this year as the tallest building in the US built in 35 years, since Sears Tower. In...

31 January 2019

Interactive Study on Tall Buildings in Numbers: 2018 Year in Review

CTBUH Research

In 2018, 143 buildings of 200 meters’ height or greater were completed. This is a slight decrease from 2017’s record-breaking total of 147, and it...

31 December 2014

Interactive Study on Year in Review: Tall Trends of 2014

Daniel Safarik, Antony Wood, Marty Carver & Marshall Gerometta, CTBUH

An All-Time Record 97 Buildings of 200 Meters or Higher Completed in 2014 and 2014 showed further shifts towards Asia, and also surprising developments in...

16 September 2014

Developments in CFD Responding to the Increased Demands of Taller Buildings

Darren Davies & Jon Winchester, Wirth Research Limited

Accurate analysis of the aerodynamic effect of tall buildings is vital for the sustainable development of the vertical urban habitat. The established analysis methods are...

31 December 2009

Tallest Buildings Completed in 2009

CTBUH Research

Trump International Hotel & Tower named tallest building completed in 2009; Successful year for the American high-rise. Over half of all buildings 200m or taller...

01 August 2009

Case Study: Trump International Hotel & Tower

William Baker & Richard F. Tomlinson, SOM; Paul James, Bovis Lend Lease; Andrew Weiss, The Trump Organization

Chicago, a city known worldwide for its tall buildings, welcomed a new supertall tower to its skyline this year. Bookended by the 442-meter (1,450-foot) Sears...

01 August 2008

Partial Occupancies for Phased and Multi-Use Tall Building

Robert Lau, Roosevelt University

What if parts of a building could be occupied before the entire building is completed? What if a large high-rise project could be constructed in...

18 February 2022

Offer Placed on $30 Million Unfinished Penthouse in Chicago

The unfinished penthouse at the top of Trump International Hotel & Tower is tentatively under contract to a buyer. The unit, more than 14,200 square feet...

30 April 2019

Two Towers Progress onto Chicago’s Iconic Skyline

Vista Tower reached its final height on April 26 2019, when construction workers poured concrete to form the Chicago skyscraper’s 101st and final floor. That...

13 October 2016

Top Company Rankings: The World’s 100 Tallest Buildings

The Council is pleased to announce the Top Company Rankings for numerous disciplines as derived from the list of projects appearing in 100 of the World’s Tallest Buildings.

30 October 2015

Chicago Regional Tour

CTBUH 2015 delegates toured Chicago and its architectural marvels. From recently constructed skyscrapers to the modern marvel of Willis Tower, which held the tallest title for 25 years.

29 May 2015

EMI Lead Chicago Tall-Building Study Trip

A group of 20 Belgian real estate professionals traveled to Chicago from May 25-29 to visit several tall buildings, and related developments as part of a CTBUH Belgium study trip.

14 November 2012

CTBUH to Study the Life Cycle of Tall Building Structural Systems

ArcelorMittal has awarded a $300,000 research grant to the CTBUH to study and compare the full range of environmental effects assignable to structural systems in tall buildings.

7 April 2010

Trump Tower Chicago, CTBUH Height Signboard Inaugurated

On a rainy Wednesday the CTBUH gathered with members of the Trump International Hotel & Tower Chicago team for the inauguration of the building signboard.

16 December 2009

Height: The History of Measuring Tall Buildings

This article describes some of the events which took place in the Council's long, and sometimes complex, history of measuring tall buildings.

17 November 2009

CTBUH Changes Height Criteria / Burj Dubai Height Increases

CTBUH announced a change to its height criteria, as a reflection of recent developments with several supertall buildings.

23 October 2009

Professor Sang Dae Kim new chairman of the CTBUH

During the 8th annual Awards Dinner, David Scott passed on the chairman’s gavel to chair-elect Sang Dae Kim of South Korea.

21 October 2009

CTBUH Presents Plaque to Trump Tower

CTBUH presented a plaque to The Trump Organization recognizing Trump Tower as the tallest all-concrete building in the world and the 7th tallest building in the world.

5 July 2009

CTBUH Chicago Helicopter Tour

CTBUH members toured many of the extensive Chicago skyscrapers as part of the Chicago Skyscrapers Summer Tour Program.