Chicago Spire

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).
609.6 m / 2,000 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."
609.6 m / 2,000 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.
568.5 m / 1,865 ft
1 2 3 Chicago Spire
  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).
150
Below Ground
The number of floors below ground should include all major floors located below the ground floor level.
7
Height 609.6 m / 2,000 ft
Floors 150
Official Name
The current legal building name.

Chicago Spire

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

Never Completed

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

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.

Steel Over Concrete

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."

609.6 m / 2,000 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).
609.6 m / 2,000 ft
Occupied
Height is measured from the level of the lowest, significant, open-air, pedestrian entrance to the highest occupied floor within the building.
568.5 m / 1,865 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).

150

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

7

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

1194

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.

85,470 m² / 919,991 ft²

Structural Material Steel Over Concrete
Structural Details:
Bottom of Building
Core
Reinforced Concrete
Columns
Reinforced Concrete
Floor Spanning
Reinforced Concrete Floorplate
Top of Building
Columns
Steel
Floor Spanning
Steel Beam

Construction Schedule

2005

Proposed

2007

Construction Start

Architect
Architect of Record

Usually takes on the balance of the architectural effort not executed by the "Design Architect," typically responsible for the construction documents, conforming to local codes, etc. May often be referred to as "Executive," "Associate," or "Local" Architect, however, for consistency CTBUH uses the term "Architect of Record" exclusively.

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.

Peer Review

The Peer Review Engineer traditionally comments on the information produced by another party, and to render second opinions, but not to initiate what the design looks like from the start.

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.

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).

Damping
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.

Wind
Owner/Developer
Shelbourne Development
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.

Santiago Calatrava Architects & Engineers
Architect of Record

Usually takes on the balance of the architectural effort not executed by the "Design Architect," typically responsible for the construction documents, conforming to local codes, etc. May often be referred to as "Executive," "Associate," or "Local" Architect, however, for consistency CTBUH uses the term "Architect of Record" exclusively.

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.

Santiago Calatrava Architects & Engineers; Thornton Tomasetti
Peer Review

The Peer Review Engineer traditionally comments on the information produced by another party, and to render second opinions, but not to initiate what the design looks like from the start.

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.

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).

Damping
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.

Foundation
Case Foundation
Wind
BMT Fluid Mechanics Ltd.; RWDI

CTBUH Initiatives

Mine the Gap Competition

15 May 2010 - Event

 

Videos

21 October 2018 | Chicago

A Monument to the World: Dubai Creek Tower

The Dubai Creek Tower’s monumental design is influenced by the natural forms of the lily and evokes the shape of a minaret, a distinctive architectural...

Research

27 January 2012

Debating Tall: A Supertall Future in the US?

Adrian Smith, Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture; Paul Beitler, Beitler Real Estate Services LLC

In 1990, only 11 buildings in the world could be counted as a “supertall” (defined as a building over 300 meters tall), and all but...

 

Global News

01 March 2019

As One Chicago Lakefront Project Gets a New Deadline, Another is Announced

The owner of the Chicago Spire site could have another year to begin developing the lakefront site, four months after a downtown alderman rejected a...

 

21 October 2018 | Chicago

A Monument to the World: Dubai Creek Tower

The Dubai Creek Tower’s monumental design is influenced by the natural forms of the lily and evokes the shape of a minaret, a distinctive architectural...

15 January 2016 | Chicago

Monthly Video: Turning Torso

Thursday 12th November 2015. Chicago, IL. Santiago Calatrava discusses the 2015 CTBUH 10 Year Award Winner, Turning Torso during the 2015 CTBUH Awards Symposium at...

12 November 2015 | Chicago

Interview: Santiago Calatrava

Santiago Calatrava, Founder, Santiago Calatrava Architects & Engineers, is interviewed by Chris Bentley regarding the 2015 CTBUH Tall Building 10 Year Award Winner, Turning Torso,...

26 October 2015 | Chicago

Interview: Adrian Smith

Adrian Smith of Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture is interviewed by Chris Bentley during the 2015 CTBUH New York Conference at the Grand Hyatt...

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...

07 November 2013 | Chicago

Interview: Fazlur Khan Winner: Clyde Baker

Clyde N. Baker, Jr., Fazlur R. Khan Lifetime Achievement Medal Winner, discusses his lifetime work as a geotechnical engineer including working on 7 of the...

18 October 2012 | Chicago

Fazlur Kahn Lifetime Achievement Medal: A Lifetime’s Engineering Collaboration

The partnership between Charles Thornton and Richard Tomasetti has provided the backbone for many of the most dramatic and innovative tall buildings around the world....

05 February 2010 | Chicago

Tall and Supertall Buildings: Structure and Skin Performance

There are many challenges and opportunities in designing the structure and skin of high performing tall buildings. Examples from different regions highlight responses to wind...

22 October 2009 | Chicago

Chicago Spire: Technical Twisting and Turning

For the best part of a decade, Asia eclipsed the U.S. as the leader in the world’s tallest buildings. In the mid-2000s, however, a number...

22 October 2009 | Chicago

Interview: Chicago Spire

Richard Tomasetti of Thornton Tomasetti is interviewed by Jeff Herzer during the 2009 CTBUH Chicago Conference at Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago. Richard talks about...