Wanda Vista: Chicago’s Newest Skyscraper

Chicago’s remarkable skyline will soon be getting another sparkling skyscraper. But how tall will it actually be?

Wanda Vista will either become Chicago’s third or fifth-tallest structure, depending on how it’s evaluated. If measured from its ground floor on Wacker Drive, the tallest portion extends just below 1,100 feet in height. However, according to the Chicago Tribune, the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat measure from the lowest significant pedestrian entrance to the top of the building. Because drawings have not yet been presented for verification, this number is still up in the air for now. Either way, it would become the indisputable world’s tallest building designed by a woman-owned firm.

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Wanda Vista will be completed in 2019, assuming everything is approved along the way (it’s 500 feet taller than the ceiling for Lakeshore East). The tower boasts an unusual, slick architectural design coated in blue-green reflective glass. This color provides the multifaceted value of both looking beautiful and saving energy. The three towers step down vertically, using frustum geometry (we don’t know what this is either, don’t worry) to maximize views and provide numerous benefits architecturally.

With its tremendous height and location, Wanda Vista would dominate the skyline along Lake Shore Drive. Depending on how you look at it, the establishment can either be classified as one large building or three connected structures, though this isn’t the big debate by any means (it’s one).

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Wanda Vista by the Numbers:

  • $950 Million – The cost of the entire project from start to finish
  • 1.8 Million – The estimated square footage of the structure
  • 1,144* – The building’s projected height (in feet)
  • 93* – Total stories
  • 2019 – The expected public opening of Wanda Vista
  • 405 – Number of condo units
  • 169 – Number of hotel rooms

*Wanda Vista’s total height has yet to be verified.

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Photos (Click to Enlarge)


Screen Shot 2015-09-23 at 10.32.14 AM
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Wanda Vista New Chicago Skyscraper
Wanda Vista New Chicago Skyscraper
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Wanda Vista New Chicago Skyscraper

 

Photo Credit: Studio Gang

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