Chicago Spire:Chicago Spire is a building that according to schedule should stand in Chicago in 2012. This projected by Spanish architect Santiago Celetrava building will be approximately 610 meters high (2000 ft) and will become the highest skyscraper not only in Chicago but in the whole western hemisphere (will be also highest residential building in the world). Yet an underground part of this highrise is done but still it is uncertain that the construction will be done on schedule during developers financial problems and lawsuits from The Bank Of America..

The tower will contain 150 floors, 1193 apartments, every floor will rotate at 2.44 degrees between floor plates, the lobby footprint will be 1,414 sq meters (15,220 sq ft). The building will have the highest elevator run (about 570 meters, 1864 feet) - this elevators will move directly from the ground floor to any floor in the building, there will be 17 of them.

Cost of an apartment in Chicago Spire will start from 750.000 dollars and end at 40.000.000 dollars.

The building looks similar to rotating towers in Dubai and Moscow, but the construction is a little bit different and the outside look of the building is more static leaving observers with only one look of the building. The facade is not so dynamic and it is not changing shapes.

Aqua:
Saturday, August 22nd, 2009
The downtown in Chicago is being embellished with new skyscraper which architecture is one of the finest examples of unconventional ways of thinking about tall buildings. This one is a 82 story (five underground), 251 meters high (that is 822 feet) highrise of mixed residential use. It is still under construction, but topped-out already. The building is designed by Jeanne Gang, and what is interesting - this is her first project.

The building will consist eight-floor base with wide terrace with gardens, pools, hot tubs, gazebos, fire pit and running track. The building has balconies stretched up to 3,7 meters (12 ft) what gives the irregular shape and makes facade an undulating. This solution is very simple and effective, especially when looking from the ground level. Looking on the building from far away makes the irregular shape almost invisible. That is the only flaw that could be seen here, but the whole idea and construction itself are outstanding.

Finishing the building is scheduled on 2010. Aqua will be filled with 474 rental units filling 33 stores. Fairmont Hotel was supposed to rent 15 floors from the buildings space, but in Augus 2008 worth 84 million $ conctract was terminated, compared to economical environment changes.