CHICAGO | St. Regis Chicago (Vista) | 1,191 FT | 101 FLOORS - Page 189

LouisVanDerWright · #**3761** Posted **Jun 7, 2018, 2:23 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by pilsenarch

I think one of the biggest differences between the two systems is that curtain wall almost always requires a crane to install, whereas a window wall can be installed from the interior... crane time is insanely expensive...

Don't they just have mobile rigs that fit in the construction elevator that can lift the panes into place from the floor above? I've seen them doing this with curtain walls, I don't think I've ever seen the tower crane lifting individual panes of glass into place until it's some super awkward or large piece.

pilsenarch · #**3762** Posted **Jun 7, 2018, 3:39 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by LouisVanDerWright

Don't they just have mobile rigs that fit in the construction elevator that can lift the panes into place from the floor above? I've seen them doing this with curtain walls, I don't think I've ever seen the tower crane lifting individual panes of glass into place until it's some super awkward or large piece.

The interior installation of a curtain wall does occur, but in most instances the curtain wall is designed for a variety of practical and performance reasons with longer spans that just don't lend themselves to an interior installation. Maybe it theoretically can be done, but the added cost of dealing with the often larger height/weight/scale of the components and the distance the curtain wall is held off the structure makes the crane installation more efficient. It is my understanding that the vast majority of high-rise curtain wall installation is done with a crane.

Bottom line is that a curtain wall can be designed to be installed similar to a window wall, but you are losing a lot of the inherent advantages of the curtain wall system...

It is a similar situation to laid-up brick vs. precast brick on high-rises. IMO, it is almost criminal to design a high-rise clad with laid-up brick (The Columbian and Exhibit come to mind) due to maintenance costs. The only reason this still occurs is that the developer can save major $$ by employing all of that labor installing each brick by hand rather than paying the crane operator to install precast panels...

jc5680 · #**3763** Posted **Jun 7, 2018, 4:57 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skyguy_7

^^^ Excellent link. Makes total sense. Window Wall: windows are the wall, mullions acting as studs, essentially, with floor slabs exposed. Curtain Wall: glass is draped over the building. Drapery=curtains.

SoMi Tower: Curtain Wall
NEMA Tower: Window wall

If I recall, SoMi is actually a hybrid window wall. Essex is a curtain wall though

Bombardier · #**3764** Posted **Jun 7, 2018, 6:07 PM**

SoMi and Essex are the same system. It is called Talonwall (http://entekk.com/TalonWall/Talon-Wall-Features.pdf). It's a hybrid system in that it captures the slab edge (does not fly past - similar to a window wall), but the waterline is directly through the face of glass, not through the aluminum framing members (a typical trait of curtainwall). It more closely compares to a unitized curtainwall system than a window wall system, which is why they market it as a curtainwall.

jc5680 · #**3765** Posted **Jun 7, 2018, 7:15 PM**

The glass looks better on these buildings than you see in a good number of curtain walls in Chicago. It that because it is installed sort of like a window wall and the combination of the slab + the framing give the panels a more rigid finish?

I have always thought that even though widow walls don't have that continuous look, there is rarely the same level of complaints here about the quality of the glass.

Makes me wonder what the value of a curtain wall is if you can get a more consistent finish with the hybrid system with 'lower quality' glass.

TK2001 · #**3766** Posted **Jun 7, 2018, 8:01 PM**

Structure is at 52 floors, core looks to be at 54
Around 670 feet tall

Notyrview · #**3767** Posted **Jun 7, 2018, 8:02 PM**

Gonna be a monster

LouisVanDerWright · #**3768** Posted **Jun 8, 2018, 2:31 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Notyrview

Gonna be a monster

Yes, but it's also going to be the scrawniest top of all of our Supertalls. Hopefully a little thinness will add something different to the top of skyline. The top of this building is basically half the size of the top tier of the Sears.

PittsburghPA · #**3769** Posted **Jun 8, 2018, 4:49 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by LouisVanDerWright

Yes, but it's also going to be the scrawniest top of all of our Supertalls. Hopefully a little thinness will add something different to the top of skyline. The top of this building is basically half the size of the top tier of the Sears.

As designed I truly do believe this is a world class building. Top 5 buildings on earth under construction right now, subjectively. It is massive up to ~600ft and its thin upper portions reflecting the Chicago sun will look immaculate from all over the city. Very excited to see this one with glass/complete.

Marcos · #**3770** Posted **Jun 8, 2018, 12:31 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by PittsburghPA

Top 5 buildings on earth under construction right now, subjectively.

agreed, this is my favorite building going up anywhere, cannot wait to see it completed

LouisVanDerWright · #**3771** Posted **Jun 8, 2018, 1:59 PM**

^^^ I'll hold my judgement until I see a significant amount of the glass, hopefully any delay means they are perfecting it and it will be awesome. From what little I can see on the floorplate edges it appears it will be a super deep green bordering on blue. Hopefully the quality makes this building worthy of standing among the cadre of great buildings downtown Chicago.

But good to see it's popular with the PA crowd!

donnie · #**3772** Posted **Jun 8, 2018, 7:28 PM**

QUICK UPDATE: https://chicago.curbed.com/2018/6/8/...er-jeanne-gang

Looks like the only thing slowing down Vista is glass not weather!

PittsburghPA · #**3773** Posted **Jun 8, 2018, 8:01 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by LouisVanDerWright

But good to see it's popular with the PA crowd!

I actually live in the West Loop but am from Pittsburgh so unfortunately I'm not sure if this building is on many people's radar in da burgh'. Also I agree. This one will live or die by the glass.

BVictor1 · #**3774** Posted **Jun 9, 2018, 1:33 AM**

06/06/18

left of center · #**3775** Posted **Jun 9, 2018, 1:41 AM**

It already commands such a huge presence from LSD, and its only halfway up!

Domer2019 · #**3776** Posted **Jun 9, 2018, 3:45 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by LouisVanDerWright

Yes, but it's also going to be the scrawniest top of all of our Supertalls. Hopefully a little thinness will add something different to the top of skyline. The top of this building is basically half the size of the top tier of the Sears.

Not so long as Trump's spire gets included in its official height.

harryc · #**3777** Posted **Jun 9, 2018, 12:41 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Domer2019

Not so long as Trump's spire gets included in its official height.

This is Chicago - we go by real height.

marothisu · #**3778** Posted **Jun 9, 2018, 2:45 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by left of center

It already commands such a huge presence from LSD, and its only halfway up!

It's the tallest looking 50-some story structure I've possibly ever seen in real life. Can't explain it but this thing is going to look massive when complete.

F1 Tommy · #**3779** Posted **Jun 9, 2018, 3:23 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by marothisu

Can't explain it but this thing is going to look massive when complete.

That's because it is massive. Can't wait to see the glass on a larger section. I hope it has alot of green mixed in.

marothisu · #**3780** Posted **Jun 9, 2018, 3:30 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by F1 Tommy

That's because it is massive. Can't wait to see the glass on a larger section. I hope it has alot of green mixed in.

I mean more massive than its dimensions indicate (which is very tall and massive already). A building going up near where I work is going to be taller than Vista and it's hundreds of feet taller as of right now --- Vista still feels taller than it at a few hundred feet less. It's pretty crazy.