CHICAGO | Mid-Continental Plaza | 538 FT / 178 M | 49 FLOORS | 1972

[UglymanCometh]

Originally Posted by Dac150

As someone who is a real big 60’s and 70’s international box fan, this particular example of that architecture never made my A-list. The location in relation to the building, I’ve always found, is awkward at best, therefore takes away from the buildings character and automatically portrays it has an imposing eyesore.

With that said (and again, this is coming from someone who is tremendously against giving international boxes an exterior facelift) I’ve always felt that this building could use one, given its location. The location is simply too ‘nice’ for a building that should be buried in the skyline.

Getting to the point, I feel that this option the developers are taking is not the right one, or practical one at that. This is a textbook example of the developer worrying more about the wallet rather than the appearance of their property. Sadly for the city of Chicago this shameful attempt has backfired into something even worse.

Now obviously there is no going back on this one, so I would vouch for the entire façade to get a uniformed look, rather than this ‘mix and match’ concept they have going. That sentiment of course is in a perfect world.

My sentiments EXACTLY. I've never been a big fan of the building, even though I LOVE international/Miesian-inpsired boxes... an entire façade upgrade would do wonders for this project.

[george]

8-4

[JMO_0121]

So is this as far as this building will get? Does anyone have any resent pictures of this, specially at night?

[Ordo_]

I really wish the could have done something like this:


Original photo by george

I'm generally disappointed in Goettsch Partners...not that this is an easy project to handle, but I think some sort of transition between the old and new facades is neceassary. Or at least something to break up the expansive facade. Though 55 E Monroe's modernism might be a bit oppressive, I dont think the bland modern facade is any improvement. A glassed in green roof deck could be a selling point and help cap the structure off now that it has lost is homogeneity. You could have some really big parties up there.

[trvlr70]

That's a great mock-up.

However, one reason that the architect cannot do this is that the floors committed to residential are fluid. As more interest in the condos builds, more floors will potentially be converted to residential.

What we have now is allegedly just the first phase of the conversion.

[Ordo_]

Ah. That makes sense. I didn't know that thanks!

Kind of a shame though. I think whats most oppressive about the building is not the facade but the size. In taking away the modernism, you're just leaving blandness and bulk.

It'd be bad for business, but they should have split it or punched a big cut-out through the middle to try and lighten it mass. Its nice to see adaptive reuse though. I cant think of any othe project like this.

[Ch.G, Ch.G]

Originally Posted by Ordo_

Original photo by george

Whoa, great job and a vast improvement over what's currently there.

[george]

[harryc]

Originally Posted by Ordo_

I really wish the could have done something like this:


Original photo by george

...snip...

Ordo that actually works - never thought I would like what the vandals did, but if they went this route (even nudging it down a few floors when sales pick up)....