About the project

A private developer was interested in planning for site opportunities for a Chicago hotel. We worked with the client to conceive a design that could be equally at home on a site downtown or in an up-and-coming neighborhood.

The 3-story, 95,600 SF glass-enclosed public and retail podium serves as the tower’s main entry, and includes retail, hotel convention center, and interior public space, capped off with a 21,620 SF landscaped roof garden overlooking the city. The 315,000 SF tower boasts a 5-star, 500-room hotel spanning 20 floors, with an observation restaurant and bar on the 30^th.

The sustainably-focused development hits many “green” points, as in either location it’s sited in a dense, urban area with proximity to (or located within) downtown and major transportation nodes. Constructing on a previously developed site in a dense community channels development to urban areas with existing infrastructure and preserves natural resources, while locating the project within ½ mile of existing public transportation reduces pollution and land development impacts from automobile use.

The development is designed as a structural hybrid, with a concrete core and steel-framed tower. It features storm water harvesting to reduce demand on municipal water systems, which could reduce the amount of HVAC process water by as much as 15% compared to a typical building. In addition to providing panoramic city views, the landscaped roof garden utilizes native and adaptive plantings to reduce the heat island effect and minimize the impact on the micro climate while also reducing storm water run-off. As much as 30% water reduction can be achieved by utilizing low-flow and dual-flush plumbing fixtures, and the combination of low-flow fixtures, storm water reuse, and the reduction of irrigation water can result in a domestic water usage reduction of 60% as compared to a typical tower.

Whether on the edge of or in the heart of downtown, this mixed-use development opportunity is a winning combination.