Aqua: 2009 Winner

The SKYDB Awards recognize high-rise buildings that unite architectural quality with practical performance, and Aqua in Chicago was selected as the 2009 SKYDB Awards Winner.

The 82-story mixed-use tower is wrapped by concrete balconies whose depth and outline change from floor to floor. Their profiles were shaped around views, solar exposure and the needs of the apartments and hotel rooms behind them. Seen from the city, the stacked slab edges form an irregular surface that resembles eroded rock or moving water.

The balconies give residents usable outdoor space at a height where towers often rely on sealed curtain walls. Their varying edges also shade portions of the glazing, while a large planted roof covers the podium below. The award recognizes a facade whose visual character comes directly from the local climate and everyday occupation.

Architect: Studio Gang