West Loop Concept One
This is one of two concepts we created to reimagine and enhance an underutilized building in the West Loop neighborhood of Chicago for the owner. Our design concept evolved from two potential approaches: retaining the existing structure and developing the property in phases, or demolish the building and starting from scratch. In this scheme, we investigated a phased approach, retaining the existing structure and gradually adding two new mid-rise office towers.
Phase one of the development would involve constructing a smaller tower over a vacant portion of the building, while phase two would follow with the addition of a larger tower as remaining leases expire. This phased process would allow the complex to stay functional throughout construction.
The design envisions two towers that appear to float above the original two-story building. Phase one was inspired by John Hejduk’s Wall House projects, we aimed to create a tower that appears suspended along a vertical line—the demising wall between properties—detached from the existing building and balanced along the thin wall. The existing two-story brick and heavy timber structure would serve as the foundation for retail, restaurants, and lobbies for the new office towers.
Honoring the area’s history, our design incorporated Corten steel—a material frequently used in the neighborhood’s former meatpacking and warehouse buildings—to create a cohesive and contextual façade.
Although this concept was not further developed, the vision included structural integration, with the towers sliding between the timber framing and resting on their own foundations. Each tower features a rooftop deck and green roof, along with a podium deck atop the second floor of the original building, which provides amenities for rainwater retention, cooling, and outdoor spaces for tenants and guests.
Location:
West Loop,
Chicago, Illinois
Disciplines:
Architecture
Interior Design
Markets:
Mixed Use.
Development, Retail,
Office
Year Completed:
Active
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