The buildings soared overhead, many of them reflecting each other and the bluest blue of the sky above. They were feats of design to me.
As we floated along on the river on a bright, warm day, our tour guide for the Chicago Architecture Tour told us about more than a dozen buildings that rose above us, pointing out details, explaining the purpose and design of each of one, sharing anecdotes about the businesses housed there.
The glass triangular building grabbed my attention because of its shape and its reflective ability. What would it be like to work in a building shaped like a triangle? Would a corner office be a triangle too?
Can you tell that geometry was not my best subject?
The building behind that one was even more fascinating. It's called the Aqua Tower, designed by architect Jeanne Gang.
One of its most striking features is the concrete overhangs on each floor whose position and depths change. From our view below, the overhangs created a sense of movement, like a wave. Like water flowing down the side of the building.
The Aqua Tower.
In addition to the flowing sense of movement, what I love about the overhangs is that Ms. Gang considered the birds when she designed them. The overhangs provide nooks for birds to be sheltered from the wind and weather, to rest or nest far above the traffic and the noise.
It's a building whose design not only stands out in a city known for its architecture but also beckons birds to come, land, and stay a while. A building with a beauty all its own.
Has a building -- a public space or a home or something else -- ever beckoned you? Why? Was it beauty or coziness or friendliness or fascination? Was it the exterior design? I’d love to know! Leave me a comment.