After officially breaking ground in September, Chicago's Vista Tower is beginning to pop up into the city's iconic skyline. Designed by Studio Gang for Magellan Development Group and China's Wanda Group, the soon-to-be supertall skyscraper will eventually culminate at a height of 362 metres and 95 storeys, overtaking the Aon Center to become the third-tallest tower in the Windy City.

Vista Tower, image via Studio Gang

A veritable behemoth of a building, the structure is composed of three interconnected volumes of differing heights, with the facades of each flaring in and out. The rhythmic elevations of the complex allow for the maximization of views — Studio Gang's award-winning Aqua project will be among the huge crop of skyscrapers clearly visible from inside.

Vista Tower construction, image by Forum contributor harryc

The building will hold 406 luxury condominiums designed by Hirsch Bedner Associates, with each benefitting from floor-to-ceiling windows, wide plank hardwood flooring, and natural quartz and stone kitchen countertops. Amenities on the 47th floor include a fitness centre, outdoor pool deck, games room, several lounging areas, and a private dining suite. The lower levels of the tower meanwhile will host a five-star Wanda Vista Hotel, the first of its kind in the United States. 

Panorama of construction along the Chicago River, image by Forum contributor harryc

Serviced by two orange tower cranes, the site is now illustrated by the building's fast-growing concrete skeleton, which is beginning to make its presence felt along the Chicago River. When complete in 2020, the building will become the defining landmark in the Lakeshore East skyline.

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