Just three weeks since we last checked in at the site of the 56-storey 110 North Wacker Drive, and Chicago's tallest office tower built since 1990 has debuted its first glimpse of cladding. Developed by the Howard Hughes Corporation and Riverside Investment and Development, the Goettsch Partners-designed office tower has already taken up a commanding presence within the heart of the The Loop. 

110 North Wacker Drive, cladding on the rise, image by Forum contributor harryc

Adding to that presence, the recent addition of at least five storeys' worth of glass curtain wall cladding towards the base of the tower has gone a long way towards providing a good first impression of the final product. As seen in the close-up image below, much of the facade will be composed of a finned, glass curtain wall. 

110 North Wacker Drive, cladding close-up view, image by Forum contributor harryc

Meanwhile, moving over to the riverside frontage (below), the designs call for the inclusion of a series of vertical, five-foot cutouts, which will provide tenants with the benefit of 14 corner offices. A coveted prize in a city as iconic as Chicago, this clever bit of illusion will be of major benefit to whomever is lucky enough to snag one of these prized personal work spaces. 

110 North Wacker Drive, urban context view, image by Forum contributor harryc

The 244-metre, 1,770,000 sq.-ft. tower has replaced the 1950s-era General Growth Building, the current structure's decidedly modern commercial aesthetic, along with its sheer size, to make for an unmistakable transformation. Down at street level, the bulk of the tower is cantilevered out from the podium, supported by a series of supports, thereby allowing for a splendid (and mandatory) 45-ft. riverwalk pathway. 

SkyriseCities will be sure to return to this project as progress continues. For more information, check out the associated Database file and Forum thread, and as always, feel free to join the conversation in the comments section below.