Andy Malanowski
Competition Background
“Mine The Gap” Construction was halted on a 150 story tower leaving only a 70 foot deep, cylindrical foundation. The challenge was to activate both the deep hole and the site's key location along Chicago's lake front. Sponsored by the Chicago Architectural Club.
Project Statement
When we walk along the street we see a city from the ground up; sidewalks, trees, historic building facades, and in the case of Chicago we see the EL and sections of double decker streets like Wacker Drive. These are all pieces of a city's visible skyline. We stand on a site that would have been the next proud Chicago skyscraper. If we look up there is nothing to see, but when we look down we see THE UNDERGROUND. In this vacant hole we give people a new perspective of the city's history, which is what lies beneath, it is the inverse elevation of the city.
Visitors encounter seven stops as they descend the hole, each placed relevant to what is portrayed. A tram car takes visitors in a spiral down the hole, stopping at each exhibit, allowing them to browse at their own pace. After reaching the bottom, an elevator quickly whisks them upward to an observation deck, where they can see the site and the city, and enjoy the view in a new capacity with the knowledge of what lies beneath.
Our structure is temporary; only meant as a placeholder until the Spire can return and once again bring Chicago the prestige of having one of the tallest buildings in the world. A title fitting for the city where the skyscraper was practically invented. We've kept the site open, recognizing the value of large unprogrammed green spaces along the Chicago River and in places where thousands of people live and visit. We take advantage of the narrow river corridor and Chicago's reputation as the windy city to produce silent green power with state of the art helical wind turbines.
The underground seeks to and achieves its goal to make its visitors aware of that which lies beneath.
“Mine The Gap” Construction was halted on a 150 story tower leaving only a 70 foot deep, cylindrical foundation. The challenge was to activate both the deep hole and the site's key location along Chicago's lake front. Sponsored by the Chicago Architectural Club.
Project Statement
When we walk along the street we see a city from the ground up; sidewalks, trees, historic building facades, and in the case of Chicago we see the EL and sections of double decker streets like Wacker Drive. These are all pieces of a city's visible skyline. We stand on a site that would have been the next proud Chicago skyscraper. If we look up there is nothing to see, but when we look down we see THE UNDERGROUND. In this vacant hole we give people a new perspective of the city's history, which is what lies beneath, it is the inverse elevation of the city.
Visitors encounter seven stops as they descend the hole, each placed relevant to what is portrayed. A tram car takes visitors in a spiral down the hole, stopping at each exhibit, allowing them to browse at their own pace. After reaching the bottom, an elevator quickly whisks them upward to an observation deck, where they can see the site and the city, and enjoy the view in a new capacity with the knowledge of what lies beneath.
Our structure is temporary; only meant as a placeholder until the Spire can return and once again bring Chicago the prestige of having one of the tallest buildings in the world. A title fitting for the city where the skyscraper was practically invented. We've kept the site open, recognizing the value of large unprogrammed green spaces along the Chicago River and in places where thousands of people live and visit. We take advantage of the narrow river corridor and Chicago's reputation as the windy city to produce silent green power with state of the art helical wind turbines.
The underground seeks to and achieves its goal to make its visitors aware of that which lies beneath.
The depth of each station is related to it's topic; sewer and water are near the top with subway tunnels just below, whereas the Chicago Deep Tunnel is at the bottom.
The site plan brings visitors to the edge of the deep hole, while maintaining an open park-like feeling. There are connections to both the Chicago Riverwalk and the Chicago River Taxi.
We believe it is very important to promote sustainable building practices; we have placed wind-turbines where visitors will have to encounter then, and hopefully consider their 'carbon-footprint'.
We wanted visitors to experience the feeling of the incomplete tower's foundation.