311 South Wacker Drive
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311 South Wacker Drive in Chicago is a 65-story skyscraper completed in 1990. At 961 feet (293 m) tall, it is the sixth tallest building in Chicago and the thirteenth tallest in the United States. It is said to be the tallest building in the world known only by its street address.
The lobby is an impressive two-level (one below ground) 85 foot (26 m) high glass ceilinged "winter garden" with palm trees and a fountain.
It is the most visible Chicago skyscraper at night, as its "crown" is brightly illuminated. The "crown" is actually a very large representation of the engagement ring given by the architect to his wife.
Trivia
- Referred to informally by some Chicagoans as "The White Castle Building", since the building's crown does resemble the rook found on signs for White Castle, the fast food chain. Other local nicknames include "The Wedding Cake Building" and "The Bart Simpson Building" both of which reference the lighted crown.
- The building is to the northwest surrounded by a grassy area, commonly used as a lounging and public lunch area during warm months, and to the southwest by a parking lot. This land was originally to be occupied by two more towers, identical in design to the first.
See also
- 50 Tallest buildings in the U.S.
- Tallest buildings in Chicago
- World's tallest structures
- List of Skyscrapers
References
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