311 South Wacker Drive in Chicago

• Construction start: 1988
• Construction finish: 1990
• Designed by: Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates
• Cost: $110,000,000
• Type: Skyscraper
• Stories: 65
• Maximum Height: 961 feet / 293 meters

• Floor space: 1,300,000 square feet

• At the time of its completion, this was the fourth-tallest building in Chicago, and the 11th-tallest in the world.
• According to a 1996 Chicago Tribune article, the floors inside the large illuminated barrel at the top are vacant, except for the 69th floor where there is a basketball hoop the building's maintenance crews use to blow off steam.
• 1,500 flourescent tubes are used to light the top of the building at night. These lights are turned off at midnight to be less annoying to the neighbors, and are turned off even earlier when birds migrate.

• At the time of its completion, this was the tallest reinforced concrete building in the world.

• The five glass cylinders at the top. They are illuminated by 1,852 florescent rubes at night.

• "Overdone to the point of boorishness."

  -Architecture critic Paul Gapp, Chicago Tribune, 29 September 1996

• CAIF - Chicago Architecture Info Forum

• 321 South Franklin Street
• 300 South Wacker
• The Brooks Building
• The Unnamed Willis Tower Hotel
• 235 West Van Buren
• McKinlock Building
• The Willis Tower
• Van Buren Building
• 226 West Jackson
• Traders Self Park

There are 10 comments.

  I've loved this building the moment I moved to the Chicago area fifteen years ago. The granite is beautiful, but not overpowering, due to the beautiful placement of windows around each side of the building. And at night, when driving in from a trip east, the light at the top means, "I'm home."

Dennis Rossow - Friday, September 2nd, 2011 @ 11:53am  

  The "crown" was inspired by the massing of the Tribune Tower.

Mario C. - Monday, July 20th, 2009 @ 6:34am  

  I used to criticize this building, because at the time I was 13 in 1999, I thought it looked bad, but now looking more at the design, I like the colors and the whole building with the crown. Even at night the crown amazes me with every season of lighting up at night.

Brent Kampert - Wednesday, November 12th, 2008 @ 10:09am  

  Position is what makes this building. Without its partnership with the Sears Tower, 311 would just be another forgettable piece of post-modern junk. The pairing, however, makes it attractive.

Clint - Sunday, January 20th, 2008 @ 2:09pm  

  All I can say is this: When I lived in Chicago I used to refer to this as the "White Castle building." I realize mine is the minority opinion here.

David Shmuel - Wednesday, July 25th, 2007 @ 11:06pm  

  I've always looked at this building in the skyline and wondered what it is. It sure looks like a castle to me :)

Andi - Tuesday, July 3rd, 2007 @ 11:28am  

  It is the wonder of the night sky in downtown Chicago. Some folks here call it "The White Castle Building".

C. Dalka - Thursday, March 15th, 2007 @ 7:34am  

  I think it makes chicago beutiful and it looks good when its christmas time and in front of the sears tower

joshua - Wednesday, December 13th, 2006 @ 11:01pm  

  I love this building. It is very interesting to look at! The brightly lit top at night is a very nice addition.

Kirby Cruz - Thursday, December 7th, 2006 @ 8:24pm  

  This is a great building, and this page gives some nice comparisons to the Sears, constantly towering over 311, which is the tallest building in the world to be known simply by its address. ABJ, Chicago

Adam J. - Sunday, April 23rd, 2006 @ 9:11pm