Review of Aqua

In the twenty first century, it is commonplace to have giant skyscrapers tower above us in pretty much every city. To stand out as a work of architecture, a building needs more than height and majesty to make the cut. Architects are desperate to find the new way to design buildings, so that the art of architecture can be revived once more in the populace’s eye. During the years of 2007 and 2009, a Chicago based architect created a building that would try to change the way skyscrapers are built. While it may not have changed the face of architecture, Aqua is still an amazing work of art.

Aqua is an eighty-six story residential skyscraper in downtown Chicago. Inspired by the postmodern movement in both art and architecture, Jeanne Gang designed Aqua to be a sustainable yet stylized building that would be as efficient as it is beautiful. After three years of construction, Aqua was let loose on Chicago to much fanfare. In fact, it even won the award for skyscraper of the year by Emporis.

While it may be the skyscraper of 2009, does Aqua even work as a residential building? The general apartments are intricately designed, as well as very striking. Most of the apartments have large window walls, making the already stunning views absolutely breathtaking (or incredibly fear inducing if you are afraid of heights). The decks on the building also add a unique aspect to the Aqua lifestyle. Each deck is individually designed to get the best view for each location, making every apartment seem like the best suite in the tower. Yet the most important aspect is that the apartments are very practical and well thought out, making the residential life at Aqua a very exquisite treat for the high-rise connoisseur.

However, it is not the residential aspects of the building that make it truly unique. It is all due to the artistry behind the design of Aqua. When you first look at Aqua, there seems to be something wrong with the building. This is caused by the sporadically placed decks mentioned before. The decks make it seem as if there are waves pulsing through the architecture, giving the building a very surreal vibe. You don’t really see very many surrealist skyscrapers, so it is very refreshing to see it done here. This wave structure also makes the building give off the subtle imagery of water, hence the Aqua name. This imagery connects visually with the river beside Aqua, giving the whole building an almost warped mirror effect. Aqua’s beauty comes from the strange details like these, making the building seem as intricately constructed as any painting or sculpture.

Aqua is definitely a bizarre building. It is hard to see very many skyscrapers copying its style in the near future. Yet with Aqua’s brilliant design and innovative stylistic flourishes, it is hard not to be in awe of such an incredible achievement. It truly is an amazing work of art.