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The latest residential
high-rise to cause a stir in Chicago is 340 East Randolph, aka
340 on the Park. Designed by local firm
Solomon Cordwell Buenz, the 62-story
building's site is just east of Dirk Lohan's
Blue Cross Blue Shield headquarters and
is part of the
Lakeshore East development (though it is
the most removed of the many structures planned, also orienting
itself primarily south and away from the rest of the development).
Perhaps responding to its neighbor, 340 is a glassy box, though
the articulation of its fa?de recalls multi-story residential
structures by Le Corbusier.

Via the fa?de's composition and its materials, 340 separates
itself from many recent examples that merely paint exposed
concrete and have much less glass on the exterior wall. A
multi-story horizontal band at the 25th floor helps to break up
the tall elevation, calling out the pool and wintergarden on that
floor, duplicated at the top of the building.
In Chicago, views predominate when people choose to live in a
high-rise. Developments that have unencumbered views (ideally
guaranteed by natural and/or city-protected features) sell quickly
and at great profit.
Riverbend is a good example, situated
where the Chicago River turns south, and now 340, with amazing
views of Grant Park and beyond. In the past developers have taken
advantage of lake views, building towers miles north of downtown,
but with Chicago's plan to shift office space west in the Loop and
group residences near the park, Grant Park is replacing the lake
as the thing to look at. The recent completion of Millennium Park
solidifies its importance in bringing people into downtown to
live.
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