Leo Burnett Building, Postmodern high-rise building at West Wacker Drive, Chicago, US
The Leo Burnett Building is a postmodern high-rise at the corner of West Wacker Drive and North Dearborn Street in downtown Chicago. Its facade is clad in granite, masonry, glass, steel, and concrete, with divided windows separated by stainless steel mullions that give the tower a strong vertical grid.
The tower was designed by architect Kevin Roche and completed in 1989, during a period when Chicago was adding a new wave of postmodern towers to its skyline. Roche drew on the facade traditions of the older Chicago School rather than following a purely modern approach.
The building is home to Leo Burnett Worldwide, one of the most recognized advertising agencies in the world, which was founded in Chicago. Walking past the entrance, visitors can sense how closely the city's identity is tied to the world of design and communication.
The tower is clearly visible from the Chicago Riverwalk, where you can step back and take in the full facade without obstruction. The surrounding stretch of West Wacker Drive is easy to walk along, and the nearby bridges offer good angles for looking up at the building.
Kevin Roche, the architect behind this tower, was primarily known for large museum projects before taking on this office building. This choice of a museum specialist for a commercial tower reflects a deliberate effort to give the facade an almost sculptural quality.
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