Chicago Spire

The Chicago Spire was a planned skyscraper in Chicago. Construction began in 2007 but was halted in 2008 because of the financial crisis. Designed by Santiago Calatrava, the project was meant to become the tallest building in the United States at 610 meters (2,001 feet), twisting in a spiral through a full 360 degrees. It was originally conceived as an all-residential building that, with LEED Gold certification, was to meet environmental standards such as rainwater harvesting and bird-safe glass. After years of legal disputes, the developer transferred the site to its creditor, Related Midwest, in 2014. Related Midwest did not pursue the original Spire and instead planned two smaller towers under the name 400 Lake Shore. Construction on this new version, which is being built on the existing foundations, began in 2024. The project thus remains a symbol of the ambitions and economic realities of modern high-rise architecture in the city.