Lynn Becker wrote a piece on Tuesday that echoed some of my long-held thoughts on contemporary architecture. One angle: sometimes acts of destruction can break up the monotony. 22 West met that fate earlier in the week due to a massive storm that rolled through Chicago. It blew out two windows in the former Sears (now Willis) Tower. More significantly, it added a little texture to the mind-numbingly ubiquitous glass skyscraper seen above. It’s worth noting that 22 West Washington is the brand-new headquarters of the investment research firm Morningstar, Inc.
This would seem to be something of a fortuitous breath of fresh air - especially for a company as image-conscious as Morningstar. Their founder, Joe Mansueto, has been quoted as saying that their logo is one of their most valuable assets. It is unique, contemporary and thematically decisive. I wish the same could be said about the architecture of the building they now reside in. A lot could be done with the texture and rhythm of this structure - something that I’m sure was overlooked in countless designs and mock-ups. What a great opportunity we have now…
Images taked by Bob Johnson from ARCHITECTURECHICAGO PLUS.
