Extraordinary Methods: Helix Tower
Year
2021, 2023
Studio
Maged Guerguis
Program
Mixed Use
Location
Chicago, IL
Extraordinary Methods: Helix Tower
Helix Tower serves as an adventurous proposal for, and a way to partake in, Chicago’s storied skyline. This 77-story hotel is a unique addition to the Lakeshore East community, offering space for entertainment, immersion, and education.
The tower is intertwined with an interactive observation track, taking guests just over 1,000 feet into the sky while twisting around the building. Helix Tower is proposed as one of the taller, but not the tallest, in Chicago. Soaring high enough to give sweeping views of the city, it would serve as a poignant addition to a city known for its architecture.
Program & Experience
HOTEL ROOMS + RESIDENTIAL
Guests and residents are able to stay on 65 of 77 floors.
HELIX TRACK
Helical track supported by tension and integrated supports
takes guests around the tower.
SKY LOBBIES
An on-off point for the observation track, the sky lobbies also
serve as dining and entertainment spaces.
PODIUM
“The Void” - a nearly 300,000 square foot entertainment oriented space
with auditoriums, retail, dining, and guest experiences.
Design Decisions
Design inspiration for the shape and twist of the tower comes from the Lakeshore East community’s landmarks - the adjacent Lakeshore East Park, Millenium Park, Lake Michigan, and neighboring towers.
Local landmarks informed observation track routing which, in turn, influenced the site. Water features, greenery, and otherwise all take situational precedent from what is above them.
Structural Details
FIRE STAIR/ELEVATOR
STEEL EXOSKELETON
COLD-BENT GLASS FACADE
CONCRETE COLUMNS
REINFORCED FLOOR SLABS
CONCRETE CORE
OBSERVATION TRACK
Analysis
Each floor is intersected by 18 concrete columns that help balance the torsion of the building’s twist. They, along with a reinforced concrete core, provide structural support for the tower.
The exterior is clad in a double-facade system, complemented by sun-deflecting louvers to reduce solar heat gain. This is made of cold-bent glass.
Helix Tower twists 60 degrees from bottom to top at a rate of f(x)=4.57x - 0.025(1+x). , resulting in a tapered turn that dramatically finishes at the crown
Urban Analysis
Aqua Tower, St. Regis Tower, and an assortment of residentially oriented developments are in close proximity. With this in mind, Helix Tower was designed to carefully consider adjacent properties and with respect to Chicago’s existing skyline.
Parti + Process Sketches
Typical Floor Plan