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71 South Wacker
Hyatt Center.jpg
71 South Wacker
General information
Location Chicago Loop, Chicago, Illinois, United States
Address 71 South Wacker Drive, Chicago, IL, 60606
Coordinates 41°52′51″N 87°38′09″W / 41.8809420°N 87.6359218°W / 41.8809420; -87.6359218
Opening 2005
Owner Irvine Company
Height 679 ft (207 m)
Technical details
Floor count 48
Floor area 1,765,000 sq ft (164,000 m2)
Design and construction
Developer Pei Cobb Freed & Partners
Structural engineer Halvorson and Partners

71 South Wacker is a tall office building in Chicago, United States. It was finished in 2005. This amazing 48-story skyscraper is 679 feet (207 meters) high. You can find it at 71 South Wacker Drive. The Irvine Company owns this impressive building.

The building is very large. It has 1,765,000 square feet (164,000 m²) of space. Building it took a lot of materials. Workers used 65,000 cubic yards (50,000 m³) of concrete. They also used 12,000 tons of strong steel.

Digging the building's foundation needed about 2,700 truckloads. The whole project took nearly two years to finish. Workers spent 1,300,000 hours building it. Inside, there are 28 fast elevators to take people up and down.

Beautiful Design and Art

The building has beautiful outdoor and indoor areas. These were designed by Hoerr Schaudt Landscape Architects. You can see bamboo plants and fountains in the modern lobby. Outside, there is lush green grass in curved stone planters.

71 South Wacker also shows off cool art. There are art panels by Keith Tyson. You can also see a special painting by Ricci Albenda. This painting uses a trick called trompe-l'œil. It makes flat things look like they have depth.

Main Companies Inside

Many big companies have offices here. Some of the main ones are Colliers International and Benesch Law. EVRAZ North America and Columbia Threadneedle Investments are also here. Mayer Brown LLP is another important tenant. A cafe on the second floor is open for everyone who works there. Guests can also visit the cafe.

Building's Original Plan

Why Plans Changed

Before 71 South Wacker was built, there was a different idea. The Pritzker Realty Group wanted a British architect named Lord Norman Foster to design a building. It was going to be called Pritzker Tower. This tower would have been 60 stories tall. It was meant for the Global Hyatt Corporation and other family businesses.

However, these plans changed. The company decided not to build it. This was because of money reasons. Also, big world events after the 9/11 attacks made things uncertain. So, the original plan for a taller building was stopped.

Safety and Security

Modern Security Features

71 South Wacker was the first tall building built in Chicago after 9/11. Because of this, safety was very important. Kroll, Inc.'s security team, Kroll Security Group, helped with the design. They planned all the security systems for the building. This made sure the building was very safe for everyone inside.

Grand Lobby Entrance

A Welcoming Space

The lobby of 71 South Wacker is very impressive. It is 50 feet tall. The lobby has huge floor-to-ceiling glass windows. There are also calm "zen gardens" with gentle curves. The walls are made of jet-mist granite. This design makes the lobby feel strong and peaceful at the same time. It is meant to inspire people as they enter.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Hyatt Center para niños

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