"Aqua", a photo from Illinois, Midwest

Photographer's Note

Chicago's skyscrapers represent every major style of the last 150 years. This is the newest addition to the city. It is called "Aqua," and its undulating balconies (as wide as 3.7m) convey the impression of flowing water.

I hope to show here how the 21st Century design contrasts against the geometric rigidity of the middle 20th Century buildings.

The fact that this project is a "first" because a woman designed it speaks to the limited opportunities available to women in this field. Perhaps some day this will no longer be remarkable.

To emphasize the forms, I chose to present this in monochrome. The sky that day was bright and gray, although I might have wished for a darker background for this image.

For more info on this 82-story residential tower, see the wikipedia article.

rigoletto, worldcitizen has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

emka (157280) 2013-06-17 12:37

hi Russ, I am not a special fan of modern architecture but when something is original, then why not. I like this design resembling the water waves. Amazing view. Good choice of monochrome but I can imagine it in a sunny day, with the blue background and some reflections of the sky in the windows. Anyway, gorgeous building. Thanks for sharing

Malgo

rigoletto (34279) 2013-06-17 14:38

hi russ,
you keep on amazing me with the variety of your subjects and styles. after the woodpecker and christ, here comes a graphical architecture shot and further, in b&w. i would definitely go b&w as well, as is so much monochrome feeling in there. your note makes me think that women should go into the "male-classifed-business-areas" more and more. look at how this building blossomed in between the other two solid giants of concrete.
deniz

[workshop] [compare] +

worldcitizen (15956) 2013-06-17 16:43

Hello Russ,
Great subject! I like modern architecture, and "Aqua", along with its neighbors create a nice graphic effect. The lines of each building are different, which makes the scene interesting. I like the undulation of "Aqua"; the pseudo-ripples in the facade are cool. I agree with Deniz about cropping a bit more. I would personally crop out the top so that only the buildings, and none of the sky, are visible. I like it! :-)

No_One (4) 2013-06-18 5:00

Hi Russ
You have created a very cool graphic effect by converting this to black and white, and its worked really well. In its own right, its a fine building, but I really am drawn to the overall effect that you made here. very nice and eyecatching shot.
Cheers
Noel

gojo (1769) 2013-06-18 8:54

Hi Russ,
Beautiful building, beautiful capture. I lie the rather light tone you used here, goes well with the pale sky.
In NYC they have the "waffle building", also representing a new, less square design.
Goran

beatrox (876) 2013-06-23 14:21

Very nice shot, so graphic.

The contrast is interessting and give a sens and a dynamic to the building.

Il like the frame too and the discussion between vertical lines and horizontal lines...

nivs24 (123) 2015-03-08 7:01

The design waves are good. What I like even more is the presence of other geometric patterns in the other two building ... the stripes and cubes lend a visual effect of monotony and the waves breaking the same-ism of patterns.

fotka (8899) 2015-03-31 10:45

Hi Russ,
Thanks for showing new skyscraper of Chicago. Very interesting modern architecture. Superb presentation in B&W with good tones and shade.
Kind regards,
Zbigniew