Welcome to the first run of Archigames, a new Curbed game wherein nominated local buildings of a particular style are matched up in sudden death pairings to decide the most suitable representative of said style. This week it's Postmodern (PoMo), and the third of four first round pairings is below. Brush up on the nominees, but always defer to your tastes when casting your vote below. Polls close tomorrow at noon. Thanks for playing!
The third outing in our first round of deathmatches pits two Kohn Pedersen Fox designs against one another: 333 W Wacker and the Chicago Title & Trust Center. You might know 333 W Wacker as that glassy aqua-green amusement on the river. Ever notice it's the exact color of the Chicago River? A little upsetting, huh? With the north face curving to the river bend and the other sides conforming to the rectilinear street grid, this is a pretty cheeky structure all around. That's not to say people don't like it— in fact, it ranks high in every favorite building survey.
The challenger is the Chicago Title & Trust Center, at Clark and Randolph directly opposite the Thompson Center. Together with Thompson, this intersection becomes a formidable gateway to postmodern architecture. Completed in 1992, Chicago Title Tower rises 50 stories with a slanted east-facing roof that floods with light after dark. Originally, the tower was to have a neighboring twin, but its postponement eventually led to cancellation following 9/11. So, which tower advances to the semis?
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