SOM's North Tower tops out on Chicago lakefront

Architecture studio SOM has topped out the North Tower, a 261-meter residential skyscraper at 400 Lake Shore Drive in Chicago, at the confluence of Lake Michigan and the Chicago River. The concrete and steel structure features a stepped silhouette with a glass facade and a 25-meter-tall crown. Its design reinterprets traditional Chicago bay windows with a faceted glass curtain wall, while mechanical systems are concealed within the structural frame for a clean exterior. Slated for completion in 2027, the tower will contain 635 residences, including 127 affordable units, and a public plaza at ground level. It is the first of two residential towers in SOM's development; construction on the neighboring South Tower has not yet begun. The facade's geometry aims to open views and respond to changing light and weather along the lakefront. Photography is by Dave Burk courtesy of SOM.