The City and Its Tower
This is the first post of seven, each a response to Kate Shrewsday’s request for an itinerary of MTM’s Seven Architectural Wonders. Each text post has a corollary visual post; the text and image posts will alternate between the blogs of Kate Shrewsday and the Andra Watkins. Since I am no longer a paid pedant, I will try to make these as entertaining and enlightening as possible in 600 words or less. One ground rule: I cannot include a work of architecture I have not experienced directly and personally, just as one’s list of Great Books should not include a book one hasn’t yet read.
To read the text of the first post “The City and Its Tower” please click here!
The Accidental Cootchie Mama presents the first of MTM’s Seven Architectural Wonders
Trivia Question: Which costs more, four F-16Cs or the John Hancock Center?
Raise a toast
Perfect city to start with… I worked in the shadow of the Sears Tower for 5 years.
Cute first pic, btw…
One of my many Chicago sublets was on Cedar Street, just a few blocks north…went past the Hancock every day.
I lived in Wicker Park and Bucktown… worked at Red Kerr’s Restaurant a few blocks west of Sears Tower. I always loved the Hancock’s X’s… beautiful building.
I am going to enjoy this trip with you.
Thanks…glad to be your tour guide.
I loved that blue-eye building
As someone who has never left the UK I’m looking forward to this series! this is a spectacular building, there’s just something about it that I love.
We will see if anything from the UK makes my list, but regardless there is some great architecture all over the UK.
Fantastic post, MTM, :and I see precisely what you mean about the fishnets.
It’s on my list. Thank you.
Chicago has much more to offer, and is definitely worth a trip.
A fishnet building attracting the attention of fly boys. Who would have guessed it!?
I certainly guessed you would get fixated on the fishnets.
More pics of The Accidental Cootchie Mama. I’m sure you’re MTM’s only wonder. I will not attempt to guess the trivia question.
Yes, she always keeps me wondering….
ha!
Love the pics, especially the F16s flying by. My guess would be that the 4 jets at a costs of approx $20 million each is less than half the costs to build the Hancock at $175 million.
Is that a guess or a Google? Either way, you are pretty close. I wondered it when I witnessed it and snapped the photo (1998), but I never checked until last night.
I guessed on the jets and googled the Hancock.
Heh. Lou said “hancock”.
Heh. Heh-heh.
I love when well-informed people guess trivia answers just before I comment: Thanks, Lou!
Off now to read the companion words…
Hope the words live up to the images for you.
OOPS, sorry.
No Oops necessary. I really actually do appreciate you knowing the answer. Takes the pressure off
So enjoyable. You have a beautiful and joyous smile. LOVE the lines on this building.
It was a real joy for me to take Andra to Chicago…it never looked better than on that trip with her.
As a Chicago native, you couldn’t start with a better city for incredible architecture.
While most Wisconsinites disdained Chicago, I always loved it, and consider it one of the great cities of the world, and not just for the architecture.
The still girders look like wrapping paper, and the fishnet is an appropriate descriptor!
Aha! I am always looking for non-traditional ways to wrap Andra’s presents…
Fabulous photographs! You and MTM make me want to travel to the Windy City! Debra
It is a great place to visit and it hits all my sweet spots: architecture, food, cooler weather, and urbanity.
Great images to compliment the written words on Kate’s blog.
Thank you…several of these are from an old stash of photos…you know, the ones developed in a darkroom.
Great photos. Love the question about the planes vs. the building.
Did you hazard a guess on the question?
I would have thought that the four planes cost more if you look at actual cost. What was the answer?
Lou was pretty close…the building is roughly double the cost. Still, it is a sobering realization.
What a wonderful idea for a Blog Hop . . . from Charleston to Chicago to England in just 2 clicks of a keyboard.
Hang on, a couple more clicks and who knows where you’ll end up.
I feel lucky that I had your ‘what architecture to see in Chicago list” when I visited in 2003. This building is a great place for a drink and is quite elegant from an airplane but I was pleasantly surprised by its corners and the way it touched the ground. Nice images and post.
I always loved hosting people when I lived there; passing on my experiences vicariously is almost as fun, especially when people like you appreciate it. Fortunately, the Hancock is strong enough to survive the carbuncle that is The Cheesecake Factory that now resides in its base.
Read the words first – I wouldn’t have known the name of the building but I recognise it now I see your photos. I assume the fighter jets are the Blue Angels display team? I also suspect that the architect behind London’s Heron Tower may have drawn some influences from the Hancock Tower. Great combined post
Chi-town! Love it, though, never been inside the Hancock. I was hoping to hop the Megabus for a cheap trip in the next month, but on hold for a while…hoping by Nov.; will have to walk over with fresh eyes at gander at those fishnets. I wonder, can any joe-soul sip an overpriced beverage on the 96th floor
cheers ~
Love the collaboration between you and Kate on this tour!