# Chicagodopers (and anyone else, for that matter): Your opinion of the Chicago Spire **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 26, 2007, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicagodopers-and-anyone-else-for-that-matter-your-opinion-of-the-chicago-spire/401799 "2007-04-26T23:30:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Scruloose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e68b1a/32.png) [@Scruloose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scruloose)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2007, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicagodopers-and-anyone-else-for-that-matter-your-opinion-of-the-chicago-spire/401799/1 "2007-04-26T23:30:07Z")
[The Chicago Spire](http://archrecord.construction.com/news/daily/archives/070420calatrava.asp) is nearing reality. What are your thoughts on this building? To me, it looks somewhat out of place against the existing skyline. Call me old-fashioned, but I like the big, box-like monster buildings that dominate the ‘city of broad shoulders’. The existing skyscrapers have a certain historic feel and the spire looks to dominate [the entire skyline](http://www.globalgiants.com/archives/media/ChicagoDevelop.jpg) with sleek modern look that will clash with everything around it. That, and it looks like a giant dildo. Wassupwidat? With Chicago representing the US for the 2016 Olympic bid, I have no doubt that some version of the Spire will be built if Chicago does indeed host those Olympics. Actually, they will probably build it no matter what. Thoughts? ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2007, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicagodopers-and-anyone-else-for-that-matter-your-opinion-of-the-chicago-spire/401799/2 "2007-04-26T23:35:10Z")
This building does not auger well. I don’t like it one bit. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2007, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicagodopers-and-anyone-else-for-that-matter-your-opinion-of-the-chicago-spire/401799/3 "2007-04-26T23:38:18Z")
Screw that. ---
**Author:** ![Scruloose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e68b1a/32.png) [@Scruloose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scruloose)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2007, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicagodopers-and-anyone-else-for-that-matter-your-opinion-of-the-chicago-spire/401799/4 "2007-04-26T23:49:04Z")
[QUOTE=KneadToKnow] Screw that. [/QUOTE] Well let’s just hope that screw doesn’t come loose. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2007, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicagodopers-and-anyone-else-for-that-matter-your-opinion-of-the-chicago-spire/401799/5 "2007-04-26T23:55:46Z")
I think it’s beautiful and awe-inspiring - a monument to modern engineering, and every time I drive by it, I’ll think, “Damn, that thing looks like a dildo,” while my teenaged son snickers quietly to himself in the backseat. It’s nowhere near as hideous as Soldier Field, which now looks like a UFO landed on top of it and broke in half. I think the only reason it doesn’t fit into the skyline is because it’s so shiny. The Chicago skyline is pretty black-dominant. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2007, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicagodopers-and-anyone-else-for-that-matter-your-opinion-of-the-chicago-spire/401799/6 "2007-04-27T00:11:15Z")
I think it’s a fascinating and beautiful building, but, like the others, am not sure whether it fits Chicago. ---
**Author:** ![capybara](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/capybara/32/202_2.png) [@capybara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/capybara)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2007, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicagodopers-and-anyone-else-for-that-matter-your-opinion-of-the-chicago-spire/401799/7 "2007-04-27T01:28:29Z")
Happy unicorns! Ech. I like a lot of contemporary architecture, but that thing’s just cheezy. [Bruno Taut](http://www.rouge.com.au/images/7/eisenstein/12grand.jpg) did it better long long ago. ---
**Author:** ![Alwrong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/94ad74/32.png) [@Alwrong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alwrong)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2007, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicagodopers-and-anyone-else-for-that-matter-your-opinion-of-the-chicago-spire/401799/8 "2007-04-27T02:20:14Z")
[QUOTE=Beware of Doug] This building does not auger well. I don’t like it one bit. [/QUOTE] Well, if it’s boring, they should just chuck it. ---
**Author:** ![cerberus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71e660/32.png) [@cerberus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cerberus)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2007, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicagodopers-and-anyone-else-for-that-matter-your-opinion-of-the-chicago-spire/401799/9 "2007-04-27T02:26:00Z")
150 stories for an allegedly exclusively residential building? Wow. It also would make a really nice Megachurch of the Invisible Pink Unicorn. It would bring the US back into the 100+ story skyscraper club. They could always build two of them, intertwined, DNA-style. ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2007, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicagodopers-and-anyone-else-for-that-matter-your-opinion-of-the-chicago-spire/401799/10 "2007-04-27T02:28:30Z")
Very interesting. It reminds me a bit of the [“Gherkin”](http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3750102.stm) in London. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2007, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicagodopers-and-anyone-else-for-that-matter-your-opinion-of-the-chicago-spire/401799/11 "2007-04-27T02:35:22Z")
> [@Scruloose](#): > > To me, it looks somewhat out of place against the existing skyline. That’s what they said about the Transamerica Building. To me the only problem is appears to be planned pretty much halfway between the Sears Tower and The Hancock Center, thus throwing off the visually dynamic look of the Chicago skyline. Is there a photo of how it would look from the Alder Planetarium? ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2007, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicagodopers-and-anyone-else-for-that-matter-your-opinion-of-the-chicago-spire/401799/12 "2007-04-27T03:59:05Z")
I was in Chicago about a year ago and took the architecture society boat tour. The guide said that there were zoning restrictions on the heights of buildings along the waterfront. That three-sided, black tower near Navy Pier got through on some sort of fluke. So how did this thing get approved? ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2007, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicagodopers-and-anyone-else-for-that-matter-your-opinion-of-the-chicago-spire/401799/13 "2007-04-27T04:20:19Z")
The skyline looks like Chicago is giving Michigan and the entire East Coast the middle finger. I _love_ it. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2007, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicagodopers-and-anyone-else-for-that-matter-your-opinion-of-the-chicago-spire/401799/14 "2007-04-27T04:50:10Z")
[QUOTE=Scruloose] To me, it looks somewhat out of place against the existing skyline. [/QUOTE] That’s exactly what most New Yorkers originally said about the World Trade Center. But the Chicago Spire looks very phallic to me . . . in an extremely painful way. ---
**Author:** ![bbs2k](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e495f1/32.png) [@bbs2k](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bbs2k)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2007, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicagodopers-and-anyone-else-for-that-matter-your-opinion-of-the-chicago-spire/401799/15 "2007-04-27T05:16:46Z")
[Edward Norton voice] Look kids, it’s a… it’s a rocket! [/Norton] [Robin Williams voice] What are you, blind? It’s a COCK! It’s not a rocket, you sick fuck! It’s a cock! Look. It’s a cock and balls! A dick! Chorizo and the huevos! It’s a big stiffy! It’s a penis! Penis maximus! A willie! A weenie! Mr. Jiggle Daddy! The one-eyed wonder weasel! Don’t you see that? It’s Jimmy and the twins. Rumple Foreskin. He made this. It’s made from dil-dough. [/Williams] ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2007, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicagodopers-and-anyone-else-for-that-matter-your-opinion-of-the-chicago-spire/401799/16 "2007-04-27T16:11:23Z")
[QUOTE=WhyNot] It’s nowhere near as hideous as Soldier Field, which now looks like a UFO landed on top of it and broke in half. [/QUOTE] No kidding. I only saw it [from afar](http://www.flickr.com/photos/troymccluresf/115897307/in/set-72157594341811421/), so I only saw the UFO part, and my friend told me it had all the [old-style columns](http://www.flickr.com/photos/bradandkathy/429750807/) and stuff. What the hell were they thinking? **garygnu** - [Here you go](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicago_Spire#Height). ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2007, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicagodopers-and-anyone-else-for-that-matter-your-opinion-of-the-chicago-spire/401799/17 "2007-04-27T16:14:22Z")
[QUOTE=Troy McClure SF] **garygnu** - [Here you go](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicago_Spire#Height). [/QUOTE] Now, see, in that shot I kind of like it. ---
**Author:** ![Sarahfeena](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sarahfeena/32/519_2.png) [@Sarahfeena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sarahfeena)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2007, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicagodopers-and-anyone-else-for-that-matter-your-opinion-of-the-chicago-spire/401799/18 "2007-04-27T16:56:06Z")
[QUOTE=Robot Arm] I was in Chicago about a year ago and took the architecture society boat tour. The guide said that there were zoning restrictions on the heights of buildings along the waterfront. That three-sided, black tower near Navy Pier got through on some sort of fluke. So how did this thing get approved? [/QUOTE] Palm greasing, I’m sure. What is even worse about that black building is that it is located on the EAST side of Lake Shore Drive…land that is SUPPOSED to be reserved for the public, as in only park land & buildings. That building makes me mad every time I see it! In regards to the spire…I think it’s awful. Hate it! And I agree with others that it doesn’t seem to blend in with the existing skyline. ---
**Author:** ![Logan\_5](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/fbc32d/32.png) [@Logan\_5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Logan_5)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2007, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicagodopers-and-anyone-else-for-that-matter-your-opinion-of-the-chicago-spire/401799/19 "2007-04-27T17:03:56Z")
I think it’s going to look beautiful, a gleaming gem amidst a stark cityscape. I imagine it will be awe-inspiring to see from the lawn in Millennium Park. ---
**Author:** ![kidchameleon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/898d66/32.png) [@kidchameleon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kidchameleon)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2007, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicagodopers-and-anyone-else-for-that-matter-your-opinion-of-the-chicago-spire/401799/20 "2007-04-27T17:24:51Z")
It’s different, I’m up for some nice looking different stuff. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicagodopers-and-anyone-else-for-that-matter-your-opinion-of-the-chicago-spire/401799.md?page=2)