North America's tallest glass elevator, designed by Solomon Cordwell Buenz, will climb the exterior of the modernist Aon Center skyscraper in Chicago in 60 seconds offering tourists panoramic views.
Local firm Solomon Cordwell Buenz (SCB) has conceived a glass elevator shaft to rise up the northwest corner of the 1,136-feet-high (346-metre-high) Aon Center, leading to a rooftop observatory.
Completely glazed, the elevator will rise up 1,000 feet (305 metres) making it the "tallest elevator of its kind in North America," according to a statement from the firm. The tallest in the world is the 326-metre-high Bailong Elevator, which runs up a cliff in the Wulingyuan area of Zhangjiajie, People's Republic of China.
Solomon Cordwell Buenz has designed the 1,136-feet-high glass elevator to rise up the corner of Chicago's Aon Center The shaft along the Aon Center will house a pair of double-deck elevators and will be anchored at every fourth floor. Visitors are expected to scale to the top of the skyscraper in approximately one minute.
The elevator will mark the city's third public observatory, in addition to the Willis Tower Skydeck and The John Hancock Center's 360 Chicago. The latter is similarly thrilling, comprising a moving glass box that tilts visitors over Michigan Avenue.
In SCB's design, the crown of the building is planned as an observation deck with an indoor viewing area offering panoramic views of the city. From here are views of Millennium Park, Lake Mich...