#5 – (9/18) Mercedes Garcia – Hancock Tower

 

            The John Hancock Center was one of the first buildings I visited after I moved to Chicago. My first year dormitory hosted a meet and greet event on the 44^th     floor, which is home to a sky lounge with a view overlooking Navy Pier and Lake Michigan. Not only was the space itself compelling but learning about the history of the skyscraper from the videos on the ground floor made it even more memorable to me. The Hancock Center was revolutionary – the visible X braces on its exterior allowed it to be the second largest building in the world at the time of its completion. And there is such a sense of the city in this building. By this, I mean that it is distinctively a part of the city of Chicago. In the same way that the Empire State Building could only be so effective in New York City, I think the Hancock Center is more representative of Chicago than even the Willis Tower.