Aspire Residences
Aspire is a 275-unit apartment development in Chicago’s new McCormick Square, an entertainment district surrounding the city’s convention center. The 24-story glass tower features an angular “sawtooth” façade, selectively extruded to capture views to downtown from the units. The building’s podium employs a perforated metal screening element comprised of a series of varying horizontal linear panels, echoing the movement of the trains coming into the nearby iconic Cermak “El” station.
Stats
415,000 SF
275 apartments
24 stories
LEED Silver
A full floor of resident amenities are located on the fourth level, including a social lounge with fireplace; a co-working space with individual workrooms and conference space; a full service fitness center with private studio space; a game room with vintage video games and a sports simulator room; and finally, a taproom and bar. Each amenity space has access to a wraparound outdoor terrace. The terrace expands to a full pool deck with cabanas, grilling stations, and a variety of smaller entertaining areas on the west side of the tower, offering ample sunlight throughout the day and views to Bertrand Goldberg’s Hilliard Homes.
The interior design for the project uses elements inspired by the neighborhood’s industrial past to create a backdrop for work created by the building’s artist-in-residence, Canary Garcia.
Concrete walls, brass-colored accents, factory-inspired fixtures, and a steely blue and grey color palette are accented by pops of warm, golden colors. An eclectic mix of furnishings provides a variety of gathering spaces throughout the amenity level. In the lobby, Garcia’s first piece for the building adorns the wall behind the custom marble front desk.
