Chicago's "Aqua" Selected as 2009 Skyscraper of the Year

FRANKFURT, Germany, February 24, 2010 - The jury of the Emporis Skyscraper Award has announced Aqua, an 81-story
residential and hotel tower in Chicago, as the winner of the 2009 Skyscraper
of the Year. The award, now celebrating its tenth year, is given annually to
a building at least 100 meters tall and completed within the award year.

The second place winner is O14 in Dubai. Third place goes to The Met in
Bangkok. All winners were selected from 305 eligible buildings completed
worldwide in 2009.

Members of the jury praised Aqua for its fascinating shape, whose
appearance changes dramatically depending on the perspective. It was also
cited as a brilliant technical achievement for the precision of its
construction, and lauded as an application of green design innovations to an
extremely large building project.

Situated in a large lakeside development, Aqua intersperses undulating
balconies with flat glassy planes to create a wavy facade in keeping with its
nautical theme. Because each balcony's perimeter varies slightly from the one
below, the contractors (James McHugh Construction Co.) employed a flexible
mold in coordination with GPS. The effect has been compared to a rippled
curtain, or (according to its architect Jeanne Gang of Studio Gang
Architects), to the striated limestone formations common to the Great Lakes
region.

Aqua is the third-tallest building in the world designed by a woman -
surpassed only by the two Emirates Towers in Dubai - and is currently the
40th tallest building in the United States. Aqua has a height of 249.7 meters
(819.34 feet) measured from its main entrance on Upper Columbus Drive.

A presentation ceremony will be held in Chicago later this year. For
further details and updates, visit us at awards.emporis.com.

    Contact:

    Emporis
    Brian Tonry
    Phone: +12125849706
    Email: press@emporis.com

Contact: Emporis, Brian Tonry, Phone: +12125849706, Email: press at emporis.com