What can residents see past neighboring towers?

Lake Michigan and city landmarks

What record did it set at completion?

Tallest building by a woman-led firm

Aqua Tower Quiz: Jeanne Gang's Wavy Chicago Balconies

This Aqua Tower quiz looks up at the rippling façade of Studio Gang's Chicago skyscraper. Play 10 interactive questions on architect Jeanne Gang, 82 stories near Lakeshore East, balconies of different shapes that create waves, how they reduce wind and frame views, pools of glass inspired by limestone, a record for a woman-led firm and the later St. Regis Chicago.

Start Aqua Tower Quiz

🎯 Daily Trivia Challenge • 🧠 10 Questions • ⏱️ 150 Seconds

Question 1 / 10 Time: 150s

City
In which city is Aqua Tower?
Architect
Who designed Aqua Tower?
Floors
How many stories does it have?
Look
What makes the façade look like rippling water?
Wind
How do the balconies help?
Views
What can residents see past neighboring towers?
Name
Why is it called Aqua?
Record
What record did it set at completion?
Later
Which taller Chicago tower did Gang design later?
Use
What is inside Aqua Tower?

Explanations: answer key for all 10 questions

Q1: In which city is Aqua Tower?
Answer: Chicago
It is near Lake Michigan.
Q2: Who designed Aqua Tower?
Answer: Jeanne Gang
Her firm is Studio Gang.
Q3: How many stories does it have?
Answer: 82
It was completed in 2009.
Q4: What makes the façade look like rippling water?
Answer: Balconies of varying shapes
Each floor's slabs differ.
Q5: How do the balconies help?
Answer: They break up wind
They also extend views.
Q6: What can residents see past neighboring towers?
Answer: Lake Michigan and city landmarks
Balconies were placed for views.
Q7: Why is it called Aqua?
Answer: Its waves suggest water
Limestone formations also inspired it.
Q8: What record did it set at completion?
Answer: Tallest building by a woman-led firm
Gang later broke it herself.
Q9: Which taller Chicago tower did Gang design later?
Answer: St. Regis Chicago
It opened in 2020.
Q10: What is inside Aqua Tower?
Answer: Apartments, a hotel and offices
It is a mixed-use tower.

Waves on a Chicago Skyscraper

Aqua Tower, completed in 2009 in Chicago, was designed by Jeanne Gang of Studio Gang. The 82-story tower stands near Lakeshore East and Lake Michigan and holds apartments, a hotel and offices.

Its concrete floor slabs stretch out into balconies of varying shapes, so the façade ripples like water. Gang drew inspiration from limestone formations along the Great Lakes. The balconies break up wind, and their positions were chosen to give residents views past neighboring towers to the lake and landmarks.

At completion, Aqua was the tallest building designed by a woman-led firm. Gang later broke that record herself with the St. Regis Chicago, opened in 2020. Studio Gang has since designed buildings across the United States.

What This Quiz Teaches

Architecture fans will enjoy these questions.

Where it stands
Who designed it
How its balconies work
What inspired it
Which records it set

Did You Know?

A rooftop garden sits on the podium.
Glass pools mark plain areas.
Studio Gang is based in Chicago.
The tower won skyscraper awards.
Birds are a design concern for Gang.