311 South Wacker - Chicago, IL

[mpchow]

Anyone familiar with the history of this building - Sometimes referred to as the 'white castle building' because of its glowing white tower on the top. I am looking for rumor control on whether it's true that one of the people who designed it made the tower at the top to look like a ring setting (because his fiance died before he was able to propose or had just proposed when tragedy struck). Skyscrapers.com says that it was built by KPF but their website does not list 311 South Wacker as one of their projects.
It's a pretty high profile building yet I can't seem to find any good info on the structure.

Let me know if anyone has some insight. This is the building just to the south of the Sears Tower.

[PlannerByDay]

It was indeed designed by KPF (Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates). As far as the rumor I can't prove or disprove that. Try contacting a Chicago based Architectural Society or Organization.

[pete-rock]

Originally posted by JoshD
Try contacting a Chicago based Architectural Society or Organization.

Try the Chicago Architectural Foundation. I don't remember their web address, but it's easy to find.

[PlannerByDay]

A simple yahoo search identified that website
as

http://www.architecture.org/

Good Luck

[nash]

an ex of mine who was a "functional markets manager" at Skidmore, Owings, and Merril told me that she had heard it was a birthday cake, built for a developer's wife. No way of knowing how accurate that is, however. A pretty garish decoration, in my opinion, especially if you see it lit in red, purple and blue.

Gah.