Chicago, Illinois, USA

Designed by FitzGerald Associates Architects, 727 West Madison (formerly known as One South Halsted) is a 45-storey, 492-unit luxury rental tower with more than 10,000 square feet of retail space. At just under 500 feet, it is the tallest building in Chicago’s West Loop.

The skyscraper won a recent 2020 American Architecture Award from The Chicago Athenaeum.

FitzGerald’s new tower, rising along the highway trench that joins the Kennedy and Dan Ryan expressways, is billed as the West Loop’s tallest high-rise, yet it’s more than just soaring.

It stands out not with its striking thinness and a patterned glass exterior that appears to spiral up the building, accentuating its sense of motion.

With its highly visible location along the Kennedy Expressway, 727 West Madison is one of the most recognized high-rise buildings in Chicago, located at Madison and Halsted streets.

Its unique elliptical design, with a checkerboard pattern of light- and medium-toned glass exterior panels, has been publicized more than other Chicago buildings in recent history.

The tower impacts the skyline with a building that pays homage to the city’s rich architectural tradition, and its interior captures the live-work-play ethos of Chicago’s fastest-growing neighborhood.

The architects recognized the opportunity for a strong sculptural statement presented by the building’s unobstructed site, designing the tower in its oval shape.

“Every detail of this building was well-considered, from the iconic design that gives the building prominence in Chicago’s expanding skyline to the style, function and comfort of the individual apartments and shared amenity spaces,” said Lindsey Senn, executive vice president of Fifield Cos.

“The West Loop is the epicenter right now of great food, great drink, great living spaces and great employers,” said David Friedman, president at F & F Realty Ltd., the building’s owner and co-developer.

“When we consider the transformation of this project from its beginning as an underutilized parking lot to its completion as a new gleaming gateway to one of the city’s hottest neighborhoods, it is extremely satisfying to be recognized for all of the hard work and ingenuity contributed by our partners.”

Architects: FitzGerald Associates Architects
Interior Architects: Morgante-Wilson Architects and Studio K
Developers: Fifield Companies and F&F Realty
Photographers: Jess Smith / Photosmith Sebastian Rut / FitzGerald