We chose the sunset Architecture River Cruise, a calm, scenic ride through downtown on the Chicago River.
Seeing the city from the water gives enough distance to properly take in its buildings and bridges.
Each structure stands out like The St Regis Chicago hotel, but together they create a unified skyline that reflects Chicago's deliberate balance of design and function.
150 North Riverside stands out for its unusual, eye-catching design. Its inward-sloping base make the structure appear almost unstable. Most buildings widen at the base to support their height. This one does not.
Riverside Point, next to 150 North Riverside, also features an inward-sloping base, though its front and back are curved. It sits at the junction where the North and South branches of the Chicago River meet.
One building along the river stands out for the wrong reasons: Trump Tower. The building carries a growing stigma that continues to overshadow it.
In contrast to the towering skyscrapers, the bridges share a largely uniform design, creating striking visual patterns as you drift along the river. Most of the bridges serve a dual purpose, carrying road traffic while the upper level is dedicated to the city's "L" trains.
