Glass and steel unite; glazing of Chicago lobby marks first U.S. application of cable net system. (Curtain Wall Systems).(UBS Tower)(Brief Article)

Building Design & Construction, April, 2002 by Wright, Gordon

Approaching the base of the new 50-story UBS Tower in Chicago, the glass wall of the lobby comes into view. It is so transparent that you're not sure it's really there. Seen first in Europe, this dramatic example of the dematerialization of the membrane that separates interior and exterior space is the result of combining extremely clear glass with a cable net system used for the first time in the U.S.

When Chicago developer The John Buck Co. commissioned local architect Lohan Associates (now Lohan Caprile Goettsch Architects) to design the office tower in 1998, it expressed a desire for a traditional stone exterior wall, according to Lohan project manager Steve Nilles. Buck was asked if an alternate exterior material would be considered. The answer was...

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