The contemporaine is one of the most beautiful free designs in Chicago in the past 30 years. The use of raw cement, glass, see though drive up parking and location is as asset to the North River area and Chicago. Good Work!!!!!!!!!!!!

The IIT Student Center by Koolhaas should have made the list.

"The IIT Student Center by Koolhaas should have made the list."
...the wrecking ball list.

Love all of them. Keep pushing the limit with material/style and mix in green technology to make the modern building a symbol of the future of architecture not a relic of the past. Keep up the quality.

Can we nominate a wrecking ball for the now-under-construction Trump Dump on the River?

I believe that good architecture should ask you to interact as well as create visual interest. With that in mind, add the Harold Washington Library to your demo list, as it makes me want to run away as well as shield my eyes.

I agree, the IIT Student Center by Koolhaas should have made the modern masterpiece list... and the "Trump dump" on the wrecking ball list!

was the Pritzker music Pavilion already hit by the wrecking ball?

Other than the MCA, all the buildings appear to have merit. I noticed that there was no emphasis on a building being "green" or LEED, which was disappointing to me. That really raised my opinion about the Comer and 111 S. Wacker--both of which are more environmentally friendly. I also felt many buildings were missing from your lists that deserve consideration, such as 1 S. Dearborn, 340 E. Randolph, the Center on Halstead, IIT Student Center, Erie on the Park, the bike center at Millenium Park, and Johnson's charter school on State and Ogden, as well as many others. The MCA, however, stinks! I don't understand how it even got close to consideration. Besides, it was build in 1996. That's too long ago in my judgement.

Chicago has a lot of other buildings that merit consideration. The list seems incomplete. Maybe it should have been a Top 20. On the demo end: I agree that the MCA and the Washington Library should hit the dust. What monstrosities! And to think, the taxpayers put up mega-bucks to construct those awful places!

I work near the Hyatt Center and live in Skybridge. My friends and family stay at the Sofitel when in town and we never tire of the changing skyline. Bold architecture is an element of what sets Chicago apart from every other major city.

Although the MCA may look bland, its function showcases modern art perfectly and the HW Library has some striking features; love it or hate it, at least you remember it. Even Trump's massive and simple colossus has its place.

If I'd put the wrecking ball to anything it would be the late 80s-early 90s "square condo building on top of parking garage" structures that were plopped here and there from the near northside on up to Evanston. Bold architecture this is not!

J. Irish

I agree with the previous writer that the boldness and diversity of architecture is what sets Chicago apart. He is certainly right-on when talking about the bland concrete towers plopped on top of even more bland and disgusting parking bases. I disagree with his perception about the MCA and HWL. The MCA does have a few nice features: the interior stairwell is wonderful; the store is equally worthy; the view through the building to the lake is another nice feature. That said, the MCA should have been an opportunity for pushing the envelope on cutting edge architecture. After all, it IS the Museum of CONTEMPORARY Art! It also occupies an unique piece of real estate that offered endless possibilities. What happened? Instead, you have outside entry that feels like the stairway to hell. It's oppressive. The rest of the exterior is a study in oppressive bland! Not exactly a wonderful architectural addition to the city. HWL is another sad architectural waste of taxpayer dollars.