Aqua Tower, an 82-story mixed-use residential and hotel tower in downtown Chicago, is recognized for its distinctive, wave-like balconies that have become one of the city’s most recognizable architectural features. Designed by Studio Gang, the building received the 2009 Skyscraper of the Year award for its innovative design and engineering.
To complement the tower’s flowing form, the project required railing systems capable of following the unique contours of each balcony while maintaining structural performance and design continuity. Greco supplied approximately 37,000 linear feet of custom-engineered curved aluminum picket railings, helping bring the architect’s vision to life without compromising safety or durability.
Supporting an Iconic Architectural Vision
Located along the Chicago River in the heart of downtown, Aqua Tower has become one of the city’s most recognizable architectural landmarks. Its distinctive design has earned international recognition, and it remains a featured highlight on Chicago’s renowned architecture river tour.
Aqua Tower draws inspiration from the natural movement of the river below. Its signature curved balconies evoke the appearance of rippling water, creating a sculptural facade that appears to flow around the building. Rather than repeating the same floor plate, each balcony is uniquely shaped, allowing the tower’s form to shift from one level to the next and creating a different visual experience from every angle.
Bringing this ambitious and challenging vision to life required more than a standard railing system. Greco’s curved aluminum picket railings were custom-engineered to follow the unique contours of each balcony, preserving the movement in the building’s design while maintaining consistent detailing across all 82 stories. The black powder-coated finish also allows the railings to visually recede into the facade, keeping the focus on the tower’s white concrete curves and the fluid architectural expression that has made Aqua Tower one of Chicago’s most celebrated skyscrapers.
Custom-Engineered Curved Railing Systems
Projects like Aqua Tower require more than precision fabrication; they require extensive coordination between the architect, structural engineers, contractors, and specialty manufacturers. With thousands of unique railing sections to produce, Greco worked closely with the project team to ensure each system aligned with the tower’s complex design while supporting the overall construction schedule.
Rather than producing a single railing design for repeated installation, Greco engineered and fabricated thousands of unique railing sections to correspond with Aqua Tower’s billowing balcony geometry. Every section was designed for a specific location on the building, allowing the railing system to follow the tower’s complex curves while maintaining consistent detailing and quality across all 37,000 linear feet of installation.
This level of customization required precision at every stage of the process. From engineering and fabrication to quality control, each railing section was manufactured to fit its designated location. Finished in a deep black powder coating, the railing system was also designed to visually recede into the facade, ensuring the finished installation didn’t disrupt the dynamic, almost sculptural appearance that defines Aqua Tower.
Engineered for High-Rise Performance
Engineering a railing system for Aqua Tower meant solving two challenges simultaneously: preserving one of the most complex residential facades ever constructed while meeting the structural and code demands of an 82-story tower located in a city known for its wind.
Every custom railing section was engineered to meet the same performance requirements – while contributing to the overall aesthetic. Given its location, the tower is exposed to significant wind loads that place considerable stress on exterior balcony systems. Heavy-duty anchoring systems were designed to secure the railings to the building’s concrete cantilevered balconies, helping the system withstand the demands of a high-rise environment without compromising its long-term durability, design intent, and overall safety.
The result was a system that not only complemented the tower’s iconic architecture but also delivered the durability, stability, safety, and long-term performance expected of a landmark high-rise.
Precision Supporting Architectural Expression
Aqua Tower demonstrates what is possible when the product engineering and architecture teams work together toward the same vision. From its flowing balconies to its custom-engineered railing system, every element was designed to support a cohesive architectural expression without compromising structural performance.
Greco’s curved aluminum picket railings played an important role in bringing that vision to life, preserving the tower’s distinctive form while meeting the demands of one of Chicago’s most recognizable high-rise developments. The project stands as an example of how thoughtfully engineered architectural systems can reinforce design intent, support long-term performance and safety, and contribute to truly iconic buildings.
Click here to view the Aqua Tower project profile.
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