The Crain Communications Building is a distinctive office skyscraper on the Chicago skyline, located in the city's downtown area. Completed in the mid-1980s, it rises to about 582 feet (177 meters) with 41 stories and is most easily recognized by its tilted, diamond-shaped crown. The tower has been known by several names over time—Stone Container Building and Smurfit-Stone Building among them—and is today associated with the publishing company whose name it bears. The building stands in Chicago, Illinois, and is a compact but visually prominent element of Michigan Avenue and nearby riverfront views.
Design and distinguishing features
Architecturally, the tower is noted for a small number of strong visual gestures rather than gigantism. Its most memorable element is the sloping, diamond-like top that tilts back from the street line. This angled crown creates a distinctive silhouette at the upper levels and is often illuminated at night to emphasize its shape. A vertical slit running up the building's southeast corner continues through the diamond form, creating a strong linear interruption in the façade. The exterior is generally clad in glass and metal that give the building a reflective, modern appearance common to late 20th-century commercial towers.
Key facts and features
- Height: approximately 582 feet (177 meters).
- Stories: 41 floors of office space.
- Most recognizable element: angled diamond-shaped crown on the roof.
- Notable detail: prominent vertical slit on the southeast corner that continues through the crown.
- Nighttime lighting: the crown has been used to display messages and colored illumination for sporting events and holidays.
History, names and usage
Construction began in the early 1980s and the building opened in 1984. Over the years it has housed a variety of commercial tenants and served as the office address for companies in publishing, finance, and other professional services. Its name changed with major tenants and ownership: originally identified with industrial and container companies, it later became widely known as the Smurfit-Stone Building before adopting the Crain Communications name when that media company became a principal occupant. Throughout these changes the tower has remained primarily an office building rather than residential or mixed-use.
Public reception and cultural notes
The building's unusual top and the vertical slit inspired both admiration and urban folklore. A recurring piece of popular commentary compared the slanted opening to human anatomy; however, the architect has stated that any resemblance was coincidental and not a deliberate symbolic feature. The crown is often used as a canvas for short, temporary messages; fans have seen slogans such as "GO BEARS" or "GO CUBS" illuminated on the façade during playoff seasons and other local celebrations. The structure also appears occasionally in film and television, including a brief appearance in the motion picture Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011), adding to its recognition beyond Chicago.
Significance and context
While not among the very tallest towers in Chicago, the Crain Communications Building is important for its evocative roofline and for contributing to the visual variety of the city's skyline. Its compact footprint and bold top make it a frequently noted landmark on photographic views of downtown, and its changing names reflect the common practice of renaming commercial towers after major tenants. For those interested in Chicago architecture, the building exemplifies how late 20th-century office design used distinctive crowns and lighting to create identity and visibility in dense urban settings.
Further information about the building's specifications, tenancy, and recent events can be found through local architectural resources and city records. For a general orientation to the city and region where the building stands, see resources for Chicago and Illinois.