The name Modern Momentum (MoMo for short) implies both contemporary architecture and, with its playful reference to MoMA, great modern art.

That’s a tall order to fill, but Smithfield Properties’ planned highrise, with a design by architects Booth Hansen, delivers admirably. Of course, with this highrise, it’s what isn’t delivered that’s most important.

The 33-story tower, planned for a site at State and Randolph streets, sports a four-story central void – a giant hole in the building – that will no doubt leave passersby gawking on State Street for years to come.

Functional design

Far from a gimmick, the unusual design choice evolved from functional and economic considerations, according to architect Charlie Stetson, a principal at Booth Hansen.

To ensure good views for residential units, the design team wanted to place most of them higher than a garage that sits directly east of the Modern Momentum site. In many buildings, a base of parking or retail raises the first residential floor to the required height, and in others, builders carve out cheaper units on lower floors that don’t have good views. Booth Hansen found a third solution, essentially skipping the floors – or all but a portion of them – that would have had poor views.

“The residential units have been pushed up as high as possible,” Stetson said. “Everybody gets a view to the east, to the lake.”

A site to behold

To push the units above the garage, architects at Booth Hansen first started with a large base, designed to resonate with the Marshall Field’s Building across the street.

The foundation’s four 14-foot stories will have retail on the first two levels and loft-style units above. On top of the base two “legs,” one on either side, will house only stairwells and elevators, acting as stilts below the 208 condominiums on upper floors.

A green roof

Another effect of the design, of course, will be on the streetscape. How will it interact with light at various times of day, and how will it appear from various vantage points in the Loop?

“I think it’s going to be very visible,” Stetson said. “Right now from Daley Plaza, you’ll be able to see this hole and it will attract a lot of attention.”

Another attention getter might be the trees and grass that will line the roof of the base, where the building’s central void will create a kind of arch. The building’s green roof will be visible from adjacent buildings but won’t be accessible by residents.

Amenities, features

Building amenities include a fitness center, storage lockers, a bike room and parking spots priced at $60,000.

Unit features include solid-core doors, granite countertops, pre-finished maple floors, KitchenAid stainless steel appliances, marble tile in master baths, inset balconies, nine-foot ceiling heights in all living areas and operable windows with floor-to-ceiling glass.

Prices

The condos have one or two bedrooms and one or two bathrooms, priced from the $320s to the $530s in July 2005.

The sales center for Modern Momentum is located at 9 W Washington St. In July 2004, the developer reported that the building was 80 percent sold, and first occupancy was planned for October 2007. Smithfield broke ground on the project in the fall of 2005.

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