On the 94th floor of the iconic 875 N Michigan Ave (formerly John Hancock Center), the 17,000 square foot 360 CHICAGO observation deck features a cocktail lounge, thrill ride, and unparalleled panoramic views of Chicago as the city spreads out over 1000 feet below. With all this excitement awaiting visitors, the ground-level entry concourse needed to be an experience that would equal the 360 CHICAGO brand and the view from 94 floors up.
Drawing in ever more visitors each day, the museum-like space allows guests to explore and connect with the surrounding city, promoting future tourism and continued success for the attraction. The building is also the home of TILT – Chicago’s highest thrill ride, and CloudBar, the city’s highest cocktail lounge. 360 CHICAGO is operated by Magnicity, an elevated urban leisure company, which welcomes millions of visitors annually to its locations in Chicago, Paris, Rotterdam and Berlin.
Chicago agency Next/Now was brought on to invoke the full story behind 875 N Michigan Ave and enhance the 360 CHICAGO experience. For Next/Now, the 360 CHICAGO design charter was in keeping with their portfolio of immersive, experience-driven projects for United Airlines, Airshop Innovation Center, the enhanced digital fan experience for the Chicago Cubs Statue Row at Wrigley Field, and many more unique brand activation and visitor experiences.
For 360 CHICAGO, the team envisioned nine zones that immerse visitors in a story-driven journey to the 94th floor. That journey features digital and experiential-based concepts that invite visitors to learn about Chicago’s many cultures and connect with the neighborhoods and people of the city before seeing the streets of Chicago from 1,030 feet above. The experience fully captures Chicago, incorporating themes such as the city’s history, Lake Michigan, cultural celebrations, street festivals, sports, architecture, music, cuisine, and more.
The welcome hallway envelops viewers in the excitement of the city through ticker-style testimonials and spatially mapped audio. Sourced from Chicagoans past and present, these testimonials serve as a launch point for all who enter the 360 CHICAGO experience. Animated typography features a variety of welcoming messages in different languages, insider tips, and Chicago-related facts and -isms Following the path of the text, animated lights illuminate the way forward, washing the space in a soft, undulating teal glow.
Arriving at the end of the hallway, guests emerge into the largest room of the concourse, the Immersive Cinema. This space features several points of interest including the building’s original steel beam cross brace, an illuminated scale model of the tower, and a 40’ ultra-wide display all synced together through animated lighting design.
An epic brand film brings the room to life. The five-part video shows the journey of how Chicago grew to fruition while making way for what was once the second-tallest building in the world. A combination of 3D graphics, historical photographs, live-action and aerial footage, and custom audio design work together to bring the story to life.
Continuing through the concourse, The City Beautiful and City of Neighborhoods collectively serve as a tone poem. The animated photo gallery room with accompanying audio and lighting displays key moments and celebrations and more. Facts about the city’s most popular places rest alongside a curated gallery of images from local photographers and videographers. In unison, these two spaces tell the story of a city that finds its personality and beauty through the diverse people that call it home. It mesmerizes with the combination of photo media aesthetics and video animation.
As guests’ final stop on their approach to the observation deck, The Lake Effect, which encompasses the elevator bay, connects guests to the city of Chicago from the lake to the sky. Animated light modes correspond with weather pattern studies, showering guests with colorful light and sound that mimics the ever-changing nature of Lake Michigan throughout the seasons.
The building’s iconic, diagonalized X-bracing is also recognized by a 5 ft. tall building model, plus several design aspects throughout, to pay homage to the original architecture of the 875 N Michigan building, which was the first of its kind.
“The journey to the 94th floor is just as important as the epic views our guests experience once they step off the elevators,” said 360 CHICAGO Managing Director Nichole Benolken. “As one of Chicago’s most popular attractions, it is important that our experience reflects the vibrant and diverse city that it resides in. Collaborating with a Chicago-based firm was the best way to tell the city’s authentic stories and treasure its unique traits.”
Most of the LEDs are AOTO, with ENTTEC for the custom lighting solutions. All of the content management and show controls are run using an in-house Next/Now product called Activate360. Frequency AV Services was the installation partner.
360 CHICAGO remained fully operational during renovations, with accommodations for construction. Phases opened for public viewing as they were installed, adding to the logistical challenges of the install, but keeping the public connected to the attraction.
“With our shared passion for innovation and design, this collaboration promises a transformative experience for visitors,” said Alan Hughes, Founder of Next/Now. “The iconic 875 N Michigan structure has long been a beacon in Chicago’s skyline. We’re honored to play a role in enhancing its guest experience, merging the storied history of the building with a fresh, immersive design.”
