We Have a Winner! Place your bets: Willis Tallest Building Decision to be handed down Tuesday morning

Update, Tuesday morning:  The CTBUH has just ruled the One World Trade gains the title of North America's tallest.   In response to a question from the Trib's Blair Kamin, the CTBUH denied they responded to political pressure.  "Ultimately, these were 25 rational people who made a non-emotional decision."  Five hour meeting, heated debate, one abstention.  Blair's report.  And the official press release.

Ladies and gentleman! 

For the title, Tallest Building in North America . . . 

In this corner, at 1,353 feet, weighing in at 445,000,000 pounds, Willis Sears TOWER!!!!

photograph: Joe Mabel, Wikipedia

And in this corner,  at 1776 feet, minus hundreds of feet of TV antenna (or maybe not), One World Trade CENTER!!!!! 

Will the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat's "height committee" (there's a marker outside the meeting room:  You Must be THIS Tall to Serve") declare that the antenna a "spire" and include it in measuring the building's height, thereby clinching the title for New York, or will reject the antenna as a gaming-the-system poseur, leaving the Willis winner and still champion?

I know, the suspense is killing you.  But you only have to wait until tomorrow.

On Tuesday, November 12, concurrent press conferences - 10:00 a.m. in Chicago; 11:00 a.m. in New York - CTBUH will announce its final decision.  I'm hoping we'll see a Le-Sacre-like riot breaking out in the losing city.  If the decision goes against Chicago, look for the Willis's 300-foot-high antennas to be quickly enwrapped in styrofoam and declared structural for a return match.

And whatever side you're on - please, please, please:  Wager wisely.

Also Read:

Freedom Tower, from Tragedy to Farce

Towers, Skylines and Clouds on a Brisk Fall Day

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Photos from Richard H. Driehaus Award Ceremony

Some photos from Saturday's ceremony at the John B. Murphy Auditorium at which the 2013 Richard H. Driehaus Award at the University of Notre Dame was awarded to architect Thomas Beeby.

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Richard Driehaus

Demetri Porphyrios

Leon Krier

architectural historian David Watkin receives the 2013 Henry Hope Reed award from Dean of the Notre Dame School of Architecture Michael Lykoudis and Richard Driehaus

a new painting by Carl Laubin depicting work of Driehaus Prize Laureates

Thomas Beeby receives the 2013 Driehaus Award

Read: Master of Tradition: Thomas H. Beeby Receives 2013 Driehaus Award.

And speaking of classicism, here's a preview of what we're working on, a photograph of the original Sears Tower, as seen through the 1906 Pergola of the Sears complex at Homan and Arthington . . .

. . . the brick and terra cotta architecture of Tuscany naturally suggested itself as appropriate with such restrained use of brick patterns and terra cotta decoration as would be consistent.  Furthermore, the use of terra cotta decoration suggested the addition of color for backgrounds to accent such decoration.  Consequently, the lunettes and frieze of the Merchandise Tower are of glazed blue terra cotta; also the backgrounds of the book marks which decorate the Printing Building and the discs of the Power House are of white and blue glazed terra cotta.

Chicago Skyscene: Great Cloud Day

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