Photography-Hedrich Blessing Fairbanks Residence: The combination of three apartments was done to create one free flowing living space with over 4,800 SF connecting the 39th and 40th floors, with amazing views of Chicago. A new glass stair replaces an existing wood stair in the penthouse residence, and allows light to pour deep into the home and creates a calming void in the space. The glass is used as the primary structural material and only stainless steel is used for connection clips. The glass assembly of both tread and wall includes 3 layers of ½” lo-iron tempered glass with an AVB interlayer and hinge-like connector under tread and at connection to concrete to allow for rotation or vertical movement of up to one inch. The fireplace module incorporates the minimal gas and stone fireplace with hidden cabinet doors, an HVAC fan coil, and the LCD TV. The full height absolute-white kitchen wall also has a large working island in white oak that ends in an eat-in table. Solid wide plank hickory is used on the floor to compliment the rift-cut white oak cabinetry in the fireplace and kitchen, the tower’s concrete structure, and the plaster walls throughout painted in 4 different whites.