Last weekend, after 11 years of living in this city, we finally took the Chicago Architecture Foundation's hour-long River Cruise. One highlight of the tour was the chance to see two of our favorite buildings from the River: Lucien Lagrange's Erie and Kingsbury on the Park. (See the view from the boat below.) Completed in 2002 and 2003, we think these River North condos are two of the best new buildings in the city...

Our shot from the Chicago River shows the two buildings together: Erie with the diagonal bracing and Kingsbury with the more rectangular form.

Lucien Lagrange is a French-born architect who originally moved to Chicago to work for Skidmore, Owings, and Merrill. He started his own firm in the 1980s.

This shot from the architect's website shows southeastern views of the skyline, looking out from a Kingsbury balcony.

Inside both buildings, floor-to-ceiling glass windows provide amazing views of the city. This kitchen is from Kingsbury on the Park.

This interior shot from Erie on the Park shows how the diagonal bracing creates interesting architectural forms, both inside and outside the building.

Erie on the Park's irregularly shaped site led to the angled setbacks. Since the building's support system is located mostly on the exterior, interior spaces are lofty and free of unnecessary columns or partitions.

For more information on Lucien Lagrange, click here. For info on the Chicago Architecture Foundation's River Cruise, click here.

All Photos Except 2nd: Lucien Lagrange Architects