Architecture of Chicago explained

The buildings and architecture of Chicago reflect the city's history and multicultural heritage, featuring prominent buildings in a variety of styles. Most structures downtown were destroyed by the Great Chicago Fire in 1871 (an exception being the Water Tower).

Chicago's architectural styles include the Chicago School primarily in skyscraper design, Chicago Bungalows, Two-Flats, and Greystones. The Loop is home to skyscrapers as well as sacred architecture including "Polish Cathedrals". Chicago is home to one of the largest and most diverse collections of skyscrapers in the world.

Skyscrapers

File:2010-02-19_16500x2000_chicago_skyline_panorama.jpg|thumb|center|1000px|The 2010 Chicago skyline as seen from the Adler Planetarium poly 1044 1289 2225 1284 2221 1519 1035 1515 Field Museum of Natural Historypoly 2317 1409 2328 888 2407 892 2440 194 2678 210 2681 1343 2397 1352 2392 1409 One Museum Parkpoly 2251 1597 2246 1413 2393 1410 2394 1383 2508 1377 2508 1350 2971 1334 2962 1240 3121 1159 3137 1091 3158 1161 3306 1224 3308 1338 4143 1365 4146 1600 Shedd Aquariumpoly 2831 1342 2830 896 2901 839 2956 887 2975 1034 2965 1336 The Columbianpoly 5094 1587 5097 1229 5212 1218 5216 1184 5313 1185 5311 1115 5477 1119 5476 1188 5624 1192 5623 1225 5729 1224 5731 1593 Hilton Chicagopoly 5728 1571 5729 1242 5769 1238 5769 1229 5811 1225 5845 1225 5845 1233 5887 1235 5887 1241 5897 1247 5903 1257 5909 1268 5914 1289 5911 1581 Renaissance Blackstone Hotelpoly 5738 1236 5734 1115 5820 1099 5924 1107 5928 1329 5919 1328 5915 1277 5907 1255 5886 1230 5843 1223 5754 1228 5752 1239 One Financial Placepoly 5841 1098 5844 1038 5858 1037 5858 839 5868 819 5889 818 5894 794 5958 794 5958 819 5984 822 5998 864 5996 1040 6044 1041 6044 1236 5984 1235 5980 1284 5964 1285 5962 1331 5928 1332 5924 1103 311 South Wacker Drivepoly 6111 1587 6111 1431 6056 1431 6056 1401 6011 1403 6011 1378 6073 1375 6097 1376 6099 1393 6209 1400 6212 1601 Spertus Institutepoly 6094 1348 6093 1236 6139 1235 6140 1218 6157 1218 6156 1333 6141 1333 6141 1343 200 South Wacker Drivepoly 6157 1336 6153 902 6183 898 6184 637 6209 633 6203 205 6333 207 6333 627 6390 635 6389 896 6426 896 6419 1135 6401 1125 6367 1086 6361 1040 6332 1039 6330 1089 6291 1131 6277 1224 6274 1318 Willis Towerpoly 6285 1325 6287 1225 6293 1131 6335 1087 6340 1038 6355 1045 6358 1087 6401 1121 6414 1222 6422 1362 6312 1358 6310 1337 Chicago Board of Tradepoly 6387 1373 6641 1379 6645 1420 6828 1421 6828 1576 6385 1580 6390 1380 Congress Plaza Hotelpoly 6521 1248 6516 1073 6603 1062 6705 1070 6705 1205 6679 1176 6575 1179 6545 1223 6548 1263 111 South Wacker Drivepoly 6721 1263 6713 1217 6722 909 6745 885 6751 796 6859 790 6865 871 6903 911 6900 1055 6808 1075 6808 1284 Franklin Center North Towerpoly 6810 1352 6808 1077 6870 1068 6872 1058 6928 1053 6969 1054 6972 1064 7036 1068 7033 1268 7023 1270 7021 1406 6938 1400 6936 1345Kluczynski Federal Buildingpoly 6841 1421 7097 1422 7088 1584 6834 1585 Auditorium Buildingpoly 7036 1236 7037 1117 7130 1119 7128 1230 Field Buildingpoly 7129 1265 7126 901 7226 885 7441 903 7445 1264 7368 1259 7367 1270 7264 1289 7256 1439 7244 1438 7237 1409 7190 1409 7192 1269 CNA Centerpoly 7447 1241 7443 1049 7603 1049 7599 1241 Citadel Centerpoly 7578 1536 7573 1259 7608 1256 7609 1165 7653 1108 7669 1065 7679 1066 7686 1103 7727 1164 7737 1197 7737 1266 7772 1269 7768 1601Metropolitan Towerpoly 7655 1069 7650 862 7892 837 7888 1291 7867 1308 7780 1300 7770 1270 7740 1263 7733 1186 7695 1114 7681 1070 7665 1069 Chase Towerpoly 7895 1114 7890 939 7948 940 7989 1002 7964 1008 7963 1083 Three First National Plazapoly 7774 1545 7774 1329 7830 1314 7929 1312 7986 1337 7984 1543 Santa Fe Buildingpoly 7896 1314 7897 1144 7908 1142 7908 1081 7967 1086 7967 1317 One South Dearbornpoly 7968 1314 7964 1006 8082 986 8211 982 8211 1006 8337 1012 8344 1286 8037 1279 8034 1298 Mid-Continental Plazapoly 8173 1556 8320 1549 8320 1596 8172 1597 Buckingham Fountainpoly 8348 1308 8347 1284 8339 1285 8337 1070 8387 1067 8388 1075 8400 1076 8402 1342 8384 1341 8383 1307 Richard J. Daley Centerpoly 8403 1339 8396 779 8572 755 8564 1420 8519 1380 8474 1378 8465 1337 Legacy Towerpoly 8536 1582 8539 1409 8514 1384 8600 1383 8635 1442 8632 1579 University Club of Chicagopoly 8568 1326 8566 1215 8609 1214 8611 1296 8617 1300 8623 1329 8607 1330 8606 1320 8593 1320 8594 1338 8573 1340 8574 1328 LaSalle-Wacker Buildingpoly 8653 1327 8650 1057 8824 1048 8825 1086 8750 1085 8712 1111 8715 1330 300 North LaSallepoly 8720 1335 8717 1110 8757 1083 8848 1084 8881 1108 8880 1127 8862 1144 8863 1163 8854 1168 8853 1265 8840 1263 8837 1195 8830 1159 8771 1159 8772 1194 8761 1195 8762 1297 8751 1298 8751 1336 United Buildingpoly 8857 1323 8855 1167 8863 1167 8865 1139 8876 1132 8903 1095 8934 1137 8938 1136 8942 1166 8950 1166 8951 1327 Pittsfield Buildingpoly 8953 1258 8950 1163 8937 1132 8921 1118 8918 1082 9012 1076 9087 1084 9086 1322 9063 1321 9060 1270 9039 1270 9038 1251 Leo Burnett Buildingpoly 9136 1505 9135 1342 9092 1336 9091 1054 9123 1054 9124 1024 9155 1016 9242 1026 9246 1504 The Heritage at Millennium Parkpoly 9359 1545 9359 1190 9442 1071 9547 1193 9540 1542 Crain Communications Buildingpoly 9263 1476 9261 1355 9243 1354 9241 1176 9304 1171 9360 1175 9350 1475 Kemper Buildingpoly 9574 1512 9568 1066 9705 1063 9702 1248 9595 1249 9597 1520 Michigan Plaza Southpoly 9699 1531 9699 1058 9883 1058 9878 1092 9935 1099 9936 1454 10050 1457 10053 1542 9963 1514 9964 1498 9858 1497 9826 1476 9725 1489 9723 1511 One Prudential Plazapoly 9724 1533 9730 1492 9786 1501 9825 1482 9889 1506 9960 1500 9963 1540 9730 1535 Jay Pritzker Pavilionpoly 9817 1051 9812 704 9869 703 9868 531 9948 532 9955 1077 9894 1074 9891 1048 Trump Tower Chicagopoly 9939 1449 9950 910 9975 839 10033 672 10130 912 10126 1526 10060 1538 10054 1452 Two Prudential Plazapoly 10158 1585 10154 433 10400 435 10401 1594 Aon Centerpoly 10411 1572 10408 816 10706 816 10706 848 10731 853 10726 1589 Blue Cross Blue Shield Towerpoly 10710 854 10709 803 10897 795 10896 873 10751 878 10747 859 Aquapoly 10725 1592 10731 883 10939 869 10939 1583 340 on the Parkpoly 10983 1577 10980 1153 11104 1154 11115 1165 11146 1171 11141 1578 The Buckinghampoly 11112 1166 11113 1126 11136 1090 11154 1089 11180 1134 11179 1311 11147 1311 11147 1168 Park Towerpoly 11351 1167 11352 1146 11443 1144 11443 1151 11459 1154 11459 1181 11407 1182 11406 1220 11390 1220 11389 1173 11359 1168 Olympia Centrepoly 11249 1585 11254 1229 11403 1216 11403 1181 11490 1182 11487 1220 11630 1227 11632 1581 Outer Drive Eastpoly 11629 1546 11629 1230 11580 1228 11579 1212 11614 1212 11613 1194 11636 1194 11636 1179 11661 1177 11690 1181 11690 1191 11713 1195 11713 1209 11746 1213 11745 1575 11662 1573 11662 1546 The Shorehampoly 11552 1218 11588 692 11673 693 11702 1087 11587 1089 11587 1219 John Hancock Centerpoly 11589 1208 11587 1091 11743 1092 11741 1210 11721 1205 11718 1193 11696 1191 11695 1179 11636 1177 11631 1192 11614 1192 11612 1210Water Tower Placepoly 11756 1565 11755 1017 11873 1015 11870 1570 North Harbor Towerpoly 11871 1583 11873 1038 11896 1036 11896 1014 11936 1007 12007 1015 12007 1042 12061 1044 12075 1591 Harbor Pointpoly 12064 1569 12063 1043 12022 1043 12021 1017 12111 1015 12112 1034 12161 1035 12160 1571 The Parkshorepoly 12160 1336 12160 1249 12183 1252 12182 1336 400 East Ohio Streetpoly 12209 1342 12205 1292 12229 1290 12231 1253 12248 1255 12250 1227 12284 1225 12287 1256 12309 1256 12309 1291 12332 1292 12331 1331 12275 1331 12274 1339 401 East Ontariopoly 12353 1330 12344 1189 12463 1192 12461 1499 12446 1496 12446 1338 Onterie Centerpoly 12440 1592 12441 1500 12518 1503 12518 1122 12626 1123 12628 1584 North Pier Apartmentspoly 13032 1595 13034 1080 13228 1083 13229 1600 Lake Point Towerpoly 13713 1651 13715 1481 16291 1501 16286 1664 Navy Pierdesc none

See main article: List of tallest buildings in Chicago. Beginning in the early 1880s, architectural pioneers of the Chicago School explored steel-frame construction and, in the 1890s, the use of large areas of plate glass. These were among the first modern skyscrapers. William LeBaron Jenney's Home Insurance Building was completed in 1885 and is considered to be the first to use steel in its structural frame instead of cast iron. However, this building was still clad in heavy brick and stone. The Montauk Building, designed by John Wellborn Root Sr. and Daniel Burnham, was built from 1882 to 1883 using structural steel. Daniel Burnham and his partners, John Welborn Root and Charles B. Atwood, designed technically advanced steel frames with glass and terra cotta skins in the mid-1890s, in particular the Reliance Building; these were made possible by professional engineers, in particular E. C. Shankland, and modern contractors, in particular George A. Fuller.

Louis Sullivan discarded historical precedent and designed buildings that emphasized their vertical nature. This new form of architecture, by Jenney, Burnham, Sullivan, and others, became known as the "Commercial Style," but was called the "Chicago School" by later historians.

In 1892, the Masonic Temple surpassed the New York World Building, breaking its two-year reign as the tallest skyscraper, only to be surpassed itself two years later by another New York building.

Since 1963, a "Second Chicago School" has emerged from the work of Ludwig Mies van der Rohe at the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago. The ideas of structural engineer Fazlur Khan were also influential in this movement. He introduced composite construction to tall tubular buildings, which in turn paved the way for the creation of supertall composite buildings such as Petronas Towers and the Jin Mao Building since the 1960s.[1]

Landmarks, monuments and public places

Numerous architects have constructed landmark buildings of varying styles in Chicago. Among them are the so-called "Chicago seven": James Ingo Freed, Tom Beeby, Larry Booth, Stuart Cohen, James Nagle, Stanley Tigerman, and Ben Weese.Daniel Burnham led the design of the "White City" of the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition which some historians claim led to a revival of Neo-Classical architecture throughout Chicago and the entire United States. Burnham developed the 1909 "Plan for Chicago" in a Neo-Classical style, although many skyscrapers were built after the Exposition closed, between 1894 and 1899. Louis Sullivan said that the fair set the course of American architecture back by two decades, but his work the Schlesinger and Meyer (later Carson, Pirie, Scott) store was built in 1899—five years after the "White City" and ten years before Burnham's Plan.

Erik Larson's history of the Columbian Exposition, The Devil in the White City, says that the building techniques developed during the construction of the many buildings of the fair were entirely modern, even if they were adorned in a way Sullivan found aesthetically distasteful.[2]

Chicago's public art includes outdoor works by Chagall, Picasso, Miró and Abakanowicz.

City sculptures additionally honor people and topics from the history of Chicago. There are monuments to:

There are also plans to erect a 1:1-scale replica of Wacław Szymanowski's statue of Frédéric Chopin along Chicago's lakefront.[3] in addition to a different sculpture commemorating the artist in Chopin Park.

In the 21st century, Chicago has become an urban focus for landscape architecture and the architecture of public places. 19th-20th century Chicago architects included Burnham, Frederick Olmsted, Jens Jensen and Alfred Caldwell, modern projects include Millennium Park, Northerly Island, the 606, the Chicago Riverwalk, Maggie Daley Park, and proposals in Jackson Park.[4]

Residential architecture

Frank Lloyd Wright's Prairie School influenced both building design and the design of furnishings. In the early half of the 20th century, popular residential neighborhoods were developed with Chicago Bungalow style houses, many of which still exist. The two-flat apartment building, along with the larger three- and six-flat buildings, make up 30% of Chicago's housing stock.[5] A two-flat includes two apartments, each of which occupies a full floor, usually with a large bay window and with a grey stone or red brick facade. The apartments typically have the same layout with a large living and dining room area at the front, the kitchen at the back and the bedrooms running down one side of the unit.

Ludwig Mies van der Rohe's Illinois Institute of Technology campus in Chicago influenced the later Modern or International style. Van der Rohe's work is sometimes called the Second Chicago School.

Preservation

Many organizations, including Preservation Chicago and Landmarks Illinois, promote the preservation of historic neighborhoods and buildings in Chicago. Chicago has suffered from the same problems with sinking property values and urban decline as other major cities. Many historic structures have been threatened with demolition.

Timeline of notable buildings

1836–1900

1900–1939:

1940 to the present:

Styles and schools

Chicago architects used many design styles and belonged to a variety of architectural schools. Below is a list of those styles and schools.

Buildings - a "Top Forty" List

In 2010, Chicago Magazine selected 40 still existing properties for their historical and architectural importance,[11] opening an on-line forum for debate. The top ten chosen were:

See also

References

Further reading

External links

Notes and References

  1. Ali . Mir M. . 2001 . Evolution of Concrete Skyscrapers: from Ingalls to Jin mao . live . Electronic Journal of Structural Engineering . 1 . 1 . 2–14 . 10.56748/ejse.1111 . 251690475 . https://web.archive.org/web/20081216083613/http://www.ejse.org/Archives/Fulltext/200101/01/20010101.htm . 16 December 2008 . 2008-11-30 . free.
  2. Book: Devil in the White City.
  3. Web site: Chopin Monument in Chicago.
  4. Kamin, Blair (July 19, 2015) "Landscape Design Takes Center Stage: Chicago leads way in architecture trend focus on public spaces" Sec 1. p 7.
  5. Chicago Architecture Center
  6. Web site: Eighth Church of Christ, Scientist . City of Chicago Department of Planning and Development, Landmarks Division . 2003 . 2007-06-26 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20070607154356/http://www.ci.chi.il.us/Landmarks/E/EighthChurch.html . 2007-06-07 .
  7. Web site: Chicago Landmarks - Style Guide. City of Chicago Department of Planning and Development. 2009-05-09. https://web.archive.org/web/20090525040528/http://www.ci.chi.il.us/Landmarks/StyleGuide/StyleGuide.html. 25 May 2009. dead.
  8. Web site: Janet L. Whitmore . Chicago as an Art Nouveau City - Strand 1: Art Nouveau Cities: between cosmopolitanism and local tradition . Art Nouveau European Route : Congress . 2014-01-12.
  9. Web site: Chicago Landmarks - Craftsman. City of Chicago Department of Planning and Development. 2009-05-09. https://web.archive.org/web/20090524075214/http://www.ci.chi.il.us/Landmarks/StyleGuide/Craftsman.html. 24 May 2009. dead.
  10. Web site: 15 Buildings That Embody Chicago's Postmodern Moment. 2018-09-23.
  11. Chicago Magazine Top 40 Buildings in Chicago

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