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Tag: Chicago history

Chicago Skyscraper History: Tribune Tower

Posted on by Nancy

Chicago is home to a diverse array of styles and voices that have forever marked architecture in the city, and in the world. In our Chicago Skyscraper History series, we’re taking a magnifying lens to the skyline and looking at the unique buildings and stories that define it. Today, our focus is on the iconic Tribune Tower.

A Historic Landmark and Event

While the original Tribune Tower was built in 1868, it was destroyed in the Great Chicago Fire in 1871. The iconic neo-Gothic tower as we know it today rose from the ashes of that tragedy. Hoping to replace the home they’d lost, the Chicago Tribune hosted a design competition in 1922 inviting architectural firms internationally to submit proposals for their new headquarters, in celebration of the paper’s 75th anniversary. The first prize proposal would receive $50,000 for “the most beautiful and distinctive office building in the world.”

In total, 260 entries were received by architectural greats such as Finnish architect Eliel Saarinen and Bauhaus-founder Walter Gropius. While many entries received critical acclaim during the widely-publicized competition (and are archived today at the Art Institute of Chicago), the first-prize spot went to New York architects John Mead Howells and Raymond Hood.

The neo-Gothic design from Howells & Hood features ornate buttresses at the peak of the tower, which can be seen peeking out above the city skyline, illuminated at night. The highly decorative tower features details such as carved images of Robin Hood (representing architect Raymond Hood) and howling dogs (representing architect John Mead Howells), as well as countless gargoyles — one of which is a frog.

Tribune Tower, with Optima Signature and Optima Chicago Center visible to its right
Tribune Tower, with Optima Signature and Optima Chicago Center visible to its right

The lowest levels of the building also feature rocks and bricks from numerous historically significant sites across the world. These 149 special fragments include stones from the Great Pyramid, Abraham Lincoln’s tomb, Notre Dame de Paris, the Great Wall of China, Taj Mahal and even petrified wood from the Redwood Forests. From 1999-2011, the building even featured a Moon rock, brought by Buzz Aldrin on loan from NASA.

The tower, which is a Chicago landmark and part of the Michigan-Wacker Historic District, has been home to the Chicago Tribune, Tribune Media, Tribune Publishing and WGN Radio. Most recently in early 2018, work began to convert the entire office building into ultra-luxury condominiums. The building’s neighborhood, Streeterville, is also home to our Optima Signature and Optima Chicago Center residences. We’re biased, but we love the history and significance the neighborhood holds to the city. 

No matter its function, the Tribune Tower will always remain a remarkable part of architectural history, in both Chicago and the world.

The Chicago World’s Fair

Posted on by Nancy

There are many highlights from Chicago’s vast history, and one of the truly iconic moments is the World’s Columbian Exposition, also known as the Chicago World’s Fair. Held in Chicago in 1893, the World’s Fair proved Chicago’s creative ingenuity and persistent work ethic. The Exposition was socially and culturally influential — so how did the Chicago’s World Fair come to be such a spectacular success?

In the 1890s, the world was changing, and world’s fairs had been successful in Europe as a way to bring people together with progress (London’s 1851 Crystal Palace Exhibition — one of the first Modernist structures — was a prime example). Leaders across the country on a local and national scale agreed to finance a fair; they just needed the right location. Through a battle of finances, persuasion and voting, Chicago won with a large lead over New York. That left the city with an incredible amount of pressure to pull the whole thing off. 

Thankfully, Chicago had an incredible team of talented planners, architects and visionaries to get it done. Designed by famous figures such as John Wellborn Root, Daniel Burnham, Frederick Law Olmsted and Charles B. Atwood, the Exposition was a paradise of neoclassical architecture, and the white color of the buildings inspired its nickname, the White City. Art, music, inventions, technology and culture from around the world were featured. The fairgrounds were joined together by lagoons and canals. In the end, more than 27 million people attended the World’s Columbian Exposition during its six-month lifespan, and it became a marker of American — and Chicagoan — history.

The fair’s legacy is still evident all over the city. Daniel Burnham took lessons learned at the fair for his 1909 Plan of Chicago, which in turn, influenced city planning around the world. The neoclassical architecture informed many designs that still stand today, such as Chicago’s Museum of Science and Industry and the Art Institute of Chicago. The Ferris wheel was even famously invented to debut at the Exposition. 

Perhaps most important, the Exposition deeply touched the millions of visitors who left with new ideas and inspiration. The Chicago World’s Fair paved the way for Chicago’s vision of the future, and countless others.

Exploring Optima Communities: Chicago Riverwalk

Posted on by Nancy

Of all the things Chicago has to offer, its proximity to Lake Michigan is one of the perks that sets the city apart. At Optima Signature, our community enjoys sweeping views of the river that winds through Chicago, and access to the bustling riverwalk just steps away. Enjoyed by locals and visitors alike, the Chicago Riverwalk is a unique part of the downtown community, and one that offers the perfect taste of the city.

The idea of a Riverwalk was actually first introduced in Daniel Burnham’s 1909 Plan of Chicago; however, it took until 2001 for the project to truly take shape. During Wacker Drive’s reconstruction, the work included a way for Chicago’s Lakefront Trail to connect to sidewalks along the river. The project was completed in sections over the years, expanding to include terraced lawns, wider walkways, seating and a pedestrian-friendly space for people to enjoy the riverfront.

Credit: Kate Joyce on Wikimedia Commons, Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.

In 2012, Mayor Rahm Emanuel unveiled plans for an addition to the Riverwalk, extending it another six blocks. The new section included six distinct spaces or ‘rooms’, with restaurants and outdoor seating, fountains, piers and access for boats. If you’re looking to set sail on one of Chicago’s many architecture tours by boat, the Riverwalk will be your starting point. For those who are feeling adventurous, urban kayaks are available for rental. The Riverwalk is also home to Art on the Mart, a spectacular light show on the Merchandise Mart which is best viewed from the Riverwalk’s streets. 

The Chicago Riverwalk covers 1.25 miles through the heart of Chicago, and is a wonderful, immersive way to experience the city’s waterfront, architecture, culture and energy. With the weather warming up for spring, it’s worth a visit for a daytime walk or nighttime stroll.

Chicago’s Bauhaus Movement

Posted on by Nancy

With aligning principles, artists and aesthetics, our practice of Modernism and the Bauhaus movements often overlap. Chicago’s Bauhaus movement offered unique contributions to the city’s growth, and continues to inspire. Today, we dive into its past and its present impact. 

Troubled Beginnings

During WWII, many artists and instructors involved with the Bauhaus movement were forced to flee Germany (you can read a more in-depth history on our past blog post,100 Years of Bauhaus.) A group of instructors took refuge in the United States, a few taking particular interest in Chicago and the Midwest. Among them was László Moholy-Nagy, who was enlisted by the Chicago Association of Arts and Industries to help open a similar Bauhaus school to attract talent. With Moholy-Nagy’s eccentric leadership, The New Bauhaus was born.

Chicago Landscape #26, 1964, Art Sinsabaugh. Courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago
Chicago Landscape #26, 1964, Art Sinsabaugh. Courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago

An Expansive Practice

Considering its widespread impact on the art world and Chicago, The New Bauhaus was a short-lived school, its formation filled with dramatic disagreements between leadership and changes in locations. Moholy-Nagy and other teachers built an atypical educational experience that produced eccentric, groundbreaking artists; however, the work they produced wasn’t particularly practical or profitable. After his death, the school was absorbed by the Illinois Institute of Technology and transferred to the care of Ludwig Mies van der Rohe.

Despite its turbulent trials, Chicago’s New Bauhaus school influenced many artists and industries, ranging from textiles and furniture to photography and sculpture. Ludwig Hilberseimer, another German immigrant, made notable strides in urban planning. Nathan Lerner and Art Sinsabaugh  helped define the visual culture in Chicago. Emmett McBain had a remarkable impact on the representation of Black Americans in advertising. Often overlooked through the lens of history, the women active in Chicago’s Bauhaus movement had impactful careers as well, from Marion Mahony Griffin’s architectural and planning work and Elsa Kula’s colorful, eye-catching work. 

From architecture and urban design to painting and sculpture, the legacy of the Bauhaus is evident throughout Chicago. And ultimately, its relationship with Modernism naturally means it’s also reflected in our own buildings and sense of design. 

Daniel Burnham’s Plan of Chicago

Posted on by Nancy

Much like the city’s history, our love for Chicago runs deep. We’re honored to build communities in a place that houses such a storied architectural history — from being the site of the world’s first skyscraper to being the stomping grounds of so many pioneering figures in our field (Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Louis Sullivan, to name just a few). But we would be remiss to pay homage to Chicago’s architectural roots without talking about Daniel Burnham’s Plan of Chicago.

The 1909 Plan of Chicago (also known as The Burnham Plan) was co-authored by Daniel Burnham and Edward H. Bennett as a fresh, inventive response to beautify Chicago and improve the efficiency of its commerce. Daniel Burnham was chosen for the project as an already-known architect whose resume included managing the construction of the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition and creating city plans for Washington D.C., San Francisco and Cleveland. Equipped with these past experiences, Burnham dove into research to discover how large-scale international cities tackled swift growth and infrastructure to increase their economy and mobility. 

To address the economic, transportation and social needs of Chicagoans during a time of rapid expansion, the Plan of Chicago was broken into six categories: improvement of the lakefront, a regional highway system, improvement of railway terminals, new outer parks, systematic arrangement of streets and civic and cultural centers.

The 1909 Plan of Chicago, by Daniel Burnham and Edward H. Bennett. Plate CCCI Plan of Existing and Proposed Parks and Boulevards
The 1909 Plan of Chicago, by Daniel Burnham and Edward H. Bennett. Plate CCCI Plan of Existing and Proposed Parks and Boulevards

Despite the plan being slow to implement at first, the impact of Burnham’s vision for each category is throughout the city we know and love today. Chicago is now home to an impressive string of greenspaces along the lakefront and beyond (often referred to as “Chicago’s Emerald Necklace”), which includes iconic fixtures such as Millennium and Grant Park and Northerly Island. Chicago’s transit was indeed transformed, from highways to railways, and streets were introduced or expanded per Burnham’s recommendations: Ogden Avenue, Michigan Avenue, Roosevelt Road, Wacker Drive and Ida B. Wells Drive. We also have Burnham’s intent to introduce cultural centers to the heart of Chicago’s downtown to thank for the Art Institute and Field Museum.

In addition to shaping the city we know and love, the Plan of Chicago had a profound impact on city planning internationally from there on out. As a Modernist real estate design firm with deep ties to Chicago, we think of Daniel Burnham and his impact each time we traverse through this wonderful city, so influenced by his iconic vision.

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