Chicago's Architectural Landmarks

Chicago's Architectural Landmarks. . Chicago is America's architecture capital. Its achievements, including the Chicago School skyscraper, International Style skyscraper, and Prairie Style house are considered America's greatest contributions to the history of world architecture. , , Daniel Burnham, Louis Sullivan, Frank Lloyd Wright, and Mies van der Rohe rank among the most influential architects of the modern era. Chicago derives much of its beauty from the quality of its buildings coupled with its incomparable lakeside location and dramatically situated river. , , Chicago's reputation as an architectural center dates back to the turn-of-the-century. The Chicago Fire of 1871 made headlines around the world. In a day and a half, with temperatures reaching over 2,000 degrees, the fire destroyed approximately 18,000 buildings over a 3 square mile area. Within five weeks of the fire, five thousand homes were being constructed. Innovative architects stepped in and started a tradition of designing and constructing great buildings. Today, the tradition lives on and Chicago is a living museum of architecture. , , The confluence of builders and architects developed new technology, welcoming a new era in architecture. Early skyscrapers like the elegant Reliance Building (1891-1895) by Burnham and Root and the richly ornamented Carson Pirie Scott store (1899, 1903-1904) by Louis Sullivan established the international renown of the Chicago School of architecture, introducing a new term - skyscraper - into the nation's architectural vocabulary. , , Chicago has embraced generations of innovative architects whose diverse contributions have made the city America's architectural capital. Prairie Style houses, emphasizing horizontal lines and use of natural materials redefined the look of the American home. Wright's Robie House (1909) in Chicago's Hyde Park neighborhood is one of the most celebrated buildings of the 20th century. Between the World Wars (1914-1945), architectural firms such as Graham, Anderson, Probst and White and Holabird and Root transformed Chicago's skyline. Embracing a diversity of styles, the Neo-Spanish Wrigley Building (1919-1924) and Art Deco gems like the Chicago Board of Trade Building (1930) were characteristic of this era. , , Modern architecture, brilliantly characterized by a simplicity of form and technical daring, extended Chicago's architectural fame well into the late 20th century. Ludwig Mies van der Rohe (1886-1969), a founding father of modern architecture, immigrated from Germany to Chicago in 1938. In Chicago, he established himself as the foremost practitioner of the glass and steel architecture that reshaped cities everywhere after World War II. International Style buildings like his Federal Center (1959-1974) and Skidmore, Owings and Merrill's Inland Steel Building (1954-1958) are icons of modernist architecture. Innovative architects continue to forge a vital and strong tradition for the next century.