chicago: defining the architecture of today

chicago

defining the architecture of today

As Chicagoans, we tend to have a bit of a love/hate relationship with the place. Brutally cold winters that go on forever and come April, just when you begin to feel the sun’s warmth after who-knows-how-long, can lapse straight back into snow the next day; the unparalleled city skyline poetically balanced by the road construction that has gone on for seemingly decades; the unbeatable food on almost every block. Many of us feel a charged loyalty to Chicago and its rarity; we take the good along with the bad, just like the truest of loves. Chicago’s uniqueness shines in many ways, but today we want to focus on the individuality of her architecture.

Part of the famous Chicago skyline (credit: A. Singh)

Simply put, the design in Chicago sets itself apart from other cities for many reasons. A great place to start is the architectural firsts she has borne witness to for over a century. Let’s go all the way back to the outset: coming from humble beginnings, Chicago was founded in 1780 by Jean Baptiste Point du Sable, a trader from Haiti. The city itself was incorporated in 1837 with a population of less than one hundred and fifty, but it would take less than fifty years for this modest town to explode into one of the largest cities, not only in the United States but in the world. This population boom can be credited to Chicago’s ideal placement in the country; with the Great Lakes right next door, merchants and transporters could set up shop in Chicago and easily reach all corners of the country through the waterways.

Unfortunately, we know what happened shortly thereafter: the Great Chicago Fire. Eighteen thousand buildings were destroyed, and hundreds of lives were lost. At the time, the Chicago River was used as a dumping ground for any and all kinds of waste, and this pollution allowed the fire to jump from one side of the river to the other. Looking at the devastation from the fire, architects, engineers, and city planners came together to set about rebuilding the city. Their goal was simple: revitalize everything.

To those who have visited other big cities, you have likely noticed a relatively consistent smell of garbage. Why doesn’t Chicago suffer the same level of stink? Well, it’s an effect of innovative design! Urban planner James Thompson was an important member of the revitalization effort, and he refused to compromise on alleyways—each one being a whopping ten feet wide—which allows for trash accumulated to stay out of sight (and out of smell). Another change resulting from the fire was the imposition of a strict fire code, which heavily favored masonry over wood construction. Masonry, however, proved less than ideal for the swampy soil of Chicago, and architects were left with quite a conundrum. Luckily, they found a solution, which happened to also be an architectural phenomenon––previously inconceivable: the skyscraper.

​The invention of steel framing offered a lightweight alternative to masonry, while also being more fire-resistant than wood. In 1884, architect William le Baron Jenney was inspired by this novel type of framing and designed the world’s very first skyscraper. At 138 feet tall with ten stories, the Home Insurance Building doesn’t necessarily fit the standards of a skyscraper today but imagine the awe you would feel looking at such a massive building in 1885—it would have been the tallest thing you had ever seen! Other cities quickly caught on and began building their own sky-scraping towers, while Chicago’s skyline grew ever closer to the stars, becoming more like the skyline we know and love today.
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Nathan J. Moore house designed by Frank Lloyd Wright

This movement towards revitalization also assisted in the emergence of the most famous architect to come out of the United States. We’re referencing, of course, Frank Lloyd Wright. As an architecture firm, we could surely devote plenty of newsletters to Frank Lloyd Wright alone, but we promise to make our best attempt at brevity! Due to the aftermath of the fire and an ever-growing population, much of Chicago needed rebuilding, and many young, idealistic architects heeded that call and flocked to the city. Many of these young architects had a common goal of defining a uniquely American style of architecture, including Frank Lloyd Wright. He 

started to develop his American architectural style as soon as he had the resources to do so, eventually founding the Prairie School of Design. Named for the horizontal lines and organic style reminiscent of the Midwest’s flat prairie landscapes, this style is now synonymous with Chicago. Dozens of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Prairie homes remain in the city; there is even an entire historic district in Oak Park, designated because of the high concentration of Frank Lloyd Wright-designed homes.

Our city has been the hub of so many strokes of genius in her time, leaving us with a spectacular city with world-renowned design. Looking back on Chicago’s roots, you can see a colorful tapestry of creative thinking and sheer tenacity—traits many of us also share—which led to this city we all love to hate.

Chicago Skyline on a cloudy day. (credit: Fei Tang @phives)

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written by: emma h.

Emma H. works as the Marketing Coordinator at Studio21 Architects. For each of our newsletters, Emma conducts interviews, writes articles, and formats the pages to make sure they reflect the great design we value so strongly at this firm. She may not be an architect, but she certainly makes sure that the marketing materials have architect-worthy design as well!