Architecture Tours of Chicago

Review by George Pudlo

This past Thursday, we had the pleasure of attending an architectural forum entitled: Critics' Challenge: Does Modernism Still Have Meaning?, hosted by Preservation Chicago. The event was appropriately held in Harry Weese's 1968 Seventeeth Church of Christ, Scientist, a modern icon in its own right. The presentation was guided by an emcee posing questions of modernism's relevance to a panel of three renowned architectural thinkers: Paul Goldberger, author of Why Architecture Matters, former Pulitzer-Prize winning architecture critic of the New York Times, and current architecture critic for the New Yorker; Ned Cramer, the editor-in-chief of Architect: The Magazine of the American Institute of Architects; and Lee Bey, Chicago's own architectural contributor for WBEZ. 

The building was fabulous. The speakers were fascinating. The overall event was an enlightening experience.

The evening began with a reception in the room were the church typically hosts Sunday School, below the grade level of the busy Wacker Drive. A ribbon of windows stretches from street level to the waist lines of most adults in this warmly lit basement. The reception happened to take place during sunset, when the beautifully golden sunlight hits the western facades of the city, including Harry Weese's Seventeeth. 

The exterior of the building is reminiscent of Frank Lloyd Wright's Guggenheim Museum with its white, circular form. The interior auditorium recalls the skylit interior of Wright's Unity Temple. Interestingly, Wright was one of thirty-four architects who submitted proposals for the design of the Seventeenth Church of Christ, Scientist, though Weese was ultimately selected. The building is concrete, clad with porous, travertine marble (likely as a sound buffer for the busy street outside). The main sanctuary has no windows on the walls, and relies on skylights for natural light.

After enjoying wine and hors d'oeuvres, the crowd entered the sanctuary to listen to the panel. The presentation began with a discussion of Bertrand Goldberg's 1974 Prentice Women's Hospital, currently threatened with demolition (click the link to sign the petition to Save Prentice!). Goldberg is perhaps best known for his 1964 Marina City, though he created a number of other concrete buildings, including River City and the Hilliard Homes in Chicago. Preservation Chicago's greatest concern at the moment is saving the modern Prentice from being destroyed. Prentice is currently owned by Northwestern University, which plans to bring down the building to build a larger research facility. However, Bertrand Goldberg designed the structure knowing full well that it would eventually become outdated, and designed the building in such a manner that it could be easily modified for reuse. 

The questions posed at this presentation dealt not so much with the fate of the building itself, but why it is worthy of preservation. Prentice has become somewhat of poster child for the preservation of modern architecture. We are at a moment in history where it is our civic duty to preserve these structures. Look back to Chicago in the 1950's and 1960's. This is when we began to see all of our late nineteenth century architecture, namely icons of the Chicago School of Architecture, razed for the construction of modern office buildings and condominiums. Today, we look at pictures of demolished Chicago structures and ask why on earth would anyone want to demolish something like that? It's because those buildings were at a stage in their existence where they were not quite old enough to be considered truly historic, but not new enough to be relevant. And we regret it now. Yet, we have buildings with distinct character, representative of an era, like Prentice, that are coming down, for which our descendants will likely regret not having known. 

Paul Goldberger said that "Almost all architecture must go through a period of being hated". Modern architecture is particularly more vulnerable to demolition because it doesn't have that lovable charm of Victorian era structures. Concrete has always been a love or hate material, and people, understandingly, have trouble finding the beauty in concrete. Lee Bey said these buildings are "hard to like", and compared them with the Picasso Sculpture, which was met with great criticism when it was unveiled in the mid-60's. 

Though from a strictly aesthetic point of view, modern structures may appear sterile and void of emotion, the deeper meaning and philosophies behind modern architecture are what make it significant. Paul Goldberger said "What Mies offered in exchange for traditional ornament is an exquisite sense of proportion".  So while modern expressions of concrete and steel may not offer excessive "frillies" for the eye, they encompass a new era of architecture, reflective of the technological time through modern materials as well as space and dimension. Ned Cramer added "Modernism is fascinating because it's the greatest break from the past. Unfamiliarity is scary, you have to look for something to love".

The emcee went on to askcrete  the panel "How can people appreciate Marina City, and not Prentice?" Paul Goldberger responded "The term 'Brutalism' does us no favors!...it's a branding problem. With Marina City...it's tall...but lighter, more glass...a little easier to like. But awhile ago I saw Prentice for the first time, and I thought it was silly...it took time to admire"

Lee Bey answered the question of Marina vs. Prentice likability with "It's an architecture story, but also a Chicago story", referring to the Marina Tower's effect of making people want to live downtown again. Bertrand Goldberg designed Marina City as a "City within a City", where all of the amenities one needed are at their doorstep. Marina City is comprised of the one-of-a-kind, rather two-of-a-kind Marina Towers -once the tallest residential buildings and the tallest reinforced concrete buildings in the world; the administrative building, now home to Hotel Sax; a lead clad  nickelodeon, now the House of Blues; river level dining; and the Marina for which the complex was named. This was also the first time that the historically filthy Chicago River was marketed as an amenity rather than a nuisance. Importantly, Marina City helped to reverse the exodus to the suburbs and spawn the development of high rise condominium living downtown. So yes, Marina City is indeed a Chicago Story, whereas the less visible and less celebrated Prentice Women's Hospital doesn't offer an emotional link, save for the families of the thousands of babies born there. 

The emcee carried the conversation from the specific Marina City and Prentice Women's Hospital to a broader context of modernism as a whole when he asked "Is it harder for modern buildings to age?" Paul Goldberger said "Flat surfaces show imperfections...[but] every building of every style needs to be cared for...any building will look awful if ignored". In regard to materials, Goldberger added "A lot of vernacular buildings were built quickly and cheaply...[though] not an issue with Prentice".  

When asked if our social perceptions of buildings changes, Goldberger replied "I think every generation brings itst own perception...the culture we live in versus the culture it was created in".  Ned Cramer cited Frank Gehry as an example of "the exuberance of the late 1990's and early 2000's, much like the Art Deco during the Great Depression". So, yes our social perceptions of buildings does change over time; it's an interesting generational thing, as Lee Bey described.

Our current societal view of postmodern buildings isn't exactly one of great admiration and appreciation. Though, that will likely change in future generations. Lee Bey added "Twenty years from now, Postmodern buildings will be put on historic registers." We are now beginning to realize the importance of preserving modern icons half a century after their heyday. Expect to see the Thompson Center in the collection of Chicago Landmarks by 2050. 

Paul Goldberger wrapped up the forum with interesting comments about the heroic ideals of modernism as society ideals including that "Modernism is remembered as a corporate/commercial style, rather than a solution to housing." That, perhaps, may be the failure of modernism. He also offered some kind words from New York City when he told the audience that it is "very rare that in New York City can we ever speak with superiority over Chicago", in reference to architecture.

Thank you to Preservation Chicago, Seventeenth Church of Christ, Scientist, Paul Goldberger, Ned Cramer, and Lee Bey!

Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks

National Memorial and Headquarters

2750 N Lakeview Avenue

Chicago, IL

Egerton Swarthout

1923-1926

The decision to build the Elks Memorial in Chicago came in 1920, and an architectural competition selected New York architect Egerton Swarthout's submission. Construction began in 1923, with the cornerstone laid in 1924, and the building's dedication took place in 1926. The interior is lavish, and the rotunda features columns of various types of marble. Beautiful murals, chandeliers, Persian rugs, sculptures, and detailed friezes grace the interior of this Beaux-Arts masterpiece. The Elks Memorial is open to the public, though is currently undergoing extensive restoration. Click here for a virtual tour of the Elks Memorial Rotunda. Click here for a virtual tour of the Elks Grand Reception Room.

Crate & Barrel 

Old Cook County Hospital

Congress Hotel

520 S Michigan Avenue

Chicago, IL

Clinton Warren (original)

Holabird & Roche (addition)

1893, 1902-1907

The Congress (Plaza) Hotel opened in 1893 as the Auditorium Annex, built in conjunction with the World's Columbian Exposition of 1893. It is located on the corner of Michigan Avenue and Congress Parkway, across the street, south of the Auditorium Building. Clinton Warren was the architect of the original, northern building and Adler & Sullivan were consulting architects. In many ways the facade mimics and complements the Auditorium in scale, materials, and design. It has a limestone facade and rows of arched windows that double as the building climbs upward. There was originally a marble cladded tunnel that linked the Auditorium Annex with the Auditorium Building under street level.

The southern building of the Congress Hotel was built between 1902-1907, and designed by Holabird & Roche. The building's facade is similar to the original building's, though it lacks the arched windows. The cornice lines are similar in design, though they don't match up as the southern building is taller.

The Congress Hotel in Chicago is jam packed with interesting history. It has seen the likes of many American Presidents: Grover Cleveland, William McKinley, Teddy Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, Woodrow Wilson, Warren Harding, Calvin Coolidge, and Franklin Roosevelt. The Congress Hotel was owned by Al Capone for a time, who surely used it for less than legal activities.

The Congress Hotel also has a haunted history, and is said to be the most haunted hotel in Chicago. Supposedly, there is quite a bit of poltergeist activity, with objects unexplainably moving around, and strange voices heard. It's been said over and over that there is a gloved hand sticking out of a wall that belonged to a construction worker who was trapped behind drywall during construction of the hotel. Whether this is fact or just local lore, it adds a little spice to this hotel's history. 

CNA Plaza

333 S Wabash

Chicago, IL

Graham, Anderson, Probst & White

1970-1972

That big red building in the Chicago Skyline that no one ever seems to know anything about is CNA Plaza. Completed in 1972, CNA Plaza was designed by Graham, Anderson, Probst & White, whose extensive portfolio includes the Merchandise Mart, Wrigley Building, and the Shedd Aquarium. CNA Plaza is Miesian in form, but pops because of its red-painted exterior. Tragically, a large fragment of glass from the 29th floor fell to the earth and struck a woman in the head, killing her as she was holding the hand of her three year old daughter walking down Wabash Avenue. The incident resulted in an $18 million settlement from CNA, and all of the buildings windows were replaced with higher quality windows that are each inspected on a monthly basis.

Civic Opera Building

20 N Wacker Drive

Chicago, IL

Graham, Anderson, Probst, and White

1929

The Art Deco marvel that is the Chicago Civic Opera Building was completed in 1929, and designed by Graham, Anderson, Probst, and White. The primary architectural details and form of the building are best viewed from the Chicago River facade (seen above). The building is shaped like a throne, with a central, setback tower that rises 45 stories, flanked by two 22-story arms. The Civic Opera Building in Chicago was the brainchild of investor Samuel Insull, best known for his contributions for an electrical infrastructure in the United States. The Civic Opera Building replaced the Auditorium Building as Chicago's primary venue for opera, and is now home to the Lyric Opera of Chicago.

The Civic Opera Building was designated a Chicago Landmark on February 5, 1998.