Higher Learning: Bringing a Whole New Meaning to “Chicago School”

Header Photo Credit: Dan Oneil

Many would argue that the city of Chicago’s architecture has influenced American architecture more than any other. Dare someone with little knowledge of the subject to name an architect, and I bet they will answer “Frank Lloyd Wright,” who famously got his start in Chicago after the Great Chicago Fire altered the age of Chicago architecture forever. For those with even a cursory knowledge of architecture history, “Chicago School” carries a lot of meaning. While the movement that developed concurrently with Modernism—that gave commercial buildings their practical steel framework—still gets attention, what about the notable architecture of Chicago’s many colleges and universities? The following five buildings are my favorite school-related buildings in the city, and while I’ve tried to develop a varied taste, I’m sure they reveal my biases.

Rush University Medical Center Jelke Building

I hate to admit that I’m a sucker for Skidmore, Owings, and Merrill’s buildings, but I feel that this modernist hospital is underappreciated among this huge firm’s body of work. The Jelke Building is a 15-story high rise with an impenetrable-seeming concrete façade. The building has been accused of being “ugly” or “boring,” but I find myself attracted to the utilitarian nature of both its insides and outsides. This building was completed on the Near West Side of Chicago’s downtown in 1965. Don’t miss it when checking out the other notable buildings of the Rush University Medical Center.

University of Chicago Social Services Administration Building

Photo Credit: Paul Goyette

60th Street on the University of Chicago’s campus showcases a number of buildings by prominent modernist architects. The SSA building designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe is my favorite among them. Though completed the same year as the Jelke Building, the SSA building couldn’t be more different than the downtown high rise. More horizontal than vertical, the lobby’s glass panes make the building feel transparent as opposed to impenetrable. Like many of Mies’ buildings, the exterior steel is painted black, and was repainted with lead-free paint in 2008.

Columbia College Main Building

Initially constructed as the headquarters for the International Harvester Company, the “Main Building” of Columbia College, also known as the Alexandroff Campus Center, was built between 1906 and 1907 by Christian A. Eckstorm and wasn’t acquired by Columbia College until 1975. This brick-clad building stands 15 stories tall, and has some noticeable classical stone detailing. If you have the opportunity to sneak inside, you’ll notice that the Art Deco lobby still retains some of its original marble. Built in a classical style, this building has a steel skeleton and can be found at 600 Michigan Avenue.

The Auditorium Building of Roosevelt University


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This Auditorium Building is likely the best known building on this list, as it was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1975. Designed by Alder and Sullivan, this building is also located on Michigan Avenue, and at the time of its completion in 1889, it was the tallest building in the United States. The Auditorium still appears bulky and impressive, even though its massive raft foundation hasn’t held up and the building has “settled” about 29 inches. The first home of the Chicago Civic Orchestra and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Auditorium Building now features performances by the Joffrey Ballet.

Illinois Institute of Technology McCormick Tribune Campus Center

Photo Credit: Rem Koolhas

Many people hate this deconstructivist building that came in millions of dollars over budget, but I find it humorous. The first building designed in the United States by the Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas, the building opened in September of 2003, and features a stainless steel tube that encloses the intersecting public transit tracks. The tube may be notable, but most of the building stands a single story tall and is sheathed in glass and metal. This modern building stands in simultaneous contrast and harmony with the rest of the Ludwig Mies van der Rohe campus.

Sean Lords spent three insightful years teaching English in Seoul, South Korea. Since returning to the US, he’s offered insight to others looking for tefl certification in Chicago. He’s currently working toward his Master of Education and raising an amazing family.

The Chicago Pedway

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Oh, the Chicago Pedway. What a perfectly unique quirk in this city full of surprises. I’ll admit, to my own dismay, that I went 23 years as a Chicagoan without ever having used the Pedway — gasp! My Pedway ignorance lingers no more, though. And from this moment forward, you’ll be in the know, too.

Have you ever been bustling your way through the Loop on a freezing January day, snow blowing in your face and your ears so red and cold they’ve turned numb? It’s happened to all of us. Often. It’s called winter in Chicago, and it can be pretty rough. Those who know better, though, get all their downtown errands done, travel between meetings, and make their way throughout the Loop without ever having to step outside.

The Chicago Pedway is a network of underground tunnels connecting many of the city’s buildings within the Loop. Covering about five miles and forty blocks of the city’s downtown hub, the Pedway is used by tens of thousands of people each day. Among the over 50 public and private buildings accessed by the Pedway are the Thomspson Center, the Chicago Cultural Center, the Aon Center, the Aqua buildling, and Daley Plaza. It wasn’t always such an extensive network, though. The Pedway began in 1951 as one simple tunnel built by the City of Chicago to connect the Red Line and Blue Line underground L stations at Washington and Jackson.

Though it would seem logical for the City to manage this network of passageways, that’s not the case. Each individual building owns the part of the Pedway residing beneath it, meaning that each section of the Pedway is privately managed. What does that mean for you? Well, for starters there’s no uniform aesthetic or structure to the Pedway. Each part has its own unique personality and character. One minute you may be walking on marble tiles with expensive light fixtures hanging from the walls, the next you could be on 1980s laminate flooring with fluorescent lighting illuminating the hallway. An important thing to note about the Pedway is that the sections are not necessarily continuous, and not all parts of the system are linked together. It’s actually a rather schizophrenic layout, as parts of the Pedway have been constructed over the past 50 years by different contractors.

These aren’t just empty passageways, though. They are full of busy commuters, shops, stores, restaurants, offices, and kiosks. In essence, the Pedway is a city underneath the city. You’ll find everything from a locksmith to an art gallery to local coffee brewers down there. Need a tailor or a dry cleaner? Time to get your driver’s license renewed? Wanna go for a swim? Looking to throw back a few beers with some buddies? The Pedway will satisfy any of these needs, and more. (Yes, there’s a swimming pool down there!) Another cool feature? The Pedway is almost completely handicap accessible, with elevators connecting various levels.

Though most of the Pedway happenings go on underground, there are also parts of these walkways that extend between buildings above ground, referred to as the Sky Walk. These above-ground tunnels are located at the Ogilvie Transportation Center and the Leo Burnett Building on Wacker Drive.

If you do head into this tunnel network, beware: the Pedway map is an elusive thing. There are sporadically posted maps throughout the Pedway, but there are no official printed maps, and you cannot purchase them anywhere. If you have a tendency to get lost you can, however, print a map from online here. If you’re up for an adventure, print one out and head down below for a day of exploration. An important note: the Pedway compass (as seen above) does not always point in the right direction, so don’t follow it as a navigational tool. It will keep you on track, though, and let you know that you are, in fact, still in the Pedway (as opposed to some underground unnamed limbo). There are limited places to enter this maze, so if you want to check it out, take a peek at the map first.

For those unfamiliar with the Pedway, local Chicagoan Margaret Hicks offers tours of the underground maze through her company Chicago Elevated. She leads several different types of tours — one for those interested in the architectural and historical attributes of the Pedway, another for Loop workers interested in a more functional approach to learning the Pedway. Her expertise in local architecture paired with an outgoing personality and stellar comedic skills make for entertaining and informative tours of one of Chicago’s most unique and unsung features. We had the great pleasure of joining her on a tour recently, and would recommend it to any local or visitor for an off-the-beaten path city experience.

City Gallery at the Historic Water Tower

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The City Gallery, located inside Chicago’s historic Water Tower, is definitely worth checking out if you’re shopping along Michigan Avenue. Especially, if you’re in need of a break from the hustle and bustle of the crowded Gold Coast streets.

The Water Tower’s exterior is an architectural gem, so it’s only fitting that the building’s interior matches its beauty. Robust stone lion head statues are built into portions of the wall. The gallery itself holds Chicago-themed photography exhibits from local artists. When I visited, the photography exhibit held photos of Chicago’s historical past and its more recent present. Photos included snapshots of St. James on Wabash and Huron before and after the Chicago fire. Which, in accordance with the Water Tower’s history seemed fitting.

Admission is free and the gallery’s hours are extremely convenient, so there’s no excuse not to sneak in and take a peek. Through December 20th 2011, on the third Tuesday of the month, the City Gallery offers free gallery talks on, “The City Then and Now.” Talks are lead by photographer, architecture critic, Lee Bey. Gallery exhibits and talks change every three months and focus on a new neighborhood or theme.

The Essentials:
Location: 806 N. Michigan Ave.
Phone: 312.742.0808

Hours & Admission:
Monday-Saturday 10:00 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Sundays from 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m

Getting There:
L: Red Line (Chicago Ave.)
Bus: #3, #145, #146, #147, or #151.

Map:

Harold Washington Library

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Since 1997, Harold Washington’s famous library has held its very own stop on the L’s Pink, Brown, Purple, and Orange lines. It was renamed Harold Washington Library-State & Van Buren in October 2010 in order to more properly pay tribute to the former mayor and namesake of our largest public library. Today the space is not only a library, but also a tourist attraction and architectural landmark.

In the 1970s, when the Chicago Cultural Center was deemed too small to hold the city’s expansive collection of library materials, then mayor Harold Washington commissioned for the construction of a new central library for the city. The entire block at Congress Parkway and State Street was chosen, and construction began on the building in 1987. The structure was completed in 1991 and new Mayor Richard M. Daley named the library in honor of Washington, by then deceased. The space has also been cited as the largest public library building in the world by the Guinness Book of World Records.

After a contest to decide who would design the new library, Hammond, Beeby, & Babka won and began designing a building in the Beaux-Art and neoclassical styles. The building was constructed with 10 floors, including a lower level housing the Cindy Pritzker Auditorium, Multi-Purpose Room & Exhibit Hall and the 9th floor winter garden, often rented out for social functions. The main lobby features a large mural detailing the life and accomplishments of Harold Washington and the entrance to the Popular Library. The entire library is open to the public and like all Chicago Public Libraries has free wifi access. If you have a day to get lost in a pretty cool part of Chicago history, visit the Harold Washington Library. You’ll be amazed at what you might find there.

For more information on whats currently happening at the Harold Washington Library, check their main website.

The Basics:
Location: 400 S. State St.
Phone: 312.747.4300
Website: http://www.chipublib.org/branch/details/library/harold-washington/

Getting There:
L: Brown, Purple, Orange, & Pink (Library); Red, Blue (Jackson)
Bus:

Admission Hours & Prices:
Monday-Thursday: 9am-9pm
Friday-Sunday: 9am-5pm

The Chicago Theatre

Photo Credit: Kevin Dooley

Seeing Frank Sinatra singing “My Kind of Town” at the Chicago Theatre would have made my life. Too bad I wasn’t born yet. The Chicago Theatre is an iconic landmark in the city, just as the Willis (Sears) Tower, Wrigley Field, and Navy Pier, all symbolize Chicago. The vertical sign represents the Chicago theatre district, State Street, and Chicago as a mecca of culture and prosperity. Since the 1920s the theatre has hosted great musicians, comedians, and entertainers, including Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Robin Williams, Prince, and many more.

The theatre opened in 1921 and at the time was called the “wonder theatre of the world.” It was the first luxurious movie theater of its kind, setting an example for theaters across America. Designed by Cornelius and George Rapp, the building was constructed for $4 million by theatre owners Barney and Abe Balaban and Sam and Morris Katz.

Above the famed marquee, the building is designed as a small replica of France’s Arc de Triomphe. The arch spans 60 feet wide and six stories tall and features a grand window displaying the coat of arms of the Balaban and Katz chain — two horses holding ribbons of 35-mm film in their mouths.

The Grand Lobby is modeled after the Royal Chapel at Versailles and the grand staircase is designed based on the Paris Opera House, ascending to the various levels of the Great Balcony. Marshall Field supplied the original drapes and furniture.

The theatre opened to immense popularity with its lush accommodations and strategic location in Chicago’s downtown. Opening day featured First National Picture’s The Sign on the Door starring Norma Talmadge, while a 50 piece orchestra played in the pit.

Unfortunately, the theatre wasn’t always as thriving as it is today. The space closed in September of 1985 due to economic factors, its future unknown. Not long after in 1986, the Chicago Theatre Restoration Associates, with the city of Chicago, saved the theatre and set out to renovate the Chicago landmark. The redesign and restoration was led by Chicago architects Daniel P. Coffey & Associates, Ltd. and interior design consultants A.T. Heinsbergen & Co. of Los Angeles. After nine months, the Chicago Theatre reopened on September 10, 1986 with a gala performance by Frank Sinatra.

Today, the Chicago Theatre is on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places (1979) and is a registered Chicago landmark (1983). It is owned by Madison Square Garden Inc. While walking down State Street, it is not to be missed.

The Essentials:
Location: 175 N. State St.
Phone: (312) 462-6300
Website: http://www.thechicagotheatre.com/

Box Office hours:
Tuesday and Thursday 11:30a.m. – 6p.m.
Monday, Wednesday and Friday 12p/m. to 6p.m.
Saturday tour tickets may be purchased at the State Street doors 10 minutes before tour.
October & November: Tours at noon.
December: Tours at 11:30a.m. & 12:30p.m.

Theatre Tours:
Adults: $12
Children (12 and under): $10
Groups of 10 or more: $10 per person
There are no tours on Thanksgiving or Christmas

Map:

Frank Lloyd Wright

Photo Credit:Hibino
When was the last time you had enough clout to name a house? Most people have barely enough confidence to name their price when they haggle. You may have heard of Falling Water, but what about Graycliff, Wingspread, and Eaglefeather? Percy Bysshe Shelley couldn’t have gotten away with names like those, and he was writing odes to birds and the wind. Frank Lloyd Wright was an architectural magician, designing over four hundred houses, apartments, pavilions, churches, and business structures in a career spanning over fifty years. Wright didn’t sketch the same forms over and over again. His houses don’t look like the hand-in-hand paper doll chains of repetition you find on suburban streets across America today. He let his convictions on design and his previous works inspire his current piece, so his craft was always evolving. Frank Lloyd Wright is one of the great American architects, and he established his first independent firm right around the corner in Oak Park, the first suburb to the West of Chicago.

The largest collection of Wright’s works can be found scattered around Illinois, most dense in the greater Chicago area. Take a stroll through Oak Park and you can still see Wright’s works, many of which are now private residences. Particularly full roads include Chicago, Forest, Fair Oaks, and Euclid. Wright’s own residence, named the Frank Lloyd Wright House — he wasn’t quite a big enough rock star yet to name it something insane like he would with his future works — still stands at 428 Forest Avenue in Oak Park. It looks almost normal, like it could have been conceived by a regular mortal. Wright would soon break away from the pack. His philosophy was one of organic design. He thought a structure should fit into the environment in which it’s placed, that buildings should not stick out like a blemish but instead be integrated into the greater design of nature. This is what pushed Wright’s work into what came to be known as the Prairie school of architecture.

Wright’s Prairie homes are perhaps his most well-known and are defined by their use of multiple levels of horizontal structures, overhanging roofs, asymmetry and secluded entrances and living spaces. Falling Water employs this structure, and the Robie House in Hyde Park is one of the strongest examples of this style. The Robie House still offers tours, and many more Prairie style houses can be seen around the city and our suburbs. There were other architects in the Prairie school but none as well known as Wright. Want proof? Here are some names of other Prairie school architects: John S. Van Bergen, Marion Mahoney Griffin, William Gray Purcell, Henry John Klutho. Recognize any of them? Of course you don’t. None of them were mad scientists or maniacs like Wright. Another by-product of Wright’s obsession with organic design was his penchant for designing the interior as well as the exterior of his houses. That sounds innocent enough, but it wasn’t just the design of interior space and walls; Wright would actually design and build the furniture, light fixtures, and windows so that they fit with the rest of the house. Basically, Frank Lloyd Wright could not allow his beautifully shaped homes to be ruined when you filled them with your tacky garbage. Everything involved in the structure had to work together, and no ignoramus homeowner was going to spoil that.

Anyone familiar with Pink Floyd knows that it’s nearly pointless to listen to only one of their songs. Their music is best consumed in whole albums at a time; melodies and themes come back, weaving in and out of the tracks, evolving the record as a whole. Frank Lloyd Wright’s body of work is similar. Sure, each house of his shows inspiration, but look across his career timeline and you find something more satisfying. Every house he built grew organically from what he had already learned. When something worked he would incorporate it into future homes. This is why you can identify a work as belonging to Wright but not become bored by his pieces. Each is unique but clearly belongs to the same record. They want each other. The elements are cohesive from the beginning of his career to the end, and luckily for us, much of his album can be listened to in the comfort of our Chicago neighborhoods.

Visit http://gowright.org/ for more information on visiting Frank Lloyd Wright buildings. Frank Lloyd Wright furniture is also on display in the Chicago History Museum.

The Wrigley Building