Welcome to Architecture CAD
Adlai E. Stevenson High School
Architecture in and around Chicago…
Can you name these structures?
#1
These buildings are called Marina Towers. They are
part of a development called Marina City which was
designed in 1959 and completed in 1964!
At the time that they were built, the two towers were
both the tallest residential buildings and the tallest
reinforced concrete structures in the world. The
complex was billed as a "city within a city", featuring
numerous on-site facilities including a theatre, gym,
swimming pool, ice rink, bowling alley, several stores
and restaurants, and of course, a marina, where you
could park your boat!
#2
When opened in 1930, the Merchandise Mart was the
largest building in the world with 4,000,000 square feet of
floor space. Massive in its construction, and serving as a
monument to early 20th century merchandising and
architecture, the “art deco” landmark anchors the
daytime skyline of Chicago. The building continues to be
a leading retailing and wholesale destination, hosting
20,000 visitors and tenants per day. It occupies a whole
square city block!
#3
When ground was broken for the Wrigley Building in
1920, there were no major office buildings north of the
Chicago River and the Michigan Avenue Bridge. The
Wrigley Building was Chicago’s first air-conditioned
office building. If one walks through the center doors,
they will find themselves in a secluded park area
overlooking the Chicago River. Very unique for a
downtown office building! The building is clad in glazed
terra cotta, which provides its gleaming white facade.
On occasion, the entire building is hand washed to
preserve the terra cotta. At night, the building is brightly
lit with floodlights.
#4
Lake Point Tower is a high-rise residential building
located on an outcropping of the Chicago lakefront
known also as Navy Pier. The building is the only
skyscraper in downtown Chicago east of Lake Shore
Drive. It was the first all electric high rise residential
building in the world and pioneered the concept of the
"Park in the City" being the first such residential complex
in a major city to have a two and one half acre park, a
duck pond, and waterfalls three stories above ground.
The building also features an assortment of shops and
restaurants on the second and ground levels of the
complex, under the third floor park.
#5
The Standard Oil Building was constructed as the new
headquarters of the Standard Oil Company. When it was
completed in 1973 it was the tallest building in Chicago
and the fourth-tallest in the world, earning it the
nickname "Big Stan". (A year later, the Sears Tower took
the title as Chicago's tallest.) Does this building look
familiar to the “Twin Towers”? This building was
designed by the same architects and used a very similar
design as the two famous New York buildings that were
destroyed on 9/11. This building has been renamed
several times and is now called the AON building.
#6
The House of Blues Hotel and Restaurant were
recently built in the shadows of Marina City and provide
a nice contemporary juxtaposition to the older
architecture. The use of organic shapes and smooth
lines help to achieve this effect.
#7
Soldier Field (formerly Municipal Grant Park
Stadium) is located on Lake Shore Drive. It is currently
home to the Chicago Bears. It reopened on September
29, 2003 after a complete rebuild (the second in the
stadium's history). With the current stadium capacity of
61,500, Soldier Field is the smallest stadium in the
NFL. Reaction to the renovation was mixed. The New
York Times ranked the facility as one of the five best
new buildings of 2003, while the Chicago Tribune
architecture critic dubbed it the "Eyesore on the Lake
Shore” What do you think?
Does anyone recognize that pattern? It is a famous
Pattern designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. He is one of
the world’s most famous architects, and he is from Oak
Park Illinois! We will learn all about his designs as we learn
about many of his famous structures.
What’s that? The Sears Tower? The Willis Tower?
Depends on how old you are. For my whole life this was
called the “Sears Tower” but has recently been sold to
The Willis Company and renamed. The Sears Tower is a
108-story, 1,450 feet skyscraper. At the time of its
completion in 1973 it was the tallest building in the world,
surpassing the World Trade Center towers in New York.
Currently, Sears Tower is the fourth tallest free standing
structure in the world.
Those are just a few of the awesome examples of
Architecture that we will be looking at this semester!
Those are all in your backyard too!!