Chicago’s double-deck Michigan Avenue bridge turned 94 years old this week. The bridge is one of the most revered and celebrated landmarks in the Second City. When the movable bridge […]
Category: architecture
How the Michigan Avenue bridge changed Chicago
It would be hard for any visitors or residents of modern-day Chicago to think of Michigan Avenue as a “quiet, tree-lined residential street.” Yet, Patrick T. McBriarty, author of Chicago […]
The Architecture of Barry Byrne a Printers Row favorite
The Architecture of Barry Byrne by Vincent L. Michael was named one of the top books of 2013 by the Chicago Tribune Printer’s Row. As the subtitle of the book, […]
Happy birthday, Barry Byrne
Influential architect Francis Barry Byrne was born on December 19, 1883. Born and raised in Chicago, Byrne worked with Frank Lloyd Wright as a member of the group of architects known […]
Happy birthday to Chicago’s Grand Avenue bridge
On December 13 Chicago’s Grand Avenue Bridge turned 100 years old. The bridge opened on in 1913 on what was once called Indiana Avenue—which makes sense as it is just […]
Skyscraper of the Day, Part 20
Field Building, 135 S. La Salle Street. Graham, Anderson, Probst, and White, 1934. View from southeast. (Contemporary post card, collection of the author) Announced on September 29, 1929 just days […]
Skyscraper of the Day, Part 19
Conway Building, corner of Clark and Washington Streets. D. H. Burnham & Co., 1913. View from northeast. (Contemporary post card, collection of the author) Four large neoclassical office blocks designed […]
Skyscraper of the Day, Part 18
Chicago Stock Exchange, view from northeast. (Contemporary post card, collection of the author) The Stock Exchange, a project to fund a new trading room through the provision of office […]
Skyscraper of the Day, Part 17
Rookery Building. View from northwest (contemporary post card, collection of the author). The Rookery became Chicago’s center of architectural, contracting, engineering, and subcontracting expertise. It was intended to be the […]
Inside the Architecture of Barry Byrne
Vincent Michael, author of The Architecture of Barry Byrne, recently appeared on WTTW-TV’s Chicago Tonight program to discuss the apprentice to Frank Lloyd Wright who brought the Prairie School of Architecture […]
Skyscraper of the Day, Part 16
Masonic Temple, corner of Randolph and State Streets. Burnham and Root, 1892 (demolished, 1939). (120 Photographic View of Chicago, Rand McNally, 1912) Buildings braced by sway-rods typically had two or […]
Skyscraper of the Day, Part 15
Reliance Building. View from northeast. (120 Photographic View of Chicago, Rand McNally, 1909) The Reliance emerged from unpromising circumstances. Elevator engineer and contractor William E. Hale hired Burnham & Root […]