The building is floodlit at night, and handwashed to keep its shine as brilliant as it was back in 1921. To achieve a similar effect, the building was clad in 250,000 terra cotta tiles in six shades of white, which make it appear brighter as it rises.
#Oldest skyscraper chicago series
Its design was influenced by owner William Wrigley Jr.’s memories of the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition and its “White City,” a series of gleaming white buildings illuminated at night by brilliant electric lights. Watching over the Chicago River, this Magnificent Mile gateway is one of the city’s most distinctive buildings, and the first major office building built north of the Chicago River. Some say the entire building was designed to resemble a champagne bottle, but you can judge the resemblance for yourself. The tower’s dark green terra cotta with gold leaf accents stands out amongst the area’s predominant shades of gray and black, and the gold spire (covered in real 24 karat gold, just one five-thousands of an inch thick) stands as a brilliant tribute to the roaring ‘20s. While grand in many ways, its most striking feature must be its colors and the materials used in its construction. Given the admiring gazes the building continues to draw today, they were successful. The original owners of this art deco triumph wanted their building to make a statement. Keep an eye out for Aesop’s Screen above the main entrance, a carving which features icons representing architects Howells & Hood: a dog (Howells) and Robin Hood (Hood). Its design was the result of a competition the Tribune held to create the “most beautiful and distinctive office building in the world.” Whether or not it meets that lofty standard, it definitely remains a striking specimen nearly a century after its completion. You could say the neo-gothic Tribune Tower was award-winning from day one. If you want to trace the history and evolution of the city’s skyscraper design, these 11 examples are some must-sees. No matter where you go, you’ll see something to impress and inspire. Walk along any downtown street and you’ll see example after example of superb design, from neo-gothic, to art deco, to modernist, postmodern, contextual, contemporary, and everything in between. Chicago is one of the world’s great architectural destinations.
0 kommentar(er)
