Chicago_framed

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STUD I O B R I E F_STUD I O B R I E F_This studio begins with a claim: that we might describe each Chicago School—from the Com-mercial Style to Modernism, Post-Modernism to the Contemporary—by its use of the win-dow frame in relation to structural framing. By creating a new eff icient structural system divorced from the visible architecture, the surface was left to develop its own ideologi-cal autonomy. In other words, the frame (as described by Colin Rowe) has been a l inchpin around which the ideologies and aesthetics of key movements in the city f ind expression. If the frame is the structure, then the window frame represents the facade, and the interac-tions between the two systems pose a site not just of historical information, but of enormous design potential .

Concurrent with its historical development, the Chicago Frame also accompanied the birth of the modern American off ice: an emergent post-industrial typology that coincided with the rise of business culture (hence, in part , “commercial style”) . The off ice, the frame, and the window thus synthesized together:defining one another and establishing part of a complex foundation that would underlie the Modern movement. Together they trace the modern history of architecture through to the present.

Starting with this basic unit , we might ask: i f the city ’s history is written into its window frames, then how can we intervene today? What formal, programmatic, and tectonic de-vices might we introduce based on the city ’s logics? The frame acts as a site that is both detai led and broad, specif ic and fundamental .

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_Ch i cago f rame_Ch i cago f rame

_Ch i cago W I NDOW_Ch i cago W I NDOW

_Commerc i a l STYL E_Commerc i a l STYL E

_DEVE L OPMENT_DEVE LOPMENT

_MARQUETTE _MARQUETTE

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Ch I CAGO F RAME_

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[B i b l i o th Equ e Sa i nt e -

G en ev i Ev e_ 1 8 3 8_Labrouste ]

Beginning in the 18th century, the develop-ment of wrought iron lead to i ts l imited use in building construction. Extraordinary 19th century advancements in steel production greatly reduced the cost of steel and made it much stronger. These improvements made steel building construction widespread.

[HOME I N S URANC E B U I L D I N G_ 1 8 8 4_Jenn ey ]

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RIG

ID F

RA

ME

FRA

ME

WIT

H S

HEA

R T

RU

SS

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EVO LUT I O N O F STRUCTURAL ST E E L F RAME SYSTEMS

The tensile properties of the improved 19th century steel al lowed for increasingly tal l buildings. Further bracing and structural innovations pushed the height l imit increas-ingly high.

END

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NEL

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AM

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The steel frame was increasingly used as the basic building block for early skyscrapers. As in the Reliance Building, i t was common to have protruding bay windows or balconies extend beyond the recti l inear frame.

[R E L I A NC E B U I L D I N G_ 1 8 9 4_

BURNHAM ]

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[THE FA I R b u i l d i n g_ 1 8 9 1_J enn ey ]Covering a large area with and extending only 12 stories high, the Fair Building rep-resents an early stage in the evolution of steel frames.

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[R E L I A NC E B U I L D I N G_ 1 8 9 4_BURNHAM ]Taller and with a much smaller footprint, the Reliance Building i l lustrates a move toward tal l , s lender skyscrapers. The protruding bay windows show some init ial experimentation with the frame structure.

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[ F I S H E R B U I L D I N G_ 1 8 9 6_BURNHAM ]The Fisher Building further experiments with canti levered additions to the frame.

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[WOOLWORTH B U I L D I N G_ 1 9 1 3_G I L B E RT ]The grid of the steel frame was easi ly adapt-ed to frame a variety of building forms.

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[ JOHN Hancock B U I L D I N G_ 1 9 6 5_KAHN & G RAHAM ]The John Hancock Building was the product of several structural innovations al l working in tandem.

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Ch I CAGO W I NDOW_

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CH I CAGO W I NDOW

This style of window developed as part of the Commercial Style in conjunction with the Chicago Frame at the end of the 19th centu-ry. It is characterized by one large window flanked by two operable windows. This al-lows the fenestration to combine venti lation with maximum light penetration. [GAGE G ROUP B U I L D I N GS_ 1 8 9 8_

Ho lab i r d & R och ]

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EVO LUT I O N O F T H E C H I CAGO W I NDOW

The Chicago Window, and the subsequent Oriel Window, both derived from the tradi-t ional window of Chicago vernacular archi-tecture.

Oriel Window

Chicago Window

Traditional

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I n f l u enc e o f t h e C h i cago w i ndow

The development of the Chicago Window had a major impact on f loor plans of the Com-mercial Style. The enlargement of windows, made possible by the Chicago Frame, al lowed for increased daylight in interior spaces. As seen here, areas of l ightest gray have the most windows, and thus daylight.

Brooks Building Monadnock Building Reliance Building

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[MARQUETTE b u i l d i n g_ 1 8 9 5_Ho lab i r d & R och e ]

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[R E L I A NC E B U I L D I N G_ 1 8 9 4_BURNHAM ]

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[CH I CAGO b u i l d i n g_ 1 9 0 4_Ho lab i r d & R och e ]

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[Carson , P i r i e , S c ott and C ompany Bu i l d i n g_ 1 8 9 9_

BURNHAM ]

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VAR I AT I O NS O F T H E C H I CAGO W I NDOW

Over t ime the Chicago Window has been adapted to different functions and styles, creating a large variation of types within the style.

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COMMERC I A L STYL E_

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THE F I R ST C H I CAGO S CHOO L O F ARCH I T E CTUR E

The Commercial Style developed at the turn of the century with several key distinctions. New fireproof construction techniques increased building safety while expanding vertical ly. Lower level retai l space and in-creased l ight penetration through the Chica-go Window are also indicative of the style. [MARSHAL L F I E L D & C OMPANY

BU I L D I N G_ 1 8 9 2_BURNHAM ]

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[ROOK ERY B U I L D I N G_ 1 8 8 5_BURNHAM & ROOT ]The structural constraints of masonry con-struction dictated a low window to solid ratio. The Rookery, as an early example of the Commercial Style, st i l l implements this low ratio as a styl ist ic choice.

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[ F I R ST L E I T E R B U I L D I N G_ 1 8 87_JENN EY ]The Commercial Style gradually increased the ratio of void to solid as the architects became progressively more comfortable us-ing the Chicago steel frame.

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[MANHATTAN B U I L D I N G_ 1 8 8 9_JENN EY ]

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[R E L I A NC E B U I L D I N G_ 1 8 9 0_BURNHAM

ROOT & ATWOOD ]

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[ FA I R B U I L D I N G_ 1 8 9 0_

JENN EY ]

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[MONADANOCK_ 1 8 9 1_BURNHAM & ROOT ]

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[Carson , P i r i e , S c ott and

C ompany Bu i l d i n g_ 1 8 9 9_

BURNHAM ]

WINDOW RAT I O S

In general , the amount of fenestration in Chicago Frame buildings gradually increased over t ime. The notable exception being the Monadanock Building of 1891, which for styl ist ic reasons chose to have smaller win-dows.

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[ F I R ST L E I T E R B U I L D I N G_ 1 8 87_JENN EY ]

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D EVE L OPMENT_DEVE LOPMENT_

The chronological development of the Commercial Style over 19th-21st c. can be traced through emergent stylistic elements.

_TRANSPARENCY_TRANSPARENCY

_gr id_gr id

_vert ical ity_vert ical ity

_hor izontal ity_hor izontal ity

_mater ial_mater ial

_s ize_s ize

_symmetry_symmetry

_ornament_ornament

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**THE LAST DECADES OF THE X IX CENTURY : NEW ENG INEER ING SOLUT IONS WERE

IMPLEMENTED , NEW RELAT IONSH IPS WERE FOUNDED_ IT ’S ABOUT TECHN IQUES .

BU I LD ING H ISTOR ICAL S IGN I F I CANCE

Nixon _1871 Fireproof Structure +Materials

First Leiter_1879 Steel-Iron Frame + Large Windows

Home Insurance_1879 Mature Use of Steel-Iron Frame

Second Leiter_1891Steel-Iron Frame; Department

Store Model

Chicago Stock Exchange_1868 Cassion Construction

Auditorium_1888 Raft Foundation

Rookery Building_1898 Grillage Foundation

Reliance Building_1895 Chicago Bay + Chicago Window

Montauk_1882 Portal system of wind bracing

Monadnock_1893Burnham + Root form relationship

with Brooks family

Tacoma_1889 Riveted Steel Joints

Marquette_1895Chicago Bay - Chicago

Window

Sullivan Center_1899Sullivanesque Built for

Large-scale commerce

James Charnley House_1892 Sullivanesque ResidentialJ

1780

jean baptist point -

chicago’s f irst

commercial structure

1893

columbian

exposit ion

1868

jenney

establishes

off ice in

chicago

1871

chicago

fire

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[[HOME I N S URANC E B U I L D I N G_ 1 8 8 4_Jenn eyHOME I N S URANC E B U I L D I N G_ 1 8 8 4_Jenn ey ]]The f irst i teration of what would The f irst i teration of what would become the Chicago “grid.”become the Chicago “grid.”

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[[AUD I T OR I UM B U I L D I N G_ 1 8 8 8_AD L ER+SU L L I VANAUD I T OR I UM B U I L D I N G_ 1 8 8 8_AD L ER+SU L L I VAN ]]First use of “raft” foundation, First use of “raft” foundation, al lowing greater height.al lowing greater height.

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[[rookery b u i l d i n g_ 1 8 8 8_burnham+rootrookery b u i l d i n g_ 1 8 8 8_burnham+root ]]This building marks the f irst This building marks the f irst mature use of steel iron frame.mature use of steel iron frame.

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[[ james c harn l ey h ous e_ 1 8 9 2_AD L ER+SU L L I VANjames c harn l ey h ous e_ 1 8 9 2_AD L ER+SU L L I VAN ]]The Charnley House is a residential The Charnley House is a residential translation of the Sull ivanesque translation of the Sull ivanesque style.style.

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1900s 1920s 1950s

HEYWORTH

FISHER

MUSIC

CARBIDE

CARBON

TRIBUNE

TOWER

KRAUSE

COMMONWEALTH

APTS

D E V E L OPMENT_DEVE LOPMENT_

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1960s 1980s-------- present

JOHN AON

HANCOCK

TOWER

TOWER

DEWITT

CHESTNUT

APTS

BRUNSWICK ONE

MAGNIF ICENT

MILE

IBM

PLAZA

ONTERIE

CENTER

LAKE

POINT

TOWER

WILL IS

TOWER

TIMBER

TOWER

CROWN HALL

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[[ lak e s hor e d r i v e_ 1 970_m i e s van d e r r oh elake s hor e d r i v e_ 1 970_m i e s van d e r r oh e ]]Attention shifted towards the Attention shifted towards the development of residential development of residential architecture in Chicago post-WWII.architecture in Chicago post-WWII.

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[[ john hancock c enter_ 1 9 6 5_fa lzur kahnjohn hancock c enter_ 1 9 6 5_fa lzur kahn ]]The John Hancock Cetner attempts The John Hancock Cetner attempts to break the grid with diagonal to break the grid with diagonal members.members.

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[[ i bm p laza_ 1 970_m i e s van d e r r oh ei bm p laza_ 1 970_m i e s van d e r r oh e ]]Design of the IBM Plaza attempts to Design of the IBM Plaza attempts to thin down the Chicago Frame and lean thin down the Chicago Frame and lean towards complete transparency.towards complete transparency.

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[[t imb er tower_20 1 4_s . o . mt imb er tower_20 1 4_s . o . m ]]Modern concerns about eco-friendly Modern concerns about eco-friendly design pushes an idea about t imber design pushes an idea about t imber construction of a skyscraper.construction of a skyscraper.

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marquette b u i l d i n g_marquette b u i l d i n g_

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[mart i n r och e ]

He was born in Cleveland, Ohio on August 15, 1855. During July of 1857, his family moved back to Chicago and he partook in his early studies there.In May, 1872, he en-tered the offi ce of W.L.B. Jenney, where he stayed until 1881. During this year, he made a partnership with Hola-bird & Simonds and added his name to the fi rm. Holabird and Roche had their early training and the same offi ce.

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[mart i n r och e ]

He was born in Cleveland, Ohio on August 15, 1855. During July of 1857, his family moved back to Chicago and he partook in his early studies there.In May, 1872, he en-tered the offi ce of W.L.B. Jenney, where he stayed until 1881. During this year, he made a partnership with Hola-bird & Simonds and added his name to the fi rm. Holabird and Roche had their early training and the same offi ce.

525252

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[marquette b u i l d i n g_ 1 8 9 5 ]

All aspects of the planning and construction of the Marquette building were managed by Real Estate Developer, Owen Aldis. Completed in 1895, the Mar-quette building, named after Jacques Marquette, the fi rst Eu-ropean settler in Chicago, has made a signifi cant impact on the city of Chicago’s architec-tural history and is a one of the most relevant examples of the Chicago School of Architecture.

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Marquette building uses a smaller scale of ornamen-tation on the exterior facades, placing a larger effect on more formal design elements such as proportion.

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The building was divided vertically into a base, a shaft and a top, and that the two sides were emphasized by

rustication at the corners

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[corn i c e ]

The original cornice was 12 ft high and it wrapped around the top fl oor while extending eight feet out over the side-walk. Around 1950 the cor-nice was removed due to the steel support rusting away and another story was added on.

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[ entry ]

Th e original grand entrance was com-posed of large Ionic columns and ex-tended four feet out from the building line. Th ey used classical features in an un-classical way. Bruegmann be-lieves that this was because of a un-familiarity with classical ornament.

marquette b u i l d i n g_marquette b u i l d i n g_

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Broze exterior details.

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[mater i a l ]

Th e terra cotta is located on the exterior of the Marquette building. At eye level, the ob-server sees great blocks whose heaviness is underscored by the way the surfaces are covered with a guilloche pattern, resem-bling classical torus moldings.

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[r estorat i o n ]

In 2002, they began a four-year renovation. Th e res-toration to the exterior proceeded in two phases: reconstructing the cor-nice and replacing the 17th story windows to match the original windows; and cleaning and restoring the masonry and restoring the remainder of the windows.

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[h i stor i ca l r e f e r enc e ]

Using authentic gold me-dallions, trophies, and Na-tive American apparel the mosaics begin to represent original historic period costumes, coats of arms, weapons, and timeless icons of Chicago history.

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