The Exciting Architecture of Chicago
The tourist visiting Chicago cannot help but be fascinated by the city’s many imposing works of architecture, only a few of which are discussed in this article. The city has dominated America’s architectural scene at least since the Great Fire of 1871, after which a team of builders, known as the Chicago school, began to rebuild the city.
The Home Insurance Building, built in 1885, was the first skyscraper. It was torn down, but other, even taller buildings have since gone up: Sears Tower was, for many years following its erection in the 1970s, the tallest building in the world. (Today, though, several buildings in Malaysia and the United Arab Emirates exceed its height.)
Reliance Building was the first skyscraper made with most of its surface consisting of plate glass windows.
The Frederick C. Robie House, in Hyde Park, was built by Frank Lloyd Wright in his so- called Prairie style, with numerous flat roofs. It is a U.S. National Historic Landmark.
The John Hancock Center is famous for the observatory perched way up atop its roof.
But if you really want to see just how exciting Chicago’s architecture is, you’ll have to go see for yourself. I’ve been there.