Falcon Library blog

NEH grant-Day 5/Thursday July 16

Willis tower, formerly Sears Tower

Today’s Chicago Tribute ran a full page article, an open letter from the CEO of the Willis Group to all Chicagoans. The renaming of the Sears Tower was  the morning buzz during our discussions.

How does the story of the architecture firm of Holabird and Roche ( now Holabrd and Root) serve as a lens for investigating the relationship between Chicago’s architectural and urban history, and its becoming a modern city? How can an architecture firm systematised the skyscraper?

Dr. Robert Bruegmann, University of Illinois at Chicago  delivered a lecture Holabird and Roche: Architects and the City. By highlighting the 15 years of research on the architecture firm of Holabird and Roche the intent is to illustrate the firm’s architectural history with the urban history of Chicago. A migration  from rural to urban, mechanisation and the industrial revolution in the 19th Century in America are all factors which causes a push/pull   help form the  perfect storm to create  the desire for skyscrapers.

The Home Insurance Building (1855) designed by William Lebaron Jenny  is seen as the  creator of the first skyscraper. There exists a myth that the Great Fire  created the skyscraper city.  Truthfully,  what happened was that the people effected rebuild exactly the same way ( which is common after a disaster) as that the infrastructure is already in place, economics  drove a need  for shoppes to get back into business quickly.

Transit  ( as part of the infrastructure)  was needed for skyscrapers to work.  Since many people had gone to live out in the outskirts of the city,  travel into the downtown core to get to their jobs. Thus street cars were  installed int he 1880s, the first elevated line came about 1890s.

Mantouck Building was build in the 1880s for the Brook Brothers of MA.  They were motivated to make money and were not looking for design or a monumental icon.  Elevators became important in transporting people vertically within taller and taller buildings.  Otis , the elevator maker,  demonstrated a ’safe’ elevator at teh World’s Fair in 1853. Telephones and telegraph increased communication both within the building as well as between distant buildings.  This would allow  a business’s head quarters in one city and the actually  factory in another. Fire proofing allowed iron to provide a stable skeleton for a skyscraper, though by in casing it in mason (cement) would insult the metal in case of fire.  By 1890s, steel is the standard building materials for skyscrapers. it is stronger and a lighter material.

Why was is said that Jenny had the first skyscraper?  To glorify Jenny would build the cache of the birth of Chicago as a skyscraper city.

Several building booms  and then busts have occurred in Chicago ( and often felt throughout America).   1925-1929 building boom was halted   by the the Great Depression in 1929. A 1950s building boom, Post WWI,  ground to a halt during the oil crisis in the 1970s.  Building happening in 1980s and 1990s ceased during an economic downturn  due to  September 11th’s bombing attacks in New York.

Marquette Building

George Fuller revolutionised  the building industry by becoming the first constructor to construct a tall building, making his profit by  finishing the building prior to the contracted time.  Contractors were first used  on the Marquette Building.

Architectural firms became more responsive to clients and the city’s needs. Chicago was not intent on creating the monumental skyscraper, but made a contribution. Architectural firms ran along the lines of a business, intent on making money  from their clients.

William Holabird was a West point grad with a business background. Martin Root was a cabinet maker but considered the genius in the firm. Both met when hired to work in Jenny’s architectural firm, then struck out on their own just before  the Great Fire, and today has celebrated their 129th anniversary.

Workshop participants  then received a guided tour of the architectural office of Holabird and Root in the Marquette Building. My group was  lead by Architect Intern, John Howard,

John Howard, Architect

(hmm…that name sounds familiar?!) . Our group was shown some of the current projects which are  being design by this world reknowned firm.  Many of the current projects are for post secondary educational institutions, as that they tend be a more stable investment of time and energy, less to than a business which is at the wims of the economy. They are also working on a municipal library in Ohio and a Federal training campus in Arlington, VA  where civil servants will receive diplomatic training before being staffed in an embassy.  While the construction site is located in another state, one of the senior architects must travel  to the site each month of   measure the progress of the construction.

The lobby is decorated with a fantastic Tiffany Glass Company mosaics in lobby. Each panel depicts the life of Father Jacques Marquette and his settling of Chicago. While this building was constructed in the shape of a letter “E” with allows a maxium amount of sunlight into the offices.  The Elevator banks are located int eh center of the “E”.

Lobby of the Marquette Building

Running late,  our group was excused  to pick up a quick lunch, then bring it back to eat in the classroom.  Dr. Julie Goldsmith from the NEH , held a feedback session as to the progress or needed improvements. A number of participants voiced the lack of bathroom breaks, the rushed schedule, that the CAF’s famous boat tour was absent from the schedule of events,  the lack of respectful tone which had been felt by some, a lack of information regarding our expected lesson plans to produce, a lack of break time refreshments as well as a lack of information regarding our reimbursement cheques.  Having said that, this is the first time that this program has been offered, and thus it is a learning experience for everyone. The quality of speakers has been highly scholastic and all are very energetic and informative lectures.

Our master teachers then returned to the room to contribute our program.  The group then discussed  several primary sources, such a post cards and how teachers can incorporate post cards and census reports into their lessons.  Participants then verbally shared their ideas..  We began to work in primary sources into our proposed themed lesson.  I am hopeful that clarification of the expected format will happen tomorrow, Friday.

We viewed a 20 minute silent video from the Holabrid and Root  architecture firm, filmed in what is estimated as the 20s. This was capturing a parade and the construction of the Montgomery Ward building. It was amazing to watch the lack of safety standards, workplace standards which we take for granted. On many construction sites it was not uncommon to lose one worker per floor of the building.  The class collectively gasped as  we viewed footage of one workers operating a bellows, stoking a fire to  form the rivets, then throw the rivets up to another worker. the second worker was called a ‘bucker-upper” and was responsible for  catching this glowing hot rivet in a cup, then pass it to another worker to put in place and secure.

After dismissal, I then walked up North Michigan Ave. to further look at  the skyscrapers.  From street level, there are a number of things to watch for: other pedestrians, cars, taxis turning on a pedestrian light and such.  though looking up, the beauty and ornateness can easily be lost .  As I reached the John Hancock building, it began to rain , and I without my Gortex.  Bummer.  Since the red line subway was several blocks away, I decided not to go up  to the lounge in the Hancock Center to have a drink and enjoy the view, for fear that the rain showers would become a heavier rain.