From the Chicago River
Chicago is known for its architecture, the home of the skyscraper and the home to quite a few famous architects. There is no shortage of Chicago icons. Growing up about an hour from the city is surely the reason for my near-obsession with architecture photography. I mean, how could I not be obsessed?
In this photo essay, I am sharing 10 black-and-white images of some fairly well-known buildings. I’ll do my best to give a little background and/or history on each. I will share links to more information on each building.
The Wrigley Building was the headquarters for the Wrigley chewing gum company. It is on the Chicago River right at the Michigan Avenue bridge and construction started on it in January of 1920.
The style is an American adaptation of the French Renaissance style. The exterior is beautiful terra cotta in shades of white. When the sun hits it, it shines.
If buildings could talk, I’m sure the Jeweler’s building would have many stories to tell. It sits on the corner of Wacker Drive and Wabash Avenue. It was one of the first large-scale commercial buildings in Chicago in the classical revival style.
On the third-floor corner, you’ll find a gorgeous clock that was donated by the Elgin National Watch Company, a tie to the town I live in, Elgin, which is where the company was founded.
Easily one of the most recognizable sets of buildings is Marina City. Also known as the corn cobs. It is a fun location to photograph and if you’re lucky enough to get a view from one of the apartments, you’ll be able to see Michigan Avenue and all along the Chicago River.
Architect Bertrand Goldberg wanted to create a city within a city when he designed Marina City. The buildings were completed in 1967 and included residential, office space, a theater, parking for cars and boats, and retail space.
It’s funny the things you remember from your childhood. One fact that stuck with me from a tour when I was 9 or 10, the Merchandise Mart has its own zip code. That’s how big it is (was).
At the time it was announced, in 1927, it was to be the world’s largest business building. 4,000,000 square feet of space!
Tribune Tower was built in 1924 it was the headquarters and manufacturing facility for the Chicago Tribune newspaper. It is the beautifully detailed Gothic tower that sits as an icon on Michigan Avenue.
One of the really interesting features of the building is the 150 stones from historic places. There are pieces of the Taj Mahal, the Great Wall of China, the Berlin Wall, the Great Pyramids and so many more.
This is one of the newer icons. It was built in 1989 in the Art Deco style. The design firm of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill is quite well-known in the Chicago area and has been around since 1936.
There are still studios there for NBC television and radio programs. Still broadcasting from this location are: WMAQ-TV, WSNS-TV and these radio stations: WKQX, WCKL, WLS, WLS-FM.
I love these ‘cottages’ and can’t help but photograph them every time I go on one of the architectural river tours. They’re so unique compared to all the brick and steel along the river.
I couldn’t find much information about the architecture of these cottages other than that they are nautical references found throughout. Harry Weese was a sailor and that is what inspired the design.
Another Art Modern/Art Deco facade in Chicago. The Power House was part of the buildings, systems and railroad that was constructed in the 1920s and 1930s.
Preservation Chicago is working to save this building. I couldn’t find any recent updates on it, though.
Another iconic Bertrand Goldberg building along the Chicago River. River City was also built as a city within a city, a multi-use facility. Construction was completed in 1986.
Under the building, on the river, the residents can dock their boats.
Polar Opposites, a 150-page book exploring the similarities between the Arctic and Antarctica.
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