10 Buildings Show the Rich Diversity of Chicago Architecture

Is it even possible to think of the history of the American built environment without the Chicago Architecture crossing your mind?

How would you describe Chicago Architecture?

Indeed, Chicago’s built environment features prominent buildings with a variety of styles, which is very reflective of the city’s history and multicultural heritage. Housing buildings by important architects often imply that the city is the architecture capital of the world. While this is debatable, it is important to note that the famed buildings of Chicago architecture are often noted for their originality rather than their antiquity.

© Sawyer Bengtson

Although Chicago lost many structures in the Great Chicago Fire in 1871, it is still packed with extraordinary architecture. From the Chicago Bungalows and houses to skyscrapers and sacred buildings, the city has so much to offer for architects and architecture enthusiasts.

The following list of magnificent buildings will give you a taste of the diverse “Windy City”:

The Buildings of Chicago Architecture:

1. Robie House – Frank Lloyd Wright, 1910

Courtesy of Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation

A forerunner of modern architecture and a Prairie-style masterpiece, the Robie House represents Frank Lloyd Wright’s houses in Chicago. The idea of the design was based on the client’s request; he wanted to see the neighbors without being seen. Consequently, the house stands out for the interesting cross-over between the public and private spaces. Moreover, with the Prairie style forcing two long, box-like sections to give the building its form, the architect could break away from the traditional residential design which forced horizontal rooflines and overhanging eaves.

2. Hancock Tower – Skidmore, Owing and Merril (SOM), 1968

The 458-meter-high tower is the fourth tallest building in Chicago by SOM. It was the first building to introduce the X-bracing tubular system visible in the exterior. It also has on its 96th floor a free access signature lounge, with offers a panoramic view of the city.

Courtesy of Jovianeye

3. Aon Centre – Edward Durell Stone and Perkins and Will, 1974

The tower is completely sheathed with 43,000 slabs of Carrara marble, making it the world’s tallest marble-clad building and the fourth tallest in the world at the time of its completion by Edward Durell Stone and Perkins and Will. The series of strips composed by the slabs’ disposition add extra visual height to its already extraordinary stature. However, It should be noted that the façade began to buckle a little after its completion, revealing flaws in the structure system.

© Leon Hash

4. Marina Towers – Bertrand Goldberg & Associates, 1964

© Bert K

Not only was it the first building in America to be constructed using a tower crane, but the tower complex was also the first to be composed of circular apartments in history. Designed as a self-contained town, the tower’s floor plans are identical to their iconic corn cob appearance.

5.  – Frank Lloyd Wright, 1908

© Andrew Pielage

Being the foundation from which Wright would integrate the Prairie style into his architectural language, the church is considered one of the most important works of the early 20^th century. Not only does it represent the modernist movement, but it also marks the beginning of Frank Lloyd Wright’s phenomenal career.

6. Baha’i House of Worship – Louis Bourgeois and Alfred Shaw, 1921-1953

Courtesy of Wikipedia

The building’s unique form symbolizes unity and is an invitation for prayer. It is surrounded by a majestic landscape compromised of gardens and fountains. The nine-sided structure is topped with a large dome that has a 28-meter diameter. It should be noted that the structure is one out of only seven Baha’i temples present worldwide today.

7. Prentice Women’s Hospital – Bertrand Goldberg & Associates, 1975 (Demolished)

While it has been demolished, the brutalist building demonstrated the diverse architecture that was constructed within the same timeframe of its erection. The building’s curved outline reminds us of that of the Marina Towers, which were also designed by Goldberg. Moreover, the building’s complex curvilinear structure was made possible due to the use of early computer-aided design techniques, making it the first of a kind and placing it in the records of history.

© Marshall Gerometta/CTBUH

8. Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio – Frank Lloyd Wright, 1889

Courtesy of Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation

Not only is this the celebrated architect’s home, but it is also where he experimented with design concepts that helped him develop his architectural philosophies as we know them today. However, the house was extensively remodeled in 1985. It was enlarged, and the kitchen got transformed into a dining room as well. If they had an opportunity, all architecture aficionados would love to stay in a house designed by the master architect, Frank Lloyd Wright. So, don’t miss the opportunity to live in a Frank Lloyd Wright house.

9. Jay Pritzker Pavilion – Frank Gehry, 2004

© XAVIER DE JAURÉGUIBERRY

Serving as a centerpiece for the “Millennium Park”, the pavilion is home to the only remaining free outdoor classical music series in the nation; the Grant Park Symphony Orchestra and Chorus and the Grant Park Music Festival. The pavilion shows off Frank Gehry’s signature sculpting of stainless steel. The stage opening is framed with stainless steel panel cladding and connected to an overhead trellis of curved steel pipes. The overall sculptural appearance of the pavilion is intentional, creating a focal point for the park.

10. Aqua Tower – Gang Studio, 2009

© Hedrich Blessing

The 250-meter tall tower is the tallest in America to be designed by a woman—architect Jeanne Gang. The Aqua Tower is mainly comprised of rectangularly shaped floor plans. Terraces of a sculptural form are integrated into those plans giving each of them a unique shape. Not only does this give the tower its dynamic appearance, but the terraces also simulate water movement, giving the tower its individually remarkable look.