We Made #NewHistory – A Biennial #Jane’sWalk

We had a dozen persevering people join us today on a Dearborn Street Jane’s Walk … and  despite the dismal, wet November day, we all stayed to the end and had a great time!

Rolf Achilles covered tremendous ground in Chicago’s architectural and artistic heritage,  describing the evolution of office building construction by William LeBaron Jenney, Burnham and Root, the architects’ reliance on engineering to achieve new building heights, and the mutual design influences between Chicago and Vienna – courtesy of Adolf Loos, among other people – at the turn of the 20th Century.

Art Nouveau light fixture, Monadnock Building photo: Amy Lardner

Viennese-influenced vestibule, Monadnock Building

 

We started with the Manhattan Building at 431 South Dearborn,

Manhattan Building; photo: Amy Lardner

 

 

 

 

 

 

and moved on to Holabird and Roche’s Old Colony Building

Old Colony Building

and D. H. Burnham’s Fisher Building,

 

 

 

Mies van der Rohe’s Federal Center,

Mies’ Federal Center

Calder’s Flamingo

Calder’s Flamingo photo: Amy Lardner

 

 

 

 

 

and the spectacular mosaics designed by J.A. Holzer in the lobby of the Marquette Building.

Lobby Mosaics, Marquette Building

 

 

 

 

We finished up  by viewing SOM’s Inland Steel Building, Chagall’s mammoth mosaic, The Four Seasons,

Chagall’s Four Seasons

“the Picasso” and Miro’s “Miss Chicago”  sculptures.  Along the way, Rolf talked about other great Chicago art collections and design influences.

We’ll be doing the same Walk again in December, and while we’re currently sold out, you can add your name to our waitlist at Dearborn Street Walk.  We certainly hope for better weather!

 

 

Donations to Jane’s Walk Chicago, a program of Friends of Downtown

$1.00