Chicago has so much incredible architecture concentrated in a relatively small area, it’s hard to choose what to see. I chanced upon a docent led tour of the Rookery.
The Chicago Fire was a defining moment for the city. The city had to completely reinvent itself. At the same time, two important inventions happen, steel frames for building – so the walls no longer are the weight bearing elements of the building – which allows for larger and more windows. The invention of the elevator as well as the technology to make it safe – means height is no longer limited to 5 stories.
Chicago leads the way in building sky scrapers as these new tall buildings are called. The 11 story Rookery is one of the first, built in 1888.
Another requirement is no more wooden buildings, brick, stone and terra cotta are now used as the exterior envelope. The location of the building was known as the Rookery – which had very bad connotations in the late 19th century. Despite the owners of the building trying to eliminate this designation – it has survived. 
Another influence at the time is Moorish architecture, seen in the entry arch.
A detail in this arch that may or may not have escaped the notice of the owners is these two crows, one of them laughing that they are very much part of the Rookery.
Working in Terra Cotta opens up the ability to be extremely detailed in the bas relief work. At a latter date, glazed Terra Cotta will be the rage. Something that also becomes very popular in commercial buildings here in California.
The building was designed by Barnham and Root, Daniel Barnham also designed the Columbia world Fair and gave us the Beaux Arts style of architecture.
30 years after the Rookery was built a new young architect was brought in to update the lobby and the central atrium. This is when the marble got gold etchings and the name was added. Oh the architect was Frank Lloyd Wright.
The more I learn about architecture the more I appreciate the unsung ones. FL Wright is a movie star, yes he was very innovative – except where it came to the structural integrity of his buildings, which is why so many are falling apart. But that whole discussion is for another day.
The glass domed atrium as well as the staircase are from the original design. The brace is Wright and was added during his update, before that there were poles supporting from the ground. 
Right across from flying staircase is a marble one. The original was marble, but without the gold leaf. Also, notice the cast iron? That was a favored material in the late 1800s. the pedestal and urn are part of the modernization, that too used to be cast iron.
Notice how the design in the marble mimics the Moorish design in the cast iron.
The original columns were also cast iron, here is one example that has been open to show the original. BTW, by the 1960s’ design became even more simplified and plain. Very little ornamentation can be found. At that time this atrium was turned into an ugly sterile box. Luckily things were covered up – not removed, so when this renovation was done they were able to go back to the Wright iteration. The claim was it was too hard to go back to the original. Not sure that is true, I’m thinking that Wright is a big name these days and would draw much more attention the Burnham and Root would.
Clearly I like busy. My quilts are scrappy, I love combining patterns and designs, and I love finding examples out in the world that share my taste.
Stars, I love when geometry creates ‘Jewish stars’. (I hate it when it creates Swastikas – which happens very often, that too is a very graphic symbol). Notice the large star in the banister. This is the original, there are dentil strips on the top and bottom and though it is hard to see, the actual shape is heavily ornamented.
The staircase continues up to the 11th floor, once it moves above the dome, it is encased in glass.
Here is how Wright simlified this design in the railings. He is still adhering to what was already there.
The lamps are pure Wright, Prairie Style! There was nothing there before, so he had some free reign to do as he pleased. It’s a little hard to see, but I like how the trusses of the dome have circles cutouts and the truss of the lamp has rectangles. Talking to but not mimicking.
Although he clearly mimicked the grid, curving it slightly. Yes the man was a great designer – no question about that – it was the engineering and the structural aspects where he fell short.
Leah