The time is probably near when a new system of architectural laws will be developed, adapted entirely to metallic construction.
John Ruskin (1855) The Seven Lamps of Architecture
Ruskin was spot on in this prediction, and the use of steel in particular gave rise to the modern skyscraper. The mass production of inexpensive steel in the mid 19th century made it possible for urban planners to bring to life the idea of skyscrapers. And it all started in Chicago.
The method had been tested in Liverpool, England, on the five storey Oriel Chambers building. But it was in Chicago that the capacity of steel to support taller buildings was first exploited. The city’s Home Insurance Building (1885) is considered the world’s first skyscraper. This ten-storey building was supported by a revolutionary steel frame consisting of vertical columns and horizontal beams, which allowed for much greater stability. It also allowed for more light to enter the building, as the masonry no longer needed to provide support, it simply served as an outer shell or curtain.
At the time of the great Chicago fire of 1871 the city was still largely built from wood. The fire devastated huge swathes of the city centre. When rebuilding began it was still a few years before the skyscraper revolution really took off, but when it did, it transformed the city. It’s impossible to know, of course, what Chicago would look like today were it not for the fire, but historians speculate that its creative new skyscrapers might well not have been designed so early without the incentive of the skyrocketing land values in the downtown area post-fire.
Today the city is dominated by skyscrapers both older and very recent. The gallery features some of my favourites and is my contribution to Terri’s Sunday Stills ‘Metallic’ theme. I’ve thrown in a few metallic details too!
The Bean in Millennium Park, and downtown skyscrapers at dusk
[see here for a slightly different angle, and in black and white]
Skyscrapers in downtown Chicago reflecting the lights of the Crown Fountain in Millennium Park
The Willis Tower (originally the Sears Tower), with low cloud clearing
875 North Michigan Avenue (formerly the John Hancock Center) with its distinctive X-bracing structure
On North Michigan Avenue
The Vista Tower (my favourite of the modern skyscrapers) and others seen from the river
The Carbide & Carbon Building (my favourite older example) surrounded by newer skyscrapers
Entrance to the Carbide & Carbon Building, North Michigan Avenue
Lift in the Carbide & Carbon Building
Detail of a building on South Michigan Avenue
Detail of the Harold Washington Library (built in the 1980s but these aluminium ornamental features added in 1993)
Frontage of the Burberry shop on North Michigan Avenue
On one of the older skyscrapers on North Michigan Avenue
The We Will sculpture by Richard Hunt, Randolph Street
Fire escape on West Erie Street
I visited Chicago in September 2023
39 Comments
Tanja
Interesting skyscrapers. I knew that Chicago was the first city to have them built a lot but I didn’t know about that first building in Liverpool
Sarah Wilkie
To be honest neither did I, till I did some research for this post!
Anita
Very nice pictures of these Impressive buildings Sarah. I agree, The Vista Tower is outstanding.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Anita – I’m glad you liked my favourite Vista Tower too 🙂
Anabel @ The Glasgow Gallivanter
I love the tower emerging from the cloud, such an interesting effect.
Sarah Wilkie
I think you get interesting weather patterns there because of the proximity to the huge expanse of Lake Michigan. That morning we’d had torrential rain followed by steadier rain with wind, and then mid-morning it suddenly cleared!
margaret21
I can admire them, but I find a sky-scraper crammed environment – which I’ve only experienced in Seoul – quite hard to feel comfortable in. Even with open space nearby, I feel quite hemmed in. Was that your experience? Some of these, like the Carbide and Carbon building look magnificent though.
Sarah Wilkie
I can’t say that I felt hemmed in at all, the streets are mostly very wide – and of course, I’m a city lover generally 😀 I’ve not been to Seoul but maybe streets are narrower there? My perception is that in Asia people are less bothered about being crowded together whereas in the US they are used to, and proud of, the amount of space they have to play with.
margaret21
Yes, the streets in Seoul can be quite narrow, and parks few and far between. That must make quite a difference.
Easymalc
The Vista Tower is very impressive, and I agree that the Art Deco Carbide and Carbon Building is also a great example of an earler skyscraper.
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks Malcolm, I’m glad you like my favourites 😀
bushboy
Awesome buildings I find hard to fathom the heights and architecture. The Vista is rather interesting 🙂
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Brian 🙂 Don’t worry too much about exact heights – ‘very tall’ is probably all you need to know!
Lakshmi Bhat
Amazing.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Lakshmi 🙂
Egídio
Wow, Sarah! What a beautiful collection. I, too, love the Vista Tower.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you – it’s rather lovely, isn’t it?!
Brad M
I really enjoy seeing the skyscrapers of Chicago. It is a fantastic city for studying architecture. I was also glad to see the Carbide & Carbon Building featured; my grandfather used to work there after the War.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Brad – I agree, the architecture there is fascinating and also a great history lesson 🙂 I’m glad the Carbide & Carbon Building has been so well-preserved and looked-after, it’s a beauty. Inside has probably changed a bit since your grandfather’s day however, as it now houses a hotel.
Mike and Kellye Hefner
I wish Word Press had a “love” button because I love all of these shots, Sarah. The Art Deco detailing on the older buildings is charming, and I think the way the Vista Tower undulates is awe inspiring. My favorite shot, however, is the Willis Tower emerging from the fog. It’s eerie and enchanting. Wonderful post!
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks so much Kellye 😊 I loved those undulations too! I forgot to mention in the post that the Vista Tower was designed by a woman 🙂
Mike and Kellye Hefner
She is good! Kudos to her for doing so well in what has traditionally been a man’s world.
Sarah Wilkie
Indeed. If you look at the shot labelled ‘Some of the newest skyscrapers’ in my black and white Chicago post (https://www.toonsarah-travels.blog/gallery-seeing-chicago-in-black-and-white/), the middle one with the wave effect is also by her studio, one of the very newest skyscrapers in the city. I like it, but not as much Vista Tower.
Anne Sandler
Excellent architectural photography! You captured the sleek lines and designs well. Now I’m sorry we didn’t go to Chicago when we went across country.
Sarah Wilkie
I think you’d have liked it – you love NYC don’t you? I’m not in the ‘Chicago is better than New York’ camp, but I did like it almost as much!
thehungrytravellers.blog
I’m in two minds about modern skyscrapers…..they are amazing and dispiriting to look at in about equal measure, although I can’t quite explain why that is. There’s always something in me which feels like something is wrong with the world when. I look up at a massively tall building. And alongside that, I think wow, how did anyone even conceive of that?
Sarah Wilkie
I know what you mean, but I think as with all architecture there are good and bad examples, and all shades in between! I loved the elegance of Vista Tower – designed by a female architect btw 😀
Marie
A photographer’s dream! I can’t imagine how many photos you took! The Carbide and Carbon building is beautiful isn’t it..
Sarah Wilkie
It’s gorgeous – and because it’s in part a hotel we were able to go into the lobby and take photos of the beautiful lifts too!
notesoflifeuk
I think the older ones are my favourite… although I’m not sure you’d get me down that fire escape!
Sarah Wilkie
On the whole they were my favourites too but I did like some of the more interesting modern ones, like the elegant Vista Tower (actually three slender towers). I bet you’d think differently about that fire escape if there was a fire chasing you down!
Sue
Brilliant walkthrough Chicago’s skyscrapers and to give us a better view, a most interesting history
Sarah Wilkie
Glad you enjoyed it Sue 🙂 My friend Rich has pointed out an error in that history, the date of the Home Insurance Building – I’d read it was 1865, turns out it was 20 years later! Now corrected 😀
Sue
😄😄 what’s 20 years in the scheme of things?!
Nemorino
My father used to work in one of the dingy little buildings that were demolished to make room for the Sears Tower.
Sarah Wilkie
I imagine a lot of such buildings have been demolished over the years, but also quite probably some rather nice ones too (as in every city)!
Terri Webster Schrandt
Wow, Sarah, I just love your soaring images of the Chicago skyscrapers! And to think someone had that incredible vision in 1855–perfect quote, too! We see new construction all the time and my husband, who worked with metal framing, never understands why more buildings aren’t made with metal (yes more expensive) but less fire damage.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Terri – yes, I was really pleased to come across that quote, it gave me the ‘framework’ for my post this week 😀
Terri Webster Schrandt
I love when that happens 😁