Flatiron BuildingFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaFor other buildings, see List of buildings named Flatiron Building.

Flatiron Building

U.S. National Register of Historic Places

U.S. National Historic Landmark

NYC Landmark

Location in New York City

Coordinates40°44′28″N 73°59′23″

WCoordinates:  40°44′28″N 73

°59′23″W

Built 1902

Architect D.H. Burnham & Co.:

Daniel Burnham

Frederick Dinkelberg [1] [2]

Architectural s

tyle

Renaissance, Skyscraper

NRHP Referen

ce #

79001603

Significant dates

Added to

NRHP

November 20, 1979[3]

Designated NH

L

June 29, 1989

Designated NY

CL

September 20, 1966

The Flatiron Building, originally the Fuller Building, is located at 175 Fifth Avenue in the borough of Manhattan,New York City, and is considered to be a groundbreaking skyscraper. Upon completion in 1902, it was one of the tallest buildings in the city at 21 floors high, and one of

only two skyscrapers north of 14th Street – the other being theMetropolitan Life Insurance Company Tower, one block east. The building sits on a triangular island-block formed byFifth Avenue, Broadway and East 22nd Street, with 23rd Street grazing the triangle's northern (uptown) peak. As with numerous other wedge-shaped buildings, the name "Flatiron" derives from its resemblance to a cast-iron clothes iron.

The building, which has been called "[o]ne of the world's most iconic skyscrapers, and a quintessential symbol of New York City",[4] anchors the south (downtown) end of Madison Square and the north (uptown) end of the Ladies' Mile Historic District. The neighborhood around it is called the Flatiron District after its signature building, which has become an icon of New York City.[5] The building was designated a New York City landmark in 1966,[6] was added to theNational Register of Historic Places in 1979,[7] and designated a National Historic Landmark in 1989.[8][9]

Contents

  [hide] 

1 The site

2 History of the building

o 2.1 Design and construction

o 2.2 Initial response

o 2.3 Original tenants and subsequent history

o 2.4 Sale

o 2.5 21st century

3 Current status

4 Influence

o 4.1 "23 skidoo"

o 4.2 In popular culture

5 Gallery

6 See also

7 References

8 External links

The site[edit]

The site on which the Flatiron Building would stand was bought in 1857 by Amos Eno, who would shortly build the Fifth Avenue Hotel on a site diagonally across from it. Eno tore down the four-story St. Germaine Hotel on the south end of the lot, and replaced it with a seven-story apartment building, the Cumberland. On the remainder of the lot he built four three-story buildings for commercial use. This left four stories of the Cumberland's northern face exposed, which Eno rented out to advertisers, including the New York Times, who installed a sign made up of electric lights. Eno later put a canvas screen on the wall, and projected images onto it from a magic lantern on top of one of his smaller buildings, presenting advertisements and interesting pictures alternately. Both the Times and the New York Tribune began using the screen for news bulletins, and on election nights tens of thousands of people would gather in Madison Square, waiting for the latest results. [10]

During his life Eno resisted suggestions to sell "Eno's flatiron", as the site had become known, but after his death in 1899 his assets were liquidated, and the lot went up for sale. The New York State Assembly appropriated $3 million for the city to buy it, but this fell through when a newspaper reporter discovered that the plan was a graft scheme byTammany Hall boss Richard Croker. Instead, the lot was bought at auction by William Eno, one of Amos's sons, for $690,000 – the elder Eno had bought the property for around $30,000 forty years earlier. Three weeks later, William re-sold the lot to Samuel and Mott Newhouse for $801,000. The Newhouses intended to put up a 12-story building with street-level retail shops and bachelor apartments above, but two years later they sold the lot for about $2 million to Cumberland Realty Company, an investment partnership created by Harry S. Black, CEO of the Fuller Company. The Fuller Company was the first true general contractor that dealt with all aspects of building construction except design, and they specialized in building skyscrapers.[11]

Black intended to construct a new headquarters building on the site, despite the recent deterioration of the surrounding neighborhood,[11] and he engaged Chicago architect Daniel Burnham to design it. The building, which would be Burnham's first in New York City,[4] would also be the first skyscraper north of 14th Street.[12] It was to be named the Fuller Building after George A. Fuller, founder of the Fuller Company and "father of the skyscraper", who had died two years earlier, but locals persisted on calling it "The Flatiron",[2][13][14] a name which has since been made official.

Carson, Pirie, Scott and Company BuildingFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Carson, Pirie, Scottand Company Store

U.S. National Register of Historic Places

U.S. National Historic Landmark

Chicago Landmark

Carson, Pirie, Scott and Company Building with

1904 and 1906 additions

Location Chicago, Illinois

Coordinates41°52′54.16″N87°37′39.18″WCoo

rdinates:  41°52′54.16″N 87°37′3

9.18″W

Built 1899

Architect Louis Sullivan; Burnham, Daniel

H., & Co.

Architectural 

style

Late 19th and Early 20th Century

American Movements

Governing

body

Private

NRHP Refere

nce #

70000231 [1]

Significant dates

Added to

NRHP

April 17, 1970

Designated N

HL

May 15, 1975[3]

Designated C

L

November 5, 1970[2]

The Sullivan Center, formerly known as the Carson, Pirie, Scott and Company Building or Carson, Pirie, Scott and Company Store,[4] is a commercial building at 1 South State Street at the corner of East Madison Street in Chicago, Illinois. It was designed by Louis Sullivan for the retail firm Schlesinger & Mayer in 1899, and expanded by him and subsequently sold to H.G. Selfridge & Co. in 1904. That firm occupied the structure for only a matter of weeks before it sold the building (the land under it was owned at the time by Marshall Field) to Otto Young, who then leased it to Carson Pirie Scott for $7,000 per month.[5] Subsequent additions were completed by Daniel Burnham in 1906 and Holabird & Root in 1961.[6]

The building has been used for retail purposes since 1899, and has been a Chicago Landmark since 1975. It is part of the Loop Retail Historic District.

Contents

  [hide] 

1 Architecture

2 See also

3 Notes

4 External links

Architecture[edit]

Decorations to celebrate Abraham Lincoln's 100th Birthday in 1909

The Sullivan Center was initially developed because of the Chicago Great Fire of 1871. In 1872, the partnership of Leopold Schlesinger and David Mayer began after their immigration from Bavaria. In 1881 Schlesinger and Mayer had moved their dry-goods store into the Bowen Building that was on the corner of State and Madison. In 1890, Schlesinger and Mayer hired Adler and Sullivan to prepare plans for the removal of the Bowen Building’s attic story and the addition of two stories across the Bowen Building and the adjacent four-story structure to the south. The facades were added to match the bottom stories of the building and the building was painted white.

In 1892, Schlesinger and Mayer hired Adler and Sullivan to do further remodeling and add a new entrance to the corner of State and Madison. In 1886, Sullivan, no longer working with Adler, was asked back by Schlesinger and Mayer to redesign the façade and add two stories to the newly leased four-story building on Wabash avenue, as well as connecting it to the State Street store. That never happened because Schlesinger and Mayer changed their minds to make it a ten-story building, which also never happened. It eventually got painted white and then a bridge was added that connected the second story of the building to the elevated railroad. In 1898, Schlesinger and Mayer decided to remove the original building located on State and Madison replace it with a new building designed by Sullivan. Sullivan had both a nine and twelve-story proposal made up for this new building. They eventually started with a nine-story portion of the building that was made on the Madison Street side next to the original portion of the Adler and Sullivan renovations.

In 1902 Schlesinger and Mayer came back to Sullivan wanting a twenty-story building on State and Madison, eventually settling for the final twelve stories. The Madison Street portion that was added earlier did not structurally support twelve stories so it was left as is. Sullivan came up with a three-stage plan to finish the new building and allow Schlesinger and Mayer to keep their business running during the Christmas season.[7]

The building is remarkable for its steel-framed structure, which allowed a dramatic increase in window area created by bay-wide windows, which in turn allowed for the greatest amount of daylight into the building interiors. This provided larger displays of merchandise to outside pedestrian traffic creating the idea of the sidewalk showcase. In between the windows were lavish bands of terra cotta that replaced the earlier plan for white Georgia quarries because it was lightweight and inexpensive. Another reason for the change in what type of marble they would use in construction was that stonecutters were having a strike in 1898 during the time of construction.[8] The lavish Bronze-plated cast-iron ornamental work above the rounded tower was also meant to be functional because it was to be as resilient as a sheet of copper. Both the use of bronze and terra cotta was important to setting the building apart from others because it was essentially fire resistant. It created a sense of monumentality. Sullivan thought the building would be an asset to the city for a long period of time. To ensure this great building would last and be resilient against the threat of fire, there was a 40 ft water tower put on the roof to supply the sprinkler system with enough water.

Sullivan designed the corner entry to be seen from both State and Madison, and that the ornamentation, situated above the entrance, would be literally attractive, which would give the store an elegant unique persona important to the competitiveness of the neighboring stores.[9] The building is one of the classic structures of the Chicago school. The way this technique was used on the lower floors of the building were so elaborate that it used the natural lighting and shadows to seem almost as if it were magically floating above the ground.[10] The top floor of the 1899 and 1904 sections of the building were recessed to create a narrow loggia topped by an intricately detailed cornice that projected beyond the facade of the building. This was removed around 1948 and the 12th floor redesigned to replicate the lower floors.[11]

The building's northwest entrance

In the early years of development there was an addition that grew to be very valuable in spotting the building from afar. This addition was the pedestrian bridge that connected the train station, behind the store on Wabash Avenue, to the second floor of the Sullivan Center. This too was coated in elaborate metalwork and provided a sense of special entry to those who used it.[12]

In February 2006, the first phase of a multi-year restoration of the building's upper facade was completed. In addition to cleaning, the cornice and supporting columns were recreated on the 12th floor.[11] A 2001 report put the budget at $68.9 million for this renovation.

In August 2006 the parent company of Carson Pirie Scott, (Bon-Ton Stores Inc.), announced that after the 2006 Christmas season, the department store in the building would close. There were no immediate announcements as to what would occupy the building after the store's closure. After holding clearance sales, Carson's closed in February 2007.[13]

The 943,944-square-foot (87,695.3 m2) three-building complex, now renamed the Sullivan Center, is currently owned by Joseph Freed and Associates LLC, a real estate developer based in Palatine, Illinois.

In 2008, a second renovation project of the decorative iron work on the lower three floors began. This included the State Street facade as well as rear portions of the building which face Wabash Avenue. Part of the funding for this renovation was provided by the City of Chicago. The Wabash facade was completed in August 2009 and the work on State Street in late 2010.[14][15]

Tenants of the Sullivan Center include the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and Gensler. In December 2010, Freed and Associates announced it was in talks with retailer Target, who expressed an interest in occupying part of the structure.[16] On February 15, 2011, the retailer announced it would lease 125,000 sq ft (11,600 m2) spread over two floors of the building. The new

store opened July 26, 2012 and was met with favorable reviews for its clean design while being sensitive to the historic character of the structure.[17]

AIDEA’s Practice

A premier and one of the country’s most recognized and established Architectural and Design firm,

Aidea is among the top 100 firms in the world since 2009, ranking its best this year at 62nd in the

World Architecture.

Aidea’s discipline revolves around what is called as “integrated design services” which utilizes the

four core fields of design – architecture, planning, interior design and environmental graphics design.

These integrated services make the design process interesting and gratifying covering a wide range

of specialties that provide solutions to every design challenge, empowered by the use of new

technologies and whose end result are noteworthy designs that can compete with the best in the

world.

Celebrating its 20th Anniversary, Aidea’s practice spans over 90 cities within 60 countries in 5

continents. Currently, the firm employs more than 200 design professionals working in a progressive

and collaborative environment that forges alliances with international counterparts that they co-

design with.

With its global recognition in design, Aidea has accomplished projects in different parts of the world -

Paris, Rome, Geneva, Beijing, Dubai and Chicago, to name a few. In the Philippines, the firm is

instrumental for the architectural design of Park Terraces, Garden Tower, Serendra, BGC East

Superblock, Arya Residences, One World Place and Globe Telecoms Corporate Headquarters, UP

Ayala Land Technohub and Kasa Luntian Resort Residences, to name a few.

Through the years, Aidea has expanded its practice and is presently working on different building

types such as mixed used, hospitality and leisure, residential, commercial, corporate office and so

much more.

Aidea has also catapulted itself as the foremost user of new platforms in technology, 3D Building

Information Modelling (BIM) and Virtual Design and Construction (VDC) that has allowed the firm to

take on even larger and more complex projects and established them as the trusted authority in BIM

in the Philippines and overseas. It has likewise received accolades in the usage of technology in

design having earned the top prize in BIM Buzz Singapore 2011 for Sustainability, Buildability,

Constructability Professional Category, Build Qatar Live 2012 and Build London Live Use of BIM for

Design, Drama and Excitement 2012.

Aidea persists in spearheading new paradigms in integrated and collaborative designs, innovating

and translating visions of livable spaces into dynamic human experiences. Aidea continues to dream

big in conquering greater heights and recognitions, not only as a design firm, but more importantly,

for the world to have respect and acknowledgement in the design prowess of the Filipinos.

Prudential (Guaranty) BuildingFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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Prudential (Guaranty) Building

U.S. National Register of Historic Places

U.S. National Historic Landmark

Prudential (Guaranty) Building. The three zones of

Sullivan's design are visible in the large open

windows of the ground zone, the thin vertical

elements of the office zone and the arches and curves

of the terminating zone at the top of the building.

Location Church and Pearl Sts.

Buffalo, NY

Coordinates42°52′57.94″N78°52′36.26″WCoo

rdinates:  42°52′57.94″N 78°52′3

6.26″W

Built 1896

Architect Louis H. Sullivan andDankmar

Adler

Governing

body

Private

NRHP Refere

nce #

73001187

Significant dates

Added to

NRHP

March 20, 1973[1]

Designated N

HL

May 15, 1975[2]

The Guaranty Building, now called the Prudential Building, is an early skyscraper in Buffalo, New York. It was completed in 1896 and was designed by Louis Sullivan and Dankmar Adler.

Sullivan's design for the building was based on his belief that "form follows function". He and Adler divided the building into four zones. The basement was the mechanical and utility area. Since this level was below ground, it did not show on the face of the building. The next zone was the ground-floor zone which was the public areas for street-facing shops, public entrances and lobbies. The third zone was the office floors with identical office cells clustered around the centralelevator shafts. The final zone was the terminating zone, consisting of elevator equipment, utilities and a few offices. [3]

The supporting steel structure of the building was embellished with terra cotta blocks. Different styles of block delineated the three visible zones of the building. Writing in his Kindergarten Chats, Sullivan said that a tall building "must be every inch a proud and soaring thing, rising in sheer exultation that from bottom to top it is a unit without a single dissenting line."[3]

Contents

  [hide] 

1 Building context

2 Plan

3 Ornament

4 Comparison with the Wainwright Building

5 Decline and restoration

6 Landmark status

7 See also

8 References

9 External links

Building context[edit]

The Guaranty was never meant to be the Guaranty Building. It was the brainchild of a Buffalonian businessman Hascal T. Taylor to construct a speculative office building in the developing downtown district called “The Taylor Building.” The untimely demise of Mr. Taylor as the project was reaching its apogee resulted in the Guaranty Construction Company, having been contracted to construct the structure, determining to take on the project alone. Although “The entrepreneur Hascal T. Taylor intended this building to be a monument to himself,” the eventual monument would symbolize Sullivan’s achievements much more than its creators. The site Taylor chose for his speculative office building was strategically located adjacent to the then County and City Municipal building as well as near a number of institutional structures. The intention was to attract high quality tenants such as lawyers through proximity, desirable amenities and the captivating design of an avant garde architect like Sullivan.

The Guaranty Building was not alone among major private building projects in Buffalo at the time. Two blocks away, theEllicott Square Building was being built to be the largest retail building in the world. This structure, extant today exhibits an alternate exploration in the possibilities of new commercial urban architecture by Charles B. Atwood and Daniel Burnham.

As Buffalo’s downtown rose above Lake Erie, further feats of engineering were securing the future of the city and the built environment. Although earlier attempts had harnessed the power of nearby Niagara Falls, it was just after the Guaranty building was constructed in 1896 that the power was sent to Buffalo, illuminating the city with hydroelectricity.

Buffalo’s rise to prominence in the built environment was matched in the political. As the Guaranty building was being drafted, Grover Cleveland was re-elected 22nd president of the United States. A former Erie County Sheriff, Cleveland had risen meteorically to mayor of Buffalo, governor of New York and then the presidency within five years. His platform of reform against entrenched political machines, bossism, and patronage was desperately needed, especially in major urban centers such as New York and Chicago. Cleveland’s fiscal policies had resulted in his loss of the presidency in 1888, but the results of Benjamin Harrison’s interim term brought him back to the office in 1892. Curiously the panic of 1893 which ultimately destroyed the firm of Adler & Sullivan had destroyed Cleveland’s first presidential term, but also resulted in Cleveland’s return to office and the final commission of Adler & Sullivan in Buffalo.

Plan[edit]

Typical upper floor plan

While the exterior skin of the Guaranty expresses a new form for the steel skyscraper, its plan indicates those hard realities of function necessary to construct such a building and to sell it. The building is essentially a U-shaped plan stacked upon a rectangular solid. The interstitial spaces

between wings of the “U” create opportunities to introduce skylights to the lobby below, and to cover the ceilings with stained glass. The plan contained a single vertical circulation core with four elevators, a mail slot, and staircase. No fire-stair was provided or necessary. The internal portion of the "U" faces south so as to collect light for the interior recesses of the building- light being a necessary commodity to attract good tenants. Sullivan spared nothing to accomplish this end for: "In order to increase the amount of light to the interior, the stairwell and the light slit facing the inner courtyard were lined with white glazed terra-cotta that was more costly than normal tiles."[4]

The first and second floors are united both spatially and visually through additional staircases and the intention of retail occupation. Mechanical systems were relegated to the basement, including the motors for the elevators, boilers, and electrical "dynamos." Entrances were provided on both Church and Pearl Streets. A concierge desk offered services to tenants and guests including mail delivery. Above the “base” of the building a series of office floors of identical plan were placed. These floors featured private lavatories in reconfigurable office spaces. The halls were defined by wood and glass partition walls, intended to give the interior a bright and “club” like feeling. The elevators and staircases were enclosed not by walls, but metal cages permitting southern light to penetrate through the circulatory systems and into the hallways.

The only exception to the rise of offices was the seventh floor with lavatories and a barbershop, and the top floor with a US Weather Service Bureau office and spaces for building attendants.

Ornament[edit]

Detailed ornamentation above the building's entrance

Architectural detail in the Prudential Guaranty Building, in downtown Buffalo, New York.

Architectural detail in the Prudential Guaranty Building, in downtown Buffalo, New York.

The most remarkable problem for those wishing to cast Sullivan exclusively in the camp of proto-modernist designers is his steadfast and adroit insistence to ornament his buildings. Ornament is one of the most defining characteristics of the Guaranty as “The entire façade of this building is clothed in ornament, like hieroglyphs on the columns and walls of temples in ancient Egypt.” Sullivan’s ornament is unmistakably original, but it is not without precedents in the contemporary tradition of the English Arts and Crafts movement. “The numerous parallels between Sullivan’s ornament and the architectural decoration of Furness make it clear that Sullivan’s ornament came directly from Furness and, through him, from earlier ornament by English architects.” (Sprague 1979) The context of his ornament is important as it was seen as a salient amenity for the attraction of tenants to his buildings. For all the “good taste” his ornament might project to the tenant of the 19th century, it situated his design within an anti-classicist categorization out of “good taste” in the 20th century. Ironically this change was precipitated by the World's Columbian Exposition where Sullivan was the only American to win a European design medal and the only American to offer non-classically inspired design. The Guaranty, for all its evocative general expression of tectonics is equally as evocative at the scale of its modular terracotta components. “Here the balance of interest between the individuals and the group to which they belong is precarious, and the sheer number of compositional elements makes it difficult to attend to the individually.” (Andrew 1985) It is difficult to determine whether the ornament serves to reinforce the building or the building reinforces the ornament. The experiential effect of so much pattern and repetitive design is homogeneity in tension with the expression of individual components. Unlike the Wainwright building, where ornament is more directly patterned on historical forms and where spandrels are self differentiated, the Guaranty is almost brutal in the hierarchical treatment of and expression within its terracotta relief. Such conforming treatment is at odds with the supposedly democratic naturalism Sullivan claims for the design.

Especially near the base, ornamental patterns reflect the span and connection of underlying steel members. As the components rise, a rigid pattern is followed, story upon story until the cornice where the pattern explodes into an umbrageous tangle of leaves and vines, encapsulating the windows and reaching outward over the street below. The ornament tells the same story as the theory which created it: bottom, middle, top- light steel skeleton within.

The modulating ornament of the Guaranty also indicates the evolution of the medium for Sullivan as an artist. His initial explorations were inspired directly by contemporary work and historical precedent. Eventually his contact with Adler and work involving the “engineers aesthetic” led to more

structurally expressive forms, and eventually to an art only his own, florid and organic. “From 1885 through 1889 Sullivan’s ornament lost much of its former angularity and became more sophisticated and luxuriant.” (Sprague 1979) It is perhaps due to Sullivan’s experiences at the Ecole des Beaux Arts that his ornaments as well as his building are given so much expressive and didactic energy. “His evident haste in wanting to set down the architectural vision before it became blurred even in the slightest degree presumably derives from the method at the French school of working from, and staying as close as possible to, the esquisse.” (Sprague 1979) This is an idea he apparently held for designing ornamental elements as well. His sketch for a column capital at the Guaranty labeled “finis” indicates the level of development with which his draftsmen began work. While containing some specific information, the sketch indicates more a painterly composition than a design document.

Curiously, the process of design used by Sullivan to create such innovation was precisely that which prevented him from evolving his conception of plan and section to something his “modern” successors would explore. “In embracing the French theories of plan and esquisse, Sullivan remained firmly wedded to his time and place. . . By insisting upon the preeminence of plan, he could hardly have begun to imagine buildings with the spatial complexity of a Wright or a Le Corbusier.” (Sprague 1979)

Comparison with the Wainwright Building[edit]

Comparisons with the firm’s first major success in tall buildings, the Wainwright are instructive insofar as the refinements of the Guaranty are more evident. "Although this building [the Guaranty] is considered by critics to be the "twin" of the Wainwright Building, the elegance of the underlying steel-frame construction behind the red terra-cotta tiles is more apparent here than in the Wainwright."[4] Unlike its predecessor, the entirety of street facades on the Guaranty are shrouded with the same material- red terracotta. Gone are the heavy corner piers of the Wainwright and in their place a constant rhythm of equal bays echoing the steel frame underneath. The two do share many traits: Simplicity of form, richness of detail. Red color not chaste white of renaissance typical buildings characterizes both buildings. The site for the Guaranty building is smaller than the Wainwright, yet called for an equivalent number of offices, resulting in an additional three stories. (Twombly 1986) Both the Guaranty and the Wainwright occupy corner lots. "The Wainwright may indeed represent the single episode of most aesthetic consequence in the shift from the tall office building in masonry to its skeletal predecessor; yet not only does the masonry tradition persist in the Wainwright, ornament also assumes a traditional, even if exceptionally conspicuous, role in its design." It is an explainable transition piece. The Guaranty Building is a radical departure however from the masonry prototype. Ornament and "cladding" cover the surface of the Guaranty’s steel frame, a thin covering over a flexible skeleton. (de Wit 1986)

Critical reception of the Guaranty Building was quite strong upon its opening. The critic Barr Ferree in 1895 opined: "though possibly the most richly decorated commercial building in America, the skill of the artist has produced a design of structural sobriety with great richness of effect.' This unity of structure and aesthetics 'has been attained' he diagnosed, 'by the long unbroken vertical lines of the superstructure.’ Montgomery Schuyler knew of 'no steel-framed building in which the metallic construction is more palpably felt through the envelope of baked clay.'" (Twombly 1986)

The Wainwright building may fairly be said to have revolutionized the emergent form of the skyscraper, with ramifications felt for the next hundred years. The Guaranty Building is a refinement and perfection of the form which the Wainwright found, and its transfiguration into a spirit of design.

Decline and restoration[edit]

As was true of many older office buildings, the Guaranty Building was "modernized" during the mid-20th century. Fluorescent lighting, wood paneling and a dropped ceiling were installed in the historic

lobby. The exterior storefronts were sheathed in fiberglass. A fire occurred in 1974, and by that time the building was dilapidated and threatened with demolition. Herculean efforts were made to save the building and the support of Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan was secured for its restoration. This restoration occurred in the early 1980s and was undertaken by architects CannonDesign and Gensler. In 1998, the building was purchased by law firm Hodgson Russ and it became the firm's Buffalo office. The building underwent a further series of restorations in the mid-to-late 2000s managed by Flynn Battaglia Architects.

Home Insurance BuildingFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Home Insurance Building

The Home Insurance Building

General information

Type Office

Location Chicago, USA

Coordinates41.8796°N 87.6320°WCoordinates: 41.8796°N

87.6320°W

Completed 1884

Demolished 1931

Height

Roof Originally 138 ft (42 m)

Top floor After addition of the final two floors – 180 feet (54.9

meters)

Technical details

Floor count 10 (later 12)

Design and construction

Architect William Le Baron Jenney

References

[1]

The Home Insurance Building is generally noted as the first tall building to be supported, both inside and outside, by a fireproof metal frame.[2]

Contents

  [hide] 

1   History

o 1.1   Structural analysis

o 1.2   The site

2   See also

3   References

4   Other references

5   External links

History[edit]

It was constructed in 1884 in Chicago, Illinois, USA and was the first tall building to use structural steel in its frame,[3]but the majority of its structure was composed of cast and wrought iron. While the Ditherington Flax Mill was an earlier fireproof-metal-framed building, it was only five stories tall.[4]

Due to the Chicago building's unique architecture and unique weight-bearing frame, it is considered the first skyscraperin the world;[5] however, it was never the tallest building in the world or even in Chicago. It had 10 stories and rose to a height of 138 ft (42 m)[6] In 1890, two additional floors were added to the original structure.

The architect was William Le Baron Jenney, an engineer. The building weighed only one-third as much as a stone building would have; city officials were so concerned that they halted construction while they investigated its safety. The Home Insurance Building is an example of the Chicago School of architecture. The building led to the future in the skyscrapers. "In 1888, a Minneapolis architect named Leroy Buffington was granted a patent on the idea of building skeletal-frame tall buildings. He even proposed the construction of a 28-story 'stratosphere-scraper'—a notion mocked by the architectural press of the time as impractical and ludicrous. Nevertheless, Buffington brought the potential of the iron skeletal frame to the attention of the national architectural and building

communities. Architects and engineers began using the idea, which in primitive form had been around for decades."[7]

Structural analysis[edit]

This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (December 2013)

A forensic analysis done during its demolition purported to show that the building was the first to carry both floors and external walls entirely on its metal frame, but details and later scholarship have arguably disproved this, and it has been asserted that the structure must have relied upon both metal and masonry elements to support its weight, and to hold it up against wind. Although the Home Insurance Building made full use of steel framing technology, in this theory it was not a pure steel-framed structure since it rested partly on granite piers at the base and on a rear brick wall.

The site[edit]

The Field Building, later known as the La Salle Bank Building and now the Bank of America Building, built in 1931, now stands on the site. In 1932, owners placed a plaque in the southwest section of the lobby reading:

This section of the Field Building is erected on the site of the Home Insurance Building,

which structure, designed and built in eighteen hundred and eighty four by the late William

Le Baron Jenney, was the first high building to utilize as the basic principle of its design the

method known as skeleton construction and, being a primal influence in the acceptance of

this principle was the true father of the skyscraper, 1932.