Chicago Modernism - Architecture and Design - Past, Present and Future - Page 3

ardecila · #41 Posted **Dec 28, 2010, 10:23 AM**

It would certainly have been cool to have the Gropius design, but Eliel Saarinen's entry was equally influential.

In the end, the Tribune got a building that perfectly reflects its independent, conservative-leaning journalism, and of course McCormick's fondness for the timelessness of the Old World.

The Sun-Times, meanwhile, has moved several times over the last century, roughly corresponding with each new change in ownership, moving from the Daily News Building to a progressive modern low-rise on the river, letting that building become decrepit, selling out to tawdry Trump, and then moving into the city's ugliest building.

The Sun-Times has sold out so many times over the last 75 years that every new reinvention, rebranding, or redesign seems like a crock. The Tribune, meanwhile, is a rock - they created their own media empire, strong enough even to survive Sam Zell's amputations without tarnishing their reputation. I don't always care for their positions, but I do respect their integrity, even now.

wrab · #42 Posted **Dec 28, 2010, 6:01 PM**

^ I've always had a lot of respect for the Tribune's integrity too, even though I don't necessarily agree with their editorial page.

Saarinen etal:

From left: Walter Gropius & Adolf Meyer, Eliel Saarinen, John Mead Howells and Raymond Hood / Chicago Tribune Tower Competition Entries / 1934 LINK

ardecila · #43 Posted **Dec 28, 2010, 6:24 PM**

Interesting. I didn't realize that Howells and Hood had modified their design after winning the competition.

Loopy · #44 Posted **Dec 29, 2010, 3:07 PM**

Interestingly, the McCormick family later commissioned a design from Gropius's firm, The Architects Collaborative, for their family foundation. It was designed by TAC with Gropius student and local Architect Arthur Myhrum.

Walter Gropius and TAC with Arthur Myhrum, Office Building for the McCormick Family Estate, 1953. Not Built.

Source: http://archrecord.construction.com/i...gropius56.asp#

Nowhereman1280 · #45 Posted **Dec 29, 2010, 4:52 PM**

!!!!! BAAAHH I want that to exist!

jcchii · #46 Posted **Dec 29, 2010, 7:58 PM**

I can recall reading somewhere (maybe here) that when the Reliance building was first built it had so much glass people were concerned it might fall down

Jasoncw · #47 Posted **Dec 30, 2010, 4:52 AM**

Yeah, the Tribune building is nice enough as far as those kinds of buildings go (although I think the buttresses are a bit much), but they really dropped the ball. The Saarinen design would have been loved by everyone, and would have been respected for being ahead of its time. The Gropius entry would have been a huge modernist landmark. Although it would have been controversial it also would have changed history and perhaps by the 1950s people would have been more used to modernism. I think the fact that people are still talking about the competition today is a testament to the entries' strength.

[q]OBMAS Workshops (ОБМАС, Объединённые мастерские), Moscow, 1922

Source: http://anatolykrynsky.com[/q]

Quite a phallic scene there.

Loopy · #48 Posted **Dec 31, 2010, 12:41 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jasoncw

Quite a phallic scene there.

Form and Structure seek Space ever. Didn't Louis Sullivan say that?

Nowhereman1280 · #49 Posted **Dec 31, 2010, 1:23 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jasoncw

Yeah, the Tribune building is nice enough as far as those kinds of buildings go (although I think the buttresses are a bit much), but they really dropped the ball. The Saarinen design would have been loved by everyone, and would have been respected for being ahead of its time. The Gropius entry would have been a huge modernist landmark. Although it would have been controversial it also would have changed history and perhaps by the 1950s people would have been more used to modernism. I think the fact that people are still talking about the competition today is a testament to the entries' strength.
[/q]

Quite a phallic scene there.

Yeah, it would have been the PSFS building a whole decade earlier...

i_am_hydrogen · #50 Posted **Dec 31, 2010, 2:44 AM**

MC & IBM

Prentice

wrab · #51 Posted **Dec 31, 2010, 2:53 AM**

That second shot is seriously good.

God I love Prentice.

the urban politician · #52 Posted **Dec 31, 2010, 3:31 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ardecila

Never built, but definitely influential.

^ Stuff like this was already being designed in the 1920's?

WHAT? That just blew my mind!

Loopy · #53 Posted **Dec 31, 2010, 4:19 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by the urban politician

^ Stuff like this was already being designed in the 1920's?

WHAT? That just blew my mind!

Well, that is point of this thread. Stuff like this was being designed in 1920's, but not in Chicago. However, the European architects that were designing "stuff like this" were heavily influenced by Wright, Sullivan and the Chicago School.

Loopy · #54 Posted **Dec 31, 2010, 4:51 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by wrab

God I love Prentice.

Me too. I can't think of many buildings where structure and form are more unified.

Source: http://www.chsmedia.org:8081/ipac20/...pect=subtab112

i_am_hydrogen · #55 Posted **Dec 31, 2010, 5:08 AM**

^So beautiful.

The derelict remains of Lakeside Hospital

Loopy · #56 Posted **Dec 31, 2010, 5:10 AM**

Ahhh, 9:00 PM in mid-June! Still, it's just as Modern in the snow and ice.

Aleks · #57 Posted **Dec 31, 2010, 5:35 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Loopy

Me too. I can't think of many buildings where structure and form are more unified.

i always though this would make a residential great high-rise.

maybe a little thicker so the roof height was taller and that way the windows could be bigger. it'd even look fantastic if the walls were actually set back 5-6 ft with floor-to-veiling windows, while the round openings had a simple railing a-la-marina.

that way the interior could get more light and the building would offer some of the funkiest balconies around! even still, i love i love it the way it is, it just always inspired me.

Loopy · #58 Posted **Dec 31, 2010, 6:02 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aleks

i always though this would make a residential great high-rise.

maybe a little thicker so the roof height was taller and that way the windows could be bigger. it'd even look fantastic if the walls were actually set back 5-6 ft with floor-to-veiling windows, while the round openings had a simple railing a-la-marina.

that way the interior could get more light and the building would offer some of the funkiest balconies around! even still, i love i love it the way it is, it just always inspired me.

Like this?

Bertrand Goldberg, Point Squanto Tower, 1967

Source: http://www.chsmedia.org:8081/ipac20/ipac.jsp?session=1KE37V4830194.31109&profile=public&page=1&group=0&term=bertrand+goldberg&index=.GW&uindex=&aspect=subtab112&menu=search&ri=1&source=~!horizon&1293775311719

Loopy · #59 Posted **Dec 31, 2010, 6:59 AM**

Or perhaps this:

Bertrand Goldberg, Lakeshore Grand Apartments, 1984

Source: http://www.artic.edu/aic/resources/resource/776

Jasoncw · #60 Posted **Dec 31, 2010, 7:54 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by the urban politician

^ Stuff like this was already being designed in the 1920's?

WHAT? That just blew my mind!

It definitely was, but the US was too busy with faux historicism and revivals to be involved in that.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/glenhsparky/4316553711/

This is a famous project by Mies, in 1921. At the time they didn't think they had the technology to actually build it, so this isn't a "real" project (like the Tribune competition, which was designed to be built). But the building could be built today and I think a lot of people would feel like it is too radical, but it was being imagined 90 years ago.

There are a few renderings of that building floating around, but I like that one in particular because it contrasts so well with the post WWI German streetscape.