Establishment of the First Chicago School of Architecture Essay

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The Chicago School represents the first developments in skyscraper architecture in the United States. This movement was driven by individual efforts of architectures and engineers, including Louis Sullivan and Dankmar Adler. In 1889 they built an outstanding Chicago Auditorium building that is a perfect example of the Chicago school (Craven, “What is the Chicago School”). However, their success was partly predetermined by a disastrous Chicago fire of 1871 and advancements of the Industrial Revolution.

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Unpredictable dreadful events such as conflagrations have the power to change the way people organize living space. It is believed that the fire started in the barn belonging to Patrick and Catherine O’Leary and spread quickly over the wooden-built houses (Smith 19). It profoundly impacted the residential area destroying the homes of nearly 100,000 Chicagoans (Smith 22). As a result, engineers realized the need to construct fire-proof buildings and use the available land efficiently. Moreover, Chicago was the center of the innovative solutions spurred by the Industrial revolution. The Pullman sleeping car, mail-order retailing, and the invention of the elevator were the prerequisites for the new architectural style (Architecture: The First Chicago School).

The Auditorium is a unique landmark of the city that depicts the talents and courage of Sullivan and Adler. They managed to develop a solution based on the usage of timber and steel beams for the marshy ground (Architecture: The First Chicago School). Moreover, due to the effects of the fire, the Chicago school started to prioritize the metal skeleton frame. This decision led to further construction of skyscrapers and bridges all across the country.

Historical Significance

The emergence of the school is a significant event in the history of Chicago as it marks the rebirth of the architecture. First of all, the figure of Louise Sullivan deserves special attention. He wanted to introduce and promote new traditions in this architectural style by famously stating that “form follows function” (Craven, “About Louis Sullivan”). He underlined that the exterior of the building should be aligned with its internal purpose (Craven, “About Louis Sullivan”). The employment of ornamentation has to find encouragement in the nature of the site. However, the photo of the interior with its elaborated design contrasts quite plain exterior façade. Sullivan inspired other architects like Frank Wright, William Holabrid, and Martin Roche (Taylor).

In addition, the technical approach to acoustics and engineering demonstrated by Adler suggested original ways of functionality. Auditorium Theater could accommodate political gatherings, as well as opera and ballet performances. Sullivan believed in multiple functions of commercial buildings where retailers, business people, and artistic communities could co-exist. More and more architects started to experiments with style and functionality, which shaped the image of Chicago as a center of economic and cultural life.

The rapid urbanization continued after the famous World’s Columbian Exposition that took place in 1893. The fair allowed strengthening the progress Chicago made after the fire. Most importantly, the event led to the development of the residential South Side and the transportation infrastructure (World’s Columbian Exposition of 1893). Design of the exposition site offered a new vision for the flourishing city. The most notable achievement of the fair is Burnham and Edward H. Bennett’s 1909 plan of Chicago.

Works Cited

Encyclopedia of Chicago. Web.

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Craven, Jackie. ThoughtCo, 2018. Web.

Craven, Jackie. ThoughtCo, 2019. Web.

Smith, Carl. Urban Disorder and the Shape of Belief. The University of Chicago Press, 1995.

Taylor, John. Encyclopedia of Chicago. Web.

World’s Columbian Exposition of 1893. Chicago Architecture Center. Web.

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IvyPanda. 2022. "Establishment of the First Chicago School of Architecture." December 3, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/establishment-of-the-first-chicago-school-of-architecture/.

1. IvyPanda. "Establishment of the First Chicago School of Architecture." December 3, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/establishment-of-the-first-chicago-school-of-architecture/.


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IvyPanda. "Establishment of the First Chicago School of Architecture." December 3, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/establishment-of-the-first-chicago-school-of-architecture/.

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