In history, art, and architecture, the established definition of the Chicago School is used as a generalized term that characterizes the architectural phenomenon of the late 19th century, which greatly influenced the formation of modern American architecture.
An association of architects, engineers, draftsmen, known as the Chicago School of Architecture as a major part of Chicago School, has been operating. For the most part, the architect-builder was limited to book samples of world architecture. That is why the buildings under construction were distinguished by shortcomings in proportions and, especially, the lack of classical decoration. It was this very lack of knowledge of classical architecture that was the main condition for the uniqueness of the development of the Chicago School.
The Auditorium Theater is a perfect illustration of a design that was created by the cooperation of business leaders and the local artistic community. When it was finished, the Auditorium demonstrated many progressive architectural features of this time, such as the new means of air conditioning and hydraulic elevators. It had incomparable acoustics that many singers considered the best in the world (Pridmore and Larson 110). Not to mention that having 3901 seats was one of the biggest venues in the country. Functional and aesthetically-pleasing, the design of the Auditorium was also democratic, allowing more ordinary citizens to enjoy art.
The reason why the given subject is interesting is that the creation of the theater was not only an enormous architectural achievement of the Chicago School only but also an indication of the city’s role as a center of art and culture. It is difficult to confidently state what the outcome of the research will be. Still, it might be that the design of the Auditorium Theater is among the most influential cultural accomplishments in architecture. The answer might be found by analyzing the literature on the subject, and the changes that occurred after the emergence of the Auditorium Theater.
References
Pridmore Jay, and George A. Larson. Chicago Architecture and Design (3rd edition). New York, NY: Abrams, 2018.