The Chicago Skyscraper

3 units

This seminar will consider a set of projects by Burnham and Root, Holabird and Roche, Wm. Le Baron Jenney, Louis Sullivan, and others. A central example will be the Monadnock Building, with its two sections by Burnham and Root (1891) and Holabird and Roche (1893). As one of the main lines of inquiry, we will define the skyscraper type, evaluate examples through comparative study, and unfold intersectional aspects of the buildings with respect to race, gender, and labor. Special attention will be paid to symbolism and the relationship between structure, tectonics, and ornament programs. Circumstances permitting, the seminar will apply photogrammetric techniques to the documentation and study of architectural details, entailing a field trip. Space will be reserved for undergraduate students. Prerequisite: Architectural History I or II.