New Franklin Building - II [Mural Tiles]

New Franklin Building..
Address: 720 S Dearborn Street ..
Year built: 1916
Architect: George C. Nimmons ..
Mural tiles: Chicago artist, Oskar Gross ..
Continued from the above post on New Franklin Building.. click here..

This post is mostly about the exterior ornamentaion on the building. The mural tiles are made by Chicago artist Oskar Gross.





The main mural over the entry is titled “The First Impression”. It depicts men working at the Gutenberg press. An inscription executed in terra cotta tile over the doorway reads, “The excellence of every art must consist in the complete accomplishment of its purpose.” Other picture tiles represent printing and publishing activities from Benjamin Franklin’s time..

















For more on..
# New Franklin Building.. click here..
# Printing House Row District.. click here..

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The Donohue Building

The Donohue Building ..
Address: 711 – 727 S. Dearborn Street
Designed by Julius Speyer
Built in 1883 in Romanesque revival style ..
Annex designed by Alfred S. Altschuler and added in 1913.

# The Donohue Building is in the Printing House Row District, which was designated a Chicago Landmark in 1996 .. For more buildings in the Printing House Row District ... click here ..



The plaque reads ..
" Built in 1883, the Donohue Building was the first large printing factory in the historic Printing House Row District. The Donohue Building served until 1971, as the headquarters of the M.A. Donohue Publishing Company, a well known publisher of classic children's literature. The building achieved another first in Chicago history in 1979, becoming the first of the city's factory lofts to undergo conversion into a residential condominium .. "

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Old Franklin Building and Terminals Building

The Old Franklin Building and the Terminals Building are next door neighbors ...

# The Old Franklin Building and the Terminals Buildings are both in the Printing House Row District, which was designated a Chicago Landmark in 1996 .. For more buildings in the Printing House Row District ... click here ..





The Old Franklin Building ...
Address: 521-5 S. Dearborn Street
Architect: George C. Nimmons
Built in 1886 ...
Note how its windows were grouped together to provide as much light as possible for the typesetters inside ...





The Terminals Building ..
Address: 537 S. Dearborn Street
Architect: John M. Van Osdel
Completed: 1892

One of the last works of architect John M. Van Osdel [1811 – 1891] considered Chicago’s “first” architect.
Wikipedia offers some interesting trivia:
Van Osdel planned the first architect-designed house in Chicago for the first Mayor of Chicago, William Ogden. The house was located on Rush Street. Ogden commissioned Van Osdel, who came from New York to Chicago for the job. By 1844, he had opened Chicago's first architectural firm. He is considered a Chicago school architect and a peer of William LeBaron Jenney, Dankmar Adler, Louis Sullivan, Daniel Burnham, John Wellborn Root and Frank Lloyd Wright. In fact, he and William W. Boyington are considered the most prominent Chicago architects of the period from the city's incorporation in 1837 until the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 ...

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Harold Washington Library

Harold Washington Library..
Address: 400 S. State Street, Chicago, IL 60605 ..
Completed: 1991
Architect: Thomas Beeby of Hammond, Beeby and Babka Inc.
The monumental building, occupies an entire city block. The axial symmetry, typifies Beaux Arts, although it is a post-modern building, with a glass and aluminum pedimented attic.
The library is named after late Mayor Harold Washington, the Chicago's first African American mayor, Harold Washington [aka "the people's mayor"] who had been a strong advocate for the new building.

The facade has some interesting ornamentation with Ceres [Roman Goddess of agriculture], the Windy City Man and the Y-symbol inscribed on the walls..

Ceres [Roman Goddess of agriculture]
For more, click here..

The allegorical Windy City Man..

The Y-symbol..

Seven large sculptures can be seen on the roof, featuring several representations of the bird owl, a bird associated with Minerva, the goddess of wisdom, knowlegde and learning..
# For more..click here..

The top floor has a huge atrium. The glass-roof on the top floor, provides for a beautiful sunlit place to read and perhaps the only place inside the library where photography is allowed..

For more on... [click on the link]
# Harold Washington Library: Architectural sculptures.
# Harold Washington Library: Roof ornamentation
# Harold Washington Library: Atrium

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Harold Washington Library - II [Sculptural ornamentaion]

Harold Washington Library..
Address: 400 S. State Street, Chicago, IL 60605 ..
Completed: 1991
Architect: Thomas Beeby of Hammond, Beeby and Babka Inc..
Continued from the above post, click here..
There are some very interesting sculptural ornamentation on the walls of the library..

- Face of Ceres, the Roman goddess of agriculture, with the city motto, Urbs in Horto [City in a Garden] inscribed below her face and cornstalks extending down..
- Face of the Windy City Man..
- Y-symbol, with CPU inscribed inbetween, with CPU standing for Chicago Public Library..

In 1993, seven ornaments were added to the roof, by the Kent Bloomer Studio. These were designed by Ray Kaskey, a former student of Bloomer's.
- Barn owls perched at the four corners of the building..
- The Great Horned Owl were placed in the centers of the State, Congress and Van Buren sides of the building..
The bird owl is associated with Minerva, the goddess of knowledge, wisdom and learning..The owls in turn are surrounded by a fantastical environment of swirling seedpods, feathered helixes, and Greek palmettes.
# For more on the roof ornamentation.. click here..

For more on .. [click on the link]
# Harold Washington Library..
# Harold Washington Library: Architectural sculptures.
# Harold Washington Library: Roof ornamentation
# Harold Washington Library: Atrium

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Harold Washington Library - III [Roof ornamentation]

Harold Washington Library..
Address: 400 S. State Street, Chicago, IL 60605 ..
Completed: 1991
Architect: Thomas Beeby of Hammond, Beeby and Babka Inc..
Continued from the above post, click here..

This post is about the roof ornamentation..
In 1993, seven ornaments were added to the roof, by the Kent Bloomer Studio. These were designed by Ray Kaskey, a former student of Bloomer's.
- Barn owls perched at the four corners of the building..
- The Great Horned Owl were placed in the centers of the State, Congress and Van Buren sides of the building..
The bird owl is associated with Minerva, the goddess of knowledge, wisdom and learning..The owls in turn are surrounded by a fantastical environment of swirling seedpods, feathered helixes, and Greek palmettes.

For more on .. [click on the link]
# Harold Washington Library..
# Harold Washington Library: Architectural sculptures.
# Harold Washington Library: Roof ornamentation
# Harold Washington Library: Atrium

Read More

Harold Washington Library - Atrium

Harold Washington Library..
Address: 400 S. State Street, Chicago, IL 60605 ..
Completed: 1991
Architect: Thomas Beeby of Hammond, Beeby and Babka Inc.

Perhaps the only place in the library where photography was allowed, was this top floor atrium.. Beautiful sunlit place to read..

For more on .. [click on the link]
# Harold Washington Library..
# Harold Washington Library: Architectural sculptures.
# Harold Washington Library: Roof ornamentation
# Harold Washington Library: Atrium

Read More