DANIEL BURNHAM

DANIEL HUDSON BURNHAM was born on September 4, 1846 in Henderson New York. In 1854 his parents, Elizabeth and Edwin, moved the family to Chicago where Daniel began his education at Snow's Swedenborgian Academy. Daniel continued at Chicago's Central High. In 1863, after an attempt by 17 year old Daniel, to enlist in the Union Army, he was sent to Waltham Massachusetts to study under Joseph Worcester and later, Tilley Brown Hayward, both Swedenborgians. The Swedenborgian faith and the lifelong connections it provided guided Burnham throughout his life.

Burnham returned to Chicago in 1867 working briefly for Loring and Jenney before heading West to Nevada during the Silver Rush in White Pine County. He returned to Chicago in 1872 working for architects John Van Osdel, H.B. Wheelock and finally, Carter Drake & White where he met partner John Wellborn Root. By 1874 the firm of Burnham and Root had gained the commission for the John B. Sherman mansion on South Prairie Avenue. Daniel married Margaret Sherman in late 1874.

From 1871 until Root's death in 1891, the firm of Burnham & Root gained ever larger and prestigious projects. Beginning with residential commissions from Chicago's wealthy and elite, they continued with the development of the Skyscraper. Projects included the Women's Building, the Masonic Temple, the Rookery, and the Monadnock Block. Root died before their largest and most prestigious commission could be realized: The World's Columbian Exposition. Daniel Burnham, assisted by his new design partner, Charles Bowler Atwood, and a strong collaboration with the country's eastern architects and artists guided the Exposition to a resounding success. And with the national reputation earned and the connections made, D.H. Burnham and Company moved to become among the largest and most important architects in the country. Skyscrapers, Department Stores, Railway Stations, and Urban Planning were areas of expertise and innovation.

With his large scale introduction of the Beaux Arts Aesthetic in both Architecture and Planning, Daniel Burnham and his Ecole designers, changed the face of the early 20th Century American Cities.  And none more than his hometown of Chicago.  Take a look.  Below is a Sampler of D.H.Burnham & Co's work in Chicago.  Click on Images to see more.

No Architectural firm, before or since, has had a greater impact on Chicago.

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Fine Art Photographs of Chicago Landmark Architecture and Sculpture

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THE WRIGLEY BUILDING

and NORTHWESTERN TERRA COTTA COMPANY

We think of the Wrigley Building as the grand architecture of  GRAHAM, ANDERSON, PROBST AND WHITE.  And it is.  Trapezoids. Towers.  The Clock, of course. Bronze.  And gleaming Terra Cotta. GAPW led the team.
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But designs for the terra cotta were not entirely generated by the Architects. Uncredited "Modelers"  from the Northwestern Terra Cotta Company are largely responsible for the play of light across the architect's surfaces..  And for the invention of those characters ....who inhabit the clay.

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SCHLESINGER and MEYER

LOUIS HENRI SULLIVAN

It is possible to be overwhelmed by Louis Sullivan's ornament at the Schlesinger and Meyer Department Store on Chicago's State Street.  Or to overlook it entirely. Two stories of black metal spanning enormnous sheets of plate glass on a gray day can camouflage Sullivan's highest art. Afternoon sun, in late summer, can make this remarkable Sullivan masterpiece ... unforgettable.

Symmetrical patterns contrasted with pure flights of fancy.  Incised geometries in opposition with three dimensional sculpture.  Heavy geometries. Organic metal ... sprung to life.  Hidden in the consistency of this black facade, Sullivan (etal) has created a highly complex and contradictory fantasy.  One that changes - unpredictably -  with the light and season.

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GEORGE UNGER

Who is George Unger?
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George Unger is typically listed among the credits for the bas reliefs at the Medinah Athletic Club. Other credits include Carl Beil and Leon Hermant.  And the Medinah's architect, Walter Ahlschlager.

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Having never heard of him, and being familiar with the others, I could never have guessed the significance of his participation.

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A quick trip to the Netherland Plaza and Carew Tower in Cincinnati, where Unger is liberally credited will dispell any questions.  Carew Tower and the Medinah Athletic Club were concurrent commissions for  Chicago Architect Walter Ahlschlager.  And both commissions required a lot of "bizazz".  Fresh from New York and his commissions for the Roxy and the Beacon, Ahschlager knew "bizazz" - and set interior/theater designer George Unger to work.  In both locations.  And somehow ... the Medinah's potentates of Chicago .... found themselves inspiring rams, dolphins, and seahorses in Cincinnati. 

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A small world indeed.

Link Here for photos of Chicago's Medinah Athletic Club.

Link Here for photos of George Unger, Carl Beil and Leon Hermant's Bas Relief "Contribution."

Link Here for photos of Cincinnati's Netherland Hilton

Link Here and Here for photos of Cincinnati's Carew Tower

George Unger may have died in Los Angeles in 1951. Unconfirmed.  I have been unable to trace his life through the War and Depression that spelled the end to Deco and flights of fancy that make the Medinah Athletic and the Netherland Hilton Landmarks in the 21st Century.

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C is for Cordwell

JOHN DONALD CORDWELL 1920 -1999

I believe it was the early eighties. Late seventies, maybe.  The day, though, I remember clearly.  Brilliant sunshine and hours passed in Harbor Country waiting for the party.

 

The annual Solomon Cordwell Buenz office get-together was an event.  SCB was up and coming and  a job there was coveted.  I attended that year - in an old but still elegant Lakeside beach resort,  as the guest of their specifications consultant. I was nervous, reticent and would have been glad to pass the evening quietly, seated, on a far corner of the terrace.  Barbara M, though, would have none of that.  She took me by the arm and headed straight for "the boss."  "John."

 John Cordwell was in rare form. THE John Cordwell.  Director of the Chicago Plan Commission in the fifties.  Urban renewal philosopher. Architect of Carl Sandburg Village. RAF fighter pilot. A small crowd had gathered around him.  The English accent was unmistakable.  He wore an ascot.

 " My Grandmother had the perfect remedy for crabs."  He sipped from his wineglass, glanced at his admirers, and then turned away, as though he had crossed a line,  said enough.  But he turned and began again....(the smile was still imperceptible).

 "She was a remarkable woman.  Lived to be 108."  More small talk about her etiquette and fine character and then.... " of course I've never HAD crabs.  No, never.   And why SHE'D need to know a remedy for them is beyond me..."  Everyone's eyes rolled.....  He paused again.  This time at length.  Until someone asked, "well, what is this remedy?"  John shot back "IS THIS SOMETHING YOU NEED TO KNOW?".  Roars of laughter.  And then another carefully manufactured awkward silence followed by, "you simply rub sour cream on your private parts."

By this time, finally, everyone realized that we had been "taken."  And almost simultaneously, as a group, asked how sour cream could possibly work --  John was waiting.  "The little crabs eat the sour cream.  All of it.  And get so FAT that they simply fall off."  He chuckled, exited (stage left) and left us...  laughing and shaking our heads.

 I had forgotten all that. Until I found John's picture while researching SCB for a future post.  And I am reminded that Architecture is a story of buildings AND people  -- 

JOHN DONALD CORDWELL

and that we are losing both.  Far too quickly.

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A is for AHLSCHLAGER

Researching Chicago Architects for upcoming CAITL posts, two online resources recently caught my attention. 

First, AMERICAN BUILDER MAGAZINE, 1921 has an extensive collection of the works of Walter W. Ahlschlager.  (Don't miss Dutch Boy's advertisement for their very best White Lead Paint!)   Among Ahlschlager's credits are the Medinah Athletic Club (now the InterContinental on North Michigan Avenue) and Carew Tower in Cincinnati.  I was pretty proud of this "find" ... until Google told me that it was featured in ARCHITECTURECHICAGO PLUS .... back in 2006.  Still, it is worth the re-post.  

And next, THE WESTERN ARCHITECT, Volume 30, published in May 1921 contains (among other interesting articles) an obituary for the 95 year old Frederick S. Baumann. Bauman (according to JSTOR) is the City's first German immigrant architect.  His office opened in 1850.  With his brother, Edward, Frederick is responsible for the McComick House at 660 North Rush and the Washington Block at Washington and Wells.  Both are CHICAGO LANDMARKS.  He also did the recently restored facade of the Rae Building, with its very nice, but uncredited scultpure.  Baumann's published engineering work, well respected in his lifetime, is largely forgotten. A copy of his Foundations and Foundation Walls is available from GOOGLE EBOOKS - for the hardcore historians.

A is for Ahlschlager, B is for Baumann ...  My photo website is beginning to take shape.  For a look at the work in progress link here:  THE CHICAGO LOOP

WALTER W. AHLSCHLAGER

Now, if I could just find a picture of Frederick Baumann..... 

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SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL

I am advised to see "something beautiful each day."  Often a tall order.

Untitled.  DENNIS DAVIS

Untitled. DENNIS DAVIS

But today was easy.  First, another remarkable blog post from Lynn Becker . Then, a first look at a collection of work by artist Dennis Davis.  And then, that little sunset.

And now?  I'm (almost) off on vacation.  For more work by Dennis Davis visit Miller Beach Art  For another post on this site?  We're two weeks away.  In the meantime, visit our work in progress --

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