Tezos

Shadows of History

Creator

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Description

The late morning sun reflects off windows casting what appears to be a mysterious message across the pockmarked asphalt of West Adams Street in the Chicago Loop. A skateboarder rides on, seemingly unaware of the symbols dancing in shadow beneath his board as it rolls through Chicago's financial district. The strange shapes appear in front of The Rookery, a building constructed in the decade that followed the Great Chicago Fire, rising from the ashes to bring the once destroyed city into the future. The building, still considered an architectural marvel to this day, used every method available in the 1880s to draw in as much ambient light as possible even on the cloudiest or smoggiest of days. In that era, providing natural light by which to read or work was a true challenge. Coal smoke and air pollution cast a thick haze across the city. Although electricity was available, it wasn’t always reliable. That is why the architects behind The Rookery's design put in place giant windows and a central "light court" to bring in as much sunlight for those who worked in the building. The Art Institute’s pitched roof peaks over traffic at the very end of Adams Street. This building is one of many which marked Chicago’s triumph over the tragic fire. In 1893, the Art Institute was not a place for artists, but was instead known as the “World’s Congresses Hall” as Chicago played host to the World Columbian Exposition. The event was a world’s fair designed to show off a reborn Chicago, and position the Windy City for greatness ever after.

Traits

Tag

chicago fire

Tag

chicago