Form Ever Follows Function

As a native Chicagoan, I had always heard about the great Chicago architectural firms from the late 1800's through the early 20th century. The firm of Adler & Sullivan was the one that made the biggest impression on me.

I recently went to the Chicago Cultural Center for their new "Louis Sullivan's Idea" exhibit. It features fragments of the magnificent ornamentation salvaged from buildings designed by Sullivan. The exhibit walks the visitor through the life of this famous architect, from his arrival in Chicago in 1873, to his death in 1924.

Louis H. Sullivan in 1899

Louis H. Sullivan came to Chicago from Boston. He partnered with Dankmar Adler in 1879. That partnership lasted until 1895. Both the Adler & Sullivan team, then Sullivan alone, created some of the most influential buildings in American history.

Wainwright Building, St. Louis, MO, 1890-91

I walked in awe among the fragments of terra cotta and ironwork, toughing each as I came upon them.

Pilgrim Baptist Church, Chicago, 1891. Destroyed by fire in 2006.

The exhibit is enhanced by enlarged photographs, some reaching 24 feet tall. The fragments were put into their proper context by finding their placement in the photos.

Auditorium Theatre, Chicago, 1889

Auditorium Theatre, Chicago, 1889

part of a door in the Auditorium Hotel

Walking the streets of downtown Chicago, it's hard to look up or to get a close look of what remains of Louis Sullivan's work, or most any of the late 19th and early 20th century buildings. There are so many more modern, much taller structures looming over everything.

This exhibit brings all the details down to eye-level, like you'd never see it on the actual buildings. The fact that the curators allow you to touch the pieces makes the experience even more special.

Schiller Building wall stencil, Chicago 1890-92.

Louis Sullivan was a believer in bringing natural, organic forms to the tall, otherwise impersonal skyscrapers that he and his contemporaries were designing. I thought the pieces were beautiful. I wish I could have seen these buildings in all their original splendor. Sadly, most have been torn down or modernized beyond recognition.

Transportation Building, World's Columbian Exposition, Chicago, 1893

Sullivan's Transportation Building at the Chicago World's Columbian Exposition of 1893 was the only building not conforming to the all-white Beaux-Arts style in Daniel Burnham's plan for the White City.

Chicago Stock Exchange, Chicago, 1894

Chicago Stock Exchange, entrance salvaged & on display at the Art Institute of Chicago

detail of Chicago Stock Exchange entrance.

While attending college years ago at the Art Institute of Chicago, I would gaze upon the salvaged Chicago Stock Exchange entrance arch, on display outside the school. When I graduated, the reception was held in the reconstructed Chicago Stock Exchange trading floor.

Chicago Stock Exchange Trading Room, reconstructed at the Art Institute of Chicago.

sculptors working on Sullivan's details

A few of Sullivan's Chicago buildings remain. The old Carson Pirie Scott store (originally the Schlesinger & Mayer store) is being restored. The Auditorium Theatre is restored and is operated by Roosevelt University.

original Schlesinger & Mayer facade, 1899

original Schlesinger & Mayer facade, 1899

Whenever I used to meet up with somebody downtown, we would meet at the Carson Pirie Scott corner doorway, under that magnificent ironwork!

old Carson Pirie Scott store as it looks today

detail of old Carson Pirie Scott storefront today

original Schlesinger & Mayer facade piece

original Schlesinger & Mayer baluster piece

After 1900, the fanciful style that made Sullivan famous was falling out of favor. His high profile commissions went away. He continued to work, however, on smaller buildings in the midwest. Some of his unique banks remain to this day.

detail from National Farmers' Bank, Owatanna, MN, 1908

clock from National Farmers' Bank, Owatanna, MN, 1908

Merchants National Bank, Grinnell, Iowa, 1914

Louis Sullivan suffered from depression and alchoholism in his later years. He died alone and penniless in a cheap hotel in Chicago in 1924. He was 67 years old.

If you're planning a trip to Chicago, be sure to stop by the Louis Sullivan exhibit at the Cultural Center. It's free to the public, and runs through November 28, 2010.

Please visit these great links for more Louis Sullivan info:

Louis Sullivan: The Struggle For American Architecture. A 2009 film, previewed on YouTube

Louis Sullivan Biography

Louis H, Sullivan 150 Years. A great Flickr photography set by Atelier Teee