Fine Arts Building, Chicago

Constructed around 1884, this building's Romanesque rough stone base and tiered floors beneath graceful arches set the stage for the architectural rhythm along South Michigan Avenue. The arches, supported by colossal red granite columns, cleverly opened up the sturdy east wall to accommodate the Studebaker carriage showrooms that occupied the first five levels. Up above, you can spot a change in purpose as smaller windows cluster together, marking the spaces where carriages and wagons were once assembled.

When Studebaker's needs changed, enter stage right: Charles C. Curtiss, a music publisher and real estate developer. He commissioned Beman to transform the place into a pioneering arts center, complete with two theaters, offices, shops, and studios for the creative elite. The metamorphosis included a bit of vertical expansion, as the top story made way for three new ones, adorned with skylit studios. The building even played a role in the women's suffrage movement and later became a hub for Chicago's 1920s literary scene.

Step inside, and you'll navigate a labyrinth of wooden hallways teeming with history, from the light well with its charming internal balconies (aptly named Venetian Court) to Art Nouveau murals dating back to the 1900s. With ten floors of art, dance, and music studios, including the FAB Second Floor Art Gallery and the melodious PianoForte shop on the first floor, it's an artist's dreamland. While there might not be public performances or classes, art enthusiasts can revel in the open spaces and observe artists in their natural habitat. Wander through the interior courtyard, where the sweet strains of piano keys and soaring sopranos compete with hearty tenors practicing their vocal acrobatics.