Monadnock Building, Chicago

The Monadnock Building in Chicago stands as a fascinating testament to the evolution of architectural design and engineering in the late 19th century. Built in two distinct phases, the Monadnock is a structural and stylistic juxtaposition that highlights the rapid advancements and shifts occurring in the field of architecture at the time.

The northern half of the Monadnock Building, completed in 1891 and designed by the renowned architectural firm Burnham & Root, features a daring, stripped-down facade. This section of the building embraces the load-bearing brick wall tradition, with its exterior walls layered brick upon brick. The building’s undulating bay windows, supported by cantilevered steel, showcase an early use of structural steel technology.

Despite the thick, six-foot brick walls at the corners, which provide substantial support, the central areas of the building are reinforced by a hidden steel framework. The design’s stark minimalism, contrasted with the battered base and projecting bays reminiscent of ancient Egyptian columns, foreshadows the future embrace of simplified, unadorned facades that would characterize modern architecture.

The southern half of the Monadnock, designed by Holabird & Roche and completed just two years later, marks a notable departure in style and technique. This section of the building was constructed using a more advanced approach, with a brick and terra cotta facade that does not bear the building’s weight. Instead, it is suspended from a rigid metal frame, allowing the weight to be transferred to the ground through the frame. This innovative method demonstrates a significant shift towards the use of steel in construction and reflects the ongoing experimentation and technological progress of the era.