People say that some things are inevitable. Death and taxes are the most common, but I'd argue there are a few more. Having to take a leak when you're nowhere near a bathroom, but every time you find a secluded alley to finally relieve yourself, you see a cop drive by and have to hold it in just a bit longer. Another inevitability is being duped by an cruel meteorologist who didn't say there was a chance of rain, but you come home soaking wet anyway because you were under the impression that you didn't need your umbrella. Something else which is bound to happen is being asked which city I prefer; New York - my native city - or Chicago - my surrogate city. After all, Chicago has a friendly rivalry with New York (it's different than the rivalry, or rather deeply ingrained hatred, we have with New Jersey......because fuck New Jersey). The thing is, I love both cities. I always just brush it off by saying both cities having their own unique flavors and cannot really be compared beyond some general similarities. Well, this post is intended to praise Chicago, by stating why I believe this city is absolutely not a second rate New York (and even if it was, that's a compliment that other major cities can only dream for). In particular, I am thinking of Chicago's architectural significance. I actually think that, architecturally speaking, Chicago is arguably the most significant city in this country. In terms of modern architecture and city planning, I don't think it's hyperbole to state that Chicago is perhaps one of the most important cities in the world.
Regarding different architectural movements in the late 19th – mid 20th centuries, Chicago was arguably the location which featured the most innovation architects. The ability to mass produce steel on such a large scale absolutely changed the language of architecture. Steel is lighter, yet stronger, than stone. It is cheaper to manufacture steel than quarrying stone. It can be produced as beams, nuts, bolts, and ropes. Buildings could be constructed higher without having to proportionally widen them. Taller buildings began to contain multi-functioning stories, rather than being giant, one story rooms like Gothic, Baroque, or Classical church naves (aside from mud buildings in Shibam, which, while marvels of antiquity, require far too much maintenance to be considered stable).
With such innovation changing the urban landscape, there needed to be a certain set of rules so buildings can look like a single, unified structure. This is where the Chicago architect Louis Sullivan defined the language of high rise and skyscraper construction. Sullivan set rules and guidelines for how tall buildings should be designed in both functionality and appearance. Although architects have been a bit less rigid than him, his ideas seem to have been pervasive throughout various movements across the globe. Sullivan, along with other architects and city planners who were known for their use of steel, became known as the Chicago School of Architecture.
Chicago was also home to other highly influential architects and movements. If one wants to talk about the Art Deco movement, look no further than guys like Burnham, Graham, or Holabird, who were responsible for buildings like the Carbon and Carbide Building, Palmolive Building, Chicago Board and Trade, and Merchandise Mart. The latter of which was even given its own zip code, and was the largest building in the world in terms of square footage.
If one wants to talk about Modernism or International Style, this is the city which was home to Mies van der Rohe after he left Germany and brought the Bauhaus movement to the US. Van der Rohe's designs were so iconic, glass and steel buildings built on straight lines are often called van der Rohe style buildings. The International Style movement has even been referred to as the Second Chicago School for being reaching its peak at Chicago's IIT.
Who can be credited as one of the primary influences on van der Rohe's style? Well, that's Chicago based architect Frank Lloyd Wright, whose philosophy was to minimize the separation between the exterior and interior of a building.
The modern urban skyline is largely due to designs by Chicago based architects and firms.
Chicago can also be considered the city which revolutionized urban planning in the modern era. The Columbian Exposition of 1893 may not have been architecturally innovative globally, since its buildings were part of the Beaux-Arts movement, which was common during the nineteenth century. However, its global impact was seen in its other innovative qualities: electricity; plumbing; waste removal.
Daniel Burnham, the planner for the Columbian Exposition, had to accommodate what equated to millions of visitors. So even though this was technically just an exposition, he needed to design buildings and plan for the infrastructure of what would function as a large, burgeoning city. This included tens of millions of pounds of daily waste removal, and tens of millions of gallons of water needed to be pumped daily. Such a scale was completely unprecedented at the time.
Since you are likely reading this on something powered by electricity, perhaps the Expo's influence on the use of electricity should be noted as well. Electricity was fairly new technology at the time, and used in very limited degrees. The Columbian Exposition, however, utilized electricity to a scale where it had to function as an electrically powered city, which served as a model for how this source of energy would impact the future.
There are some other qualities about Chicago which I can praise. This city was home to one of the most vibrant poetry scenes in the 20th Century, whose its legacy continues today. Chicago also has a very active urban and contemporary art scene throughout its neighborhoods.
However, expounding on other qualities will have to be saved for a different time. As it stands, the few aspects of Chicago which I did mention show that this is a city with a rich history, even if it doesn't date too far back. It is a city of innovation and modern advancement, and a city which set a standard for the urban metropolis, even one as large and seemingly untouchable as New York. For these reasons, Chicago is a city which deserves a great deal of respect and adoration, and a city which one should be proud to call home.
No comments:
Post a Comment