The Rookery
This spectacular view comes from the bottom of the atrium stairwell in Daniel Burnham
and John Root's Rookery Building.
Designed by the Chicago-based architects in 1886, the Rookery has seen a few changes
during its lifetime, including a lobby redo by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1906.
Wright was brought in to modernize and lighten-up Root's heavy, dark cast-iron lobby.
He replaced the original light fixtures, reworked the design of the railing panels and wrapped the iron posts and beams in white marble panels covered with an incised, Moorish inspired pattern and a gold leaf treatment. It's hard to believe this is the work of the master of the Prairie School style, but the planters at end of the grand staircase are quite Wright.
Root's original sweeping cantilevered staircase still remains, and takes you up into the
dynamic stairwell that you saw in the first photo.
I have never seen nor been in a stairwell quite like this one. The entire structure is
wrapped in a skin of iron and glass, revealing an interior light court that became a signature design element of the Burnham & Company's commercial projects.
In the early 1930s architect William Drummond, a Prairie School designer as well, was
asked to do another updating of the now 43-year-old building. He reworked lobby staircases and covered the floor in pink marble among other changes. All that remains of Drummond's updates are the elevator light sconces and the Art Deco patterns on the elevator doors.
In 1989, the building's owner Tom Baldwin undertook an expensive and extensive
restoration and rehabilitation of the Rookery. It was then that an important discovery was made. Root's entire cast-iron lobby still survived buried beneath Wright's marble enlightenment. One of the original iron columns was left exposed for all of us to see, as was the only remaining piece of the mosaic tile floor which is outlined by a small brass strip embedded in the restored and recreated pattern.
Upon the building's completion in 1888, Burnham & Root moved their offices to the
11th floor of the Rookery where the plans for the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition got underway in 1890.
Unfortunately Root died of pneumonia in January, 1891 just as major planning on the
Fair was beginning. Burnham went on to a long productive career, and died a world-renowned architect and urban planner in 1912.
Posted by designslinger at 1/19/2010 2:07 AM 
Categories: Architecture,Decorative Arts,History,Architects,Preservation
Tags: John W. Root William Drummond Daniel Burnham Frank Lloyd Wright
Categories: Architecture,Decorative Arts,History,Architects,Preservation
Tags: John W. Root William Drummond Daniel Burnham Frank Lloyd Wright
When I lived in Chicago so many years ago this was one of my favorite buildings. Thanks for reminding me of it's existence.
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You're welcome. It's quite a beauty ain't it?!
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As the yearlong centennial celebration of Burnham's Plan of Chicago comes to an end it is nice to see others appreciate the beauty and grace of this structure and his other buildings throughout the country as well as the city plans for Cleveland, San Francisco and the Mall in Washington DC.
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It's not hard to appreciate this great man's work. Thanks for the visit and taking the time to comment.
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Simply beautiful! (You are a very talented photographer!)
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Why - thank you!!
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