Carbide & Carbon Building

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The top half of the Carbide & Carbon Building.
The top half of the Carbide & Carbon Building.

The Carbide & Carbon Building is a landmark of Chicago located at 230 N. Michigan Avenue. The building, which was built in 1929, is an example of Art Deco architecture designed by Daniel and Hubert Burnham, sons of architect Daniel Burnham, and was designated a Chicago Landmark on May 9, 1996. Originally built as a high-rise office tower, the Carbide & Carbon Building is now the home of the Hard Rock Hotel Chicago, converted in 2004. The building has 37 floors and is 503 feet (153 m) tall.

The exterior of the building is covered in polished black granite, and the tower is dark green terra cotta with gold leaf accents. According to popular legend, architects Daniel and Hubert Burnham designed the building to resemble a dark green champagne bottle with gold foil.[citation needed] Beginning on November 16, 2007, the gold-leaf tower was permanently illuminated at night.[1] The design of the building has been compared to the Bryant Park Hotel and the American Radiator Building in New York City.[2]

Left: Michigan Avenue Bridge traffic (Background includes 333 North Michigan, Carbide & Carbon Building, London Guarantee Building, & 35 East Wacker (2007-07-01) Center: 1951 view. Right: The Carbide & Carbon Building behind 333 North Michigan Left: Michigan Avenue Bridge traffic (Background includes 333 North Michigan, Carbide & Carbon Building, London Guarantee Building, & 35 East Wacker (2007-07-01) Center: 1951 view. Right: The Carbide & Carbon Building behind 333 North Michigan Left: Michigan Avenue Bridge traffic (Background includes 333 North Michigan, Carbide & Carbon Building, London Guarantee Building, & 35 East Wacker (2007-07-01) Center: 1951 view. Right: The Carbide & Carbon Building behind 333 North Michigan
Left: Michigan Avenue Bridge traffic (Background includes 333 North Michigan, Carbide & Carbon Building, London Guarantee Building, & 35 East Wacker (2007-07-01) Center: 1951 view. Right: The Carbide & Carbon Building behind 333 North Michigan

The ground floor was originally designed to display products of the Union Carbide and Carbon Corporation's subsidiaries whose offices were in the building. The lobby features art deco bronzework and black Belgian Marble.

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[edit] References

  1. ^ "A toast to the skyline", Chicago Tribune, Tribune Company, 2007-11-16, pp. 2:3. Retrieved on 2007-11-16. 
  2. ^ Wolfe, Gerard R. (1996). Chicago: In and Around the Loop. New York: McGraw-Hill, 210. ISBN 0070713901. 

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