Chicago Federal Building
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Chicago Federal Building | |
 The Chicago Federal Building on the northwest corner of Jackson and Dearborn Streets. |
|
| Building Information | |
|---|---|
| Name | Chicago Federal Building |
| Location | Chicago, Illinois |
| Country | United States |
| Coordinates | |
| Architect | Henry Ives Cobb |
| Client | US Federal Government |
| Construction Start Date | 1898 |
| Completion Date | 1905 |
| Date Demolished | 1965 |
| Style | Beaux-Arts[1] |
The Chicago Federal Building in Chicago, Illinois was constructed from 1898-1905 for the purpose of housing the midwest's federal courts, main post office, and other government bureaus. On the location of the Chicago Federal Building stood a 1879 government building which was demolished to make way for the new building.[1]
The building was designed in the Beaux-Arts[1] style by architect Henry Ives Cobb. The building was designed in such a way that if looked at from the top, it would resemble a the Greek cross atop a high base.[2]
The Chicago Federal Building consisted of a total of 16 floors[3] (a height of 297 ft (100 m)), 8 of which were housed in its massive dome, and a basement. The foundation was supported by wooden pile driven 72 feet below street level.[4]
More than $2,000,000 were spent on the interior decoration of the Chicago Federal Building.[2] The interior was topped off with a 300 ft (100 m) high octagonal rotunda, inspired by Imperial Roman architecture[4] covered with a large Romanesque-style dome. The rotunda's 100 ft (30.48 m) diameter made it larger than that of the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C.[2] The federal building was also the tallest capitol-style building constructed in Chicago, with the exception of the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition buildings, all of which were demolished.[5] Under the dome, there was a large public space with separate floors around the perimeter.[5] The building was demolished in 1965, and the 45-floor Kluczynski Federal Building, designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, was built in its place.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ a b c Federal Center, Chicago, Illinois. U.S. General Services Administration. Retrieved on 2007-09-14.
- ^ a b c Lowe, David Garrard (2004). Public buildings in the Loop. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. ISBN 0-226-31015-9.
- ^ Chicago Federal Building. SkyscraperPage. Retrieved on 2007-09-14.
- ^ a b David Garrard Lowe (2000). Lost Chicago. New York: Watson-Gutpill Publications, 9-11. ISBN 0-8020-8390-0.
- ^ a b Chicago Federal Building. Emporis. Retrieved on 2007-09-14.
