Chicago

Chicago Architecture embodies a rich tapestry of architectural history dating back to the 19th century, renowned globally for its innovative and diverse designs. Often referred to as the “birthplace of the skyscraper,” Chicago witnessed the construction of the first steel-framed high-rise building, the Home Insurance Building, in 1885. The city’s architectural identity is heavily influenced by the Chicago School and Prairie School movement, with the latter led by the visionary architect Frank Lloyd Wright, whose residential designs seamlessly integrated with the expansive Midwestern landscape. Post-World War II saw the rise of the International Style and Modernist movement with iconic steel and glass buildings, like Ludwig Mies van der Rohe’s Lake Shore Drive Apartments, characterizing the era.