Herr Mies Van Der Rohe

So, yes, firstly, first off, I'm still here. Have just been extremely bad about posting. 

So here are some shots most of you have never seen before (not just since they are my pictures) of The Promontory Apartments in Hyde Park, Mies' first high rise building and the first of a string of distinguished apartment buildings along the Lakefront in Chicago. However, the most similar buildings to these are his residential buildings at IIT which use the same brick and exposed concrete. 

Thanks to Chicago Bauhaus and Beyond I was able to get some interesting interior shots. 

 Service Stairs - the open stairs

are rather interesting.

 Pipe penetration through service

stair landing - rather a nice detail.

 View from western windows to

the west with north wall of south wing

with Jackson Towers, 1700 and

The Windermere beyond.

 Vintage (and abandoned) intercom

control panel at unit entry.

Original Honeywell Thermostat -

each unit has it's own thermostat

for the in-floor radiant heating.

Greystone Demolition in Hyde Park

So I suppose I could write this with a heavy heart, but it's not as heavy as I would have thought - maybe I'm just getting more cynical with age, or is it realistic.

Anyways, these three lovely stone facades will be lost, however, due the condition of the facades and the interiors which were visible once the southernmost unit was demolished, its pretty obvious that they were a losing proposition financially for restoration.




The party walls were penetrated and the upper portions of the parapet and roof of the bay windows were in need of massive work. A shame really because they had nice proportions and detailing, but, unfortunately not everything can be saved. I think if land were not destined for parking it wouldn't be quite so egregious.

I'm still here...

Just haven't had time to post or do much with the blog. But I plan to! So here is an image that most people haven't seen.

Tall and Narrow in Philadelphia

Philadelphia seems to have a lot of tall and narrow apartment buildings. This seems to be a function of the small blocks and narrow lots of the old center city (and of course, land prices/values as well). I really don't know much about these, but they are fun.

They are mostly found on corner sites. I don't know if you can see the gargoyle's on the bay window. I notice them more in other shots, since they blend in so well in this shot.

An art deco tower.

Somewhat spooky looking against a Helmut Jahn backdrop.

This last one isn't quite so tall, but it's proportion plan-wise isn't far off.

Upcoming Posts

OK, so I've done it again - gone a whole two months without a single, solitary posting! But I promise (that) I have some good ones in store, like one about Hyde Park's Pioneer Co-op!

Happy Holidays!

Keck and Keck

Well, when it rains, it pours, or as the case may be, it snows. In this case, it's a reminder of upcoming winter as well as showing just how belated I am in posting. Here we have a small complex in Hyde Park by Keck & Keck, two of my favorite architects (who did precious little multi-family, their fame is primarily from suburban, usually solar, villas), whose own ground breaking apartment building is within sight of these elegant (except for the poor choice of, and lackadaisical attitude to [typical for Hyde Park], replacement windows) early 50's apartments.

In their usual fashion, the units have radiant heat and good orientation, as well as a pleasant, tree-lined park like open space which they are grouped around.


I will have to do some future posts on their other multi-family work, their own home, Harper Square Cooperative (their, by far, biggest commision) and their numerous projects for the CHA, primarily senior housing, but also the now unfortunely demolished Prairie Avenue Courts and perhaps some of their townhouse work as well.

Rittenhouse Dorchester

So now we go back to Philadelphia for a modern tower on posh Rittenhouse Square - the Rittenhouse Dorchester from 1963, designed by Chicago favorite (oh, ok, well, just plain Chicago architect) Milton Schwartz, who I'm sure everybody knows from the Constellation and 320 Oakdale (don't know them, I guess I should do more posts). Above we have the ground plan - it sits on a very tight L-shaped lot which wraps around the building just to the north of it, occupying the remainder of the small block.

Above is the typical floor plan, with typically sized units for the era.



A rare "rear" view at sunset from the Northwest showing it wrapping around the older high-rise to the north.


East elevation as seen from the leafy confines of Rittenhouse Square - note the angled bays to enhance views east to the square. It really does have very parklike surroundings.


South elevation looking up. Note the profile of the balconies - the railings are quite nicely detailed, however, the replacement windows are rather clunky.

There is also another development in Center City Philadelphia by Scwartz, however, I'll save that one for posting in another entry.

Plans are from:
"Apartment, Their Design and Development"
Samuel Paul
Reinhold Publishing Corporation
1967

Note: Samuel Paul is worth an entry in himself.