Thursday, September 18, 2014

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.

Monday, March 24, 2014

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.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7048/13384727285_1abf417a82_z.jpg
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.


https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2806/13385061914_11ccd60315_z.jpg

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.



Tuesday, February 25, 2014

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.