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.

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.

Two Holsman High Rises

So my regular readers probably know of my Henry K. Holsman obsession. So here are two for you. The taller (the brown building with stepped roof), 1321 E. 56th Street, of the two was meant to be the western twin of two buildings which the depression stopped. The units are spacious full floor units. Across the street is a more modest building - the red brick building which contains more modest units. Immediately to the left of 1321 you may notice a church, behind which lurks another Holsman complex. And to the far left, there is a small Harry Weese house (which I swear is blond brick except that every time I see it its, quite obviously, not).