The Rookery Building — Day 93 /  by Adrian Galli

As one of the most historically significant buildings in Chicago, The Rookery is a unique enclave for businesses that value a prestigious presence. An icon in the center of Chicago's downtown Financial District, The Rookery seamlessly combines the flair of an era gone by with state-of-the-art building systems and technology. Designated a Chicago Landmark in 1972 after being added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970, The Rookery is universally considered an architectural masterpiece.

Designed by famous architectural partners Burnham and Root, the picturesque Rookery was originally completed in 1888. Adding to its impressive stature, Frank Lloyd Wright redesigned the stunning two-story, sky lit lobby in 1905. Meticulously renovated and maintained, The Rookery stands as one of the most highly recognized addresses in all of Chicago.

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Commonwealth Promenade — Day 92 /  by Adrian Galli

This is curtain-wall modernism in full stride. The project was commissioned by developer Herbert S. Greenwald, Mies’s early and influential client, whose death in 1959 halted development of two additional towers planned for the site. The glass-and-aluminum skin is suspended in front of the columns, which comprise two different structural systems (reinforced concrete on the lower floors and steel above). The space between the columns and the skin contains vertical ventilation shafts, allowing for more efficient heating and cooling than in Mies’s previous buildings.

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401 N. Wabash — Day 91 /  by Adrian Galli

The reflection they’re referring to isn’t only a literal one. When the Chicago architecture firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) envisioned this contemporary tower, the building’s place and neighbors influenced its design. While it is true that the building’s materials mirror its neighbors, it can also be argued that its design communicates its relationship to them.

[401 N. Wabash Avenue] is designed with three setbacks. Each setback points toward an architecturally significant neighbor. The setbacks allow for "communication" with surrounding buildings. At 16 stories, the first is to the east of Trump Tower and corresponds to the height of the Wrigley Building. At 29 stories, the second points both north toward River Plaza and west to Marina City. All the way up at 51 stories, the third setback is west of Trump Tower and relates with Mies' last Chicago project, 330 N. Wabash Ave.

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