How did Louis Sullivan make the Wainwright Building appear tall?

To make the Wainwright Building appear tall and create a "proud and soaring" unity, Louis Sullivan employed a specific design strategy that emphasized verticality over horizontal lines.1

His approach included the following elements:

• Two-Story Base: The building features a distinct two-story base that anchors the structure.1
• Vertical Emphasis: Above the base, Sullivan stressed the vertical elements of the building. He used brick piers to mark each steel column and half-module, creating a rhythm of tall, narrow bays.12
• Minimized Horizontals: To prevent the horizontal lines from breaking the building's upward visual flow, he recessed the horizontal elements, such as the spandrels (the spaces above and below each window), effectively minimizing their appearance.12
• Capping Elements: The vertical rhythms are unified at the top by a deep decorative frieze and a projecting cornice, which provide a clear termination point for the building's height.1

By utilizing this design, Sullivan successfully gave visual expression to the height of the skyscraper, moving away from the "inept" and disunified elevations seen in earlier tall buildings that relied on stacked, tower-like masonry designs.12