How was the Auditorium Building organized around its auditorium?

The Auditorium Building in Chicago, designed by the firm of Adler and Sullivan, was organized as a hotel and office block wrapped in a U-shape around a central 3,982-seat auditorium intended for opera.1

This structural arrangement allowed the large performance space to serve as the core of the building, while the surrounding hotel and office facilities occupied the perimeter. The project, completed in 1889, integrated these diverse functions into a single 10-story structure of granite and limestone, which also featured a 17-story tower.1

While Louis Sullivan was responsible for the building's design and lavish interior ornamentation, his partner Dankmar Adler was responsible for all structural and mechanical aspects, including the auditorium's highly effective acoustical design.1