Montauk Building
Quick Summary
The Montauk Building, located in Chicago, Illinois, was a significant structure in the development of early skyscrapers. Completed in 1882 and designed by Burnham and Root, it is considered representative of the Chicago School of architecture. This group of architects and engineers pioneered the skyscraper in the late 19th century, with Chicago earning the title "birthplace of modern architecture" due to their innovations.1
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Daniel BurnhamBurnham & Root…an example, for the 10-story Montauk Block (1882–83)—perhaps the first building to be labeled a “skyscraper”—Burnham & Root devised a new kind of foundation footing. This footing, consisting of a broad slab of concrete reinforced with iron rails, allowed the Montauk, and future taller, heavier buildings, to be built in…
Read More…an example, for the 10-story Montauk Block (1882–83)—perhaps the first building to be labeled a “skyscraper”—Burnham & Root devised a new kind of foundation footing. This footing, consisting of a broad slab of concrete reinforced with iron rails, allowed the Montauk, and future taller, heavier buildings, to be built in…
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Chicago School…school in Chicago are the Montauk Building (Burnham and Root, 1882), the Auditorium Building (Adler and Sullivan, 1887–89), the Monadnock Building (Burnham and Root, 1891), and the Carson Pirie Scott & Co. store (originally the Schlesinger-Mayer department store; Sullivan, 1898–1904). Chicago, because of this informal school, has been called the…
Read More…school in Chicago are the Montauk Building (Burnham and Root, 1882), the Auditorium Building (Adler and Sullivan, 1887–89), the Monadnock Building (Burnham and Root, 1891), and the Carson Pirie Scott & Co. store (originally the Schlesinger-Mayer department store; Sullivan, 1898–1904). Chicago, because of this informal school, has been called the…
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John Wellborn Root…important commercial building was the Montauk Building (1882; demolished 1902). To meet the problem of supporting this 10-story structure on masonry footings (piers) in the soft Chicago soil, Root incorporated into the foundation a grillage of iron rails, thereby distributing the weight over the entire ground area. Another major technical…
Read More…important commercial building was the Montauk Building (1882; demolished 1902). To meet the problem of supporting this 10-story structure on masonry footings (piers) in the soft Chicago soil, Root incorporated into the foundation a grillage of iron rails, thereby distributing the weight over the entire ground area. Another major technical…
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