Marquette Building

Restored in 2001 by the MacArthur Foundation, the Marquette Building is one of the most iconic examples the Chicago School of Architecture. Clad in brick and terra cotta, it was designed in 1895 by one of the most prolific firms of the era, Holabird and Roche. The building incorporated an E-shaped site plan to allow light and air to penetrate interior spaces. The main entry on Dearborn is graced by bronze bas-reliefs depicting events associated with the region's early exploration, and its two-story atrium features extravagant and evocative Tiffany art-glass depictions of Father Jacques Marquette's travels and death. The loss of numerous architectural gems in the 1960s galvanized a new preservation movement to pressure Chicago to reconsider demolitions. In 1975, the Marquette Building gained landmark status, and stands today as a monument to Chicago’s development and architectural legacy.