Mies van der Rohe - Chicago Federal Center - Chicago
N 41° 52.739 W 087° 37.767
16T E 447771 N 4636531
In 1960, the U.S. General Services Administration chose to construct a new office complex in Chicago's Loop District that would house thirty different agencies that were now scattered throughout the Windy City.
Waymark Code: WMC3ET
Location: Illinois, United States
Date Posted: 07/20/2011
Views: 17
They chose four different architectural firms to work on the project. They included the famous architect Mies van der Rohe, who was known for his modernist designs and designated chief designer, as well as Schmidt, Garden and Erickson; C. F. Murphy Associates; and A. Epstein and Sons.
The entire center occupies two city blocks. The Kluczynski Federal Building is 42-stories high and boasts a total of 1.2 million square feet/111.000 sq.m. of office space. It's 562 feet/171m tall (above ground) and has three basements below grade. The Dirksen Building is 30 stories tall, with 1.4 million square feet or 130.000 sq. m. of office space and sits perpendicular to the Kluczynski Building. Fifteen 2-story courtrooms are situated in the top 10 floors of the courthouse building, according to original design, but more were added in the 1990s. The post office building is just one story high.
According to the U.S. General Services Administration, "the exterior curtain walls are defined by projecting steel I-beam mullions covered with flat-black graphite paint. The balance of the curtain walls are of bronze-tinted glass panes, framed in shiny aluminum, and separated by steel spandrels, also covered with flat-black graphite paint".
Outside the Federal Center, you'll find a wonderful sculpture by Alexander Calder entitled "The Flamingo". The 53-foot-tall (16m), bright red flowing sculpture is in marked contrast to the plain building behind it.
(from aviewoncities.com)
Architect: Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
Building Type: Government
Date Built: 1964 - 1973
City building is located in: Chicago
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