In the decades after the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, Daniel Burnham (along with John Wellborn Root) changed the character and aesthetics of architecture in Chicago. His early buildings were primarily homes for wealthy clients, but he soon established himself as a designer of tall buildings. Using innovative “floating” raft foundations to compensate for the poor soil conditions in Chicago and complex hybrid structural systems, Burnham and Root buildings pushed the limits of materials and technology available in the late 19th century.