The Monroe Building is where the skyscraper came of age. It was built by the same team behind some of the world's first tall office buildings.

But here, at 104 South Michigan Avenue, the group turned the tables, creating a building in the trust Arts and Crafts spirit, a terra-cotta fantasy as beautiful as it was functional, a direct challenge to the machine age and the ethos of the Chicago School.

For almost a century, the Monroe Building was largely ignored. Forgotten by architectural historians because it sported architectural details that looked back rather than forward, perhaps overwhelmed by the beauty of Michigan Avenue or the majesty of the nearby Art Institute.

Purchased in 2005, the Monroe Building has been lovingly restored, updated, and reborn. This book chronicles the history of the building, from its conception through its restoration. It presents a history of Chicago architecture through the lens of one building and details just how a Chicago masterpiece was rediscovered.

Details
Hardcover
152 pages