Discovering Chicago’s Architectural History, One Brick at a Time
Also today: A new exhibit details how US downtowns reinvent themselves, and Eric Adams bows out of NYC mayoral election.
After the Great Fire of 1871, Chicago became a city of brick.
Photographer: NurPhoto/NurPhotoSince 2018, brick aficionado Will Quam has led tours giving people a closer look at the material that helped rebuild Chicago after the Great Fire of 1871. The “Brick of Chicago” tour, named after Quam’s popular Instagram account, skips the iconic skyscrapers and focuses on the more modest brick buildings found throughout the city’s neighborhoods.
From the uneven hues of the “common brick” to the more ornate terra-cotta detail, each wall helps trace the history of Chicago’s once thriving brickmaking industry, and tells the story of how the humble brick has come to define much of the city’s residential and commercial architecture. Read more from contributor Leigh Giangreco today on CityLab: For Lovers of Brick, Chicago Is a Wonderland