Chicago's Art of Infrastructure

Chicago’s towering skyline is one of the most famous in the world, but Frank Lloyd Wright, who did some of his best work in and around the Windy City, is better known for low-slung buildings that harmonize with their natural surroundings. There are several shining examples in the Windy City that can be rented for meetings and events.

The Frederick C. Robie House, located in Hyde Park on Chicago’s South Side, is a National Historic Landmark. Built between 1908 and 1910, the house is considered one of the finest examples of Wright’s “Prairie-style” architecture. He designed both the exterior and interior of the house, including the furniture, light fixtures, textiles, and carpets. (Much of the furniture is now on display at Chicago’s Smart Museum of Art.)

Robie House is open for group tours and events under the supervision of the Frank Lloyd Wright Preservation Trust. The house can accommodate up to 75 people for a cocktail reception and 60 for a seated dinner. Groups larger than 20 are divided up for guided tours. Robie House books up quickly and at least 60 days’ lead time is recommended.

Another inspired choice is Glessner House, also on the South Side of Chicago. The house was not designed by Wright but served as his inspiration. Now operated as a museum, Glessner House was designed by noted architect Henry Hobson Richardson for John and Frances Glessner. It was completed in 1887, and its design was a radical departure from the Victorian architecture that characterized the neighborhood. The house is built of granite and has a strong horizontal appearance rather than the narrow, turreted designs that were popular at the time. 

The Coach House originally served as the Glessners’ stables. After a 2006 restoration, it is now a large, open space that can accommodate 150 for a standing reception and 80 for dinner. It can be rented alone or in combination with the tented courtyard, which holds 150 to 200. The first-floor dining room is also available for groups and holds between 20 and 40 guests. Details like the curved bay windows and an 1887 Steinway piano make it a truly unique space. Another possibility for smaller groups is Glessner House’s octagonal conservatory. The glass-walled space has vaulted ceilings, provides stunning views of the courtyard, and accommodates 20 to 40.

For a larger event, consider Unity Temple, Wright’s “little jewel box” in nearby Oak Park. The temple was built entirely of reinforced concrete between 1905 and 1908 and is often cited as the first modern building in the world. The temple stands on a busy street, so Wright’s design focused on minimizing noise. Light filters in through brown, green, and yellow stained-glass windows set high on the walls rather than on the ground level, and the effect is stunning. Like Robie House, Unity Temple is a National Historic Landmark.

Unity Temple is available for events in the evenings and on Saturday afternoons. The sanctuary holds up to 425, and Unity House, the temple’s skylit reception space with a catering kitchen and a working hearth, can accommodate up to 200 for a cocktail reception. The temple’s two terraces are available at no extra cost, and there also are rooms available for smaller meetings.

There are a number of Wright buildings open for public tours, most notably the newly renovated Rookery in the Loop and the architect’s home and studio in Oak Park. 

Comments

blog comments powered by Disqus