**Course registration sold-out. A limited number of single course tickets will be available at the box office the same day as the lecture.**
At the turn of the 20th Century, the city of Chicago became a laboratory for some of the most innovative architecture in the world. Beginning with the Great Fire from which Chicago’s multi-story structures emerged in the late 1800s, this series will explore how an industrial Midwestern city became a modern metropolis of art. As we survey the history of its skyscrapers and tour architectural landmarks like the Rookery building, Frank Lloyd Wright’s Robie House and the masterpieces of Mies van der Rohe, we’ll assess the bold designs and colourful personalities that have left their mark on the city’s skyline—and changed the landscape of 20th century architecture.
Led by fine art advisor and art historian, Natalie Ribkoff, who has provided professional art advice and collections management services to a number of Canadian corporations and private individuals. An energetic educator with a passion for the visual arts, Natalie teaches Art History at the School of Continuing Studies, University of Toronto.
October 22: A Phoenix From the Ashes: The Great Fire of 1871
We'll start by examining the unique history of Chicago and learn how the horrific blaze that destroyed a section of the downtown provided the perfect opportunity for visionary architects to transform the Midwestern city into a modern metropolis
October 29: The Chicago School of Architecture: Major Architects and Buildings
We’ll admire the organic architecture of the individual often referred to as the “Father of the Skyscraper”, Louis Sullivan. As our gaze drifts upwards, we’ll focus our attention on some of the first skyscrapers designed by the visionary architects associated with the Chicago School of Architecture.
November 5: The “White City”: The Chicago’s World’s Fair of 1893
The Chicago World’s Fair of 1893 introduced the world to the genius of the Chicago architects Daniel Burnham and Frederick Law Olmsted, whose light-hued Beaux-Arts facades earned the fair its nickname: “The White City.” We’ll venture inside the pavilions to see the works of Louis Comfort Tiffany, whose dazzling stained-glass designs captured the public’s imagination.
November 12: Frank Lloyd Wright in Chicago
We shine the spotlight on the great American architect Frank Lloyd Wright, whose illustrious career began in Chicago. Opening the doors of his famous structures, including the Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio and Robie House, we’ll uncover the roots of the distinctly American Prairie School of Architecture.
Further Viewing | Tall: The American Skyscraper and Louis Sullivan (4:00 PM)
November 19: Art Deco in Chicago
This week’s presentation focuses on the most distinctive architectural style that flourished in Chicago in the 1920s and 1930s. With lighting that stressed the spectacular and decorative details that dazzled, exuberant Art Deco skyscrapers like the Carbide and Carbon Building and the Chicago Board of Trade Building left a lasting mark on the skyline.
November 26: International Style and Public Artworks
We’ll learn how German born Architect Mies van der Rohe transformed the expansive campus of the Illinois Institute of Technology and fueled America’s passion for the International Style of Architecture. Our journey ends in Millennium Park, where public artworks complement iconic structures and solidify Chicago’s reputation as one of the world’s most important centers of architecture and the arts.