Today was a sad day in Chicago's architectural history... The Pilgrim Baptist Church at 3301 S. Indiana Avenue -- designed by Adler & Sullivan and recognized as the birthplace of African-American gospel music -- burned down this afternoon. We could see the fire from our office in downtown.
"The building, a centerpiece of the historic African American community of Bronzeville, was designed by Chicago architect Louis Sullivan and built as a synagogue in 1890-91. Pilgrim Baptist moved into the structure in 1922.
"The church is credited as the birthplace of gospel music in the 1930s, thanks to Thomas A. Dorsey, gospel songwriter and teacher.
"Among the renowned artists who sang here were Mahalia Jackson, Sallie Martin, James Cleveland, and the Edwin Hawkins Singers, according to a Web site of the Landmarks Division, Chicago Department of Planning and Development."
Looking at the news photos, the building appears to be a total loss. What a heartbreak. :(
my heart is also saddened by this event. to me, losing a great piece of architecture is like losing a dear friend. interestingly enough, the roof reminded me of noah's ark and it appears that the fire may have started on the roof. fortunately, no one was injured.
I seriously hope it wasn't some roof contractor's cigarette... I am continually astounded when I walk on job sites and find all the carpenters with cigs hanging out there mouths in the midst of swirling sawdust, dry 100 year old timber, new 2x4s, etc...
There were some fabulous details in this building. For instance the stair at the four corners had windows that spanned the floors prefiguring Wright's Unity Temple. The wood work was spectacular.
I'd like to see the building rebuiit. I think it's an important work of architecture and something that is uniquly Chicago. (And there are a couple of other buildings and works that should be recreated: Sullivaan's bar in the Auditorium building and Richardson's Marshall Field Warehouse, which is the father of both the Temple and the Auditorium Building.)
I'd also like to see Rich Daley outlaw smoking on construction sites... it's a danger to both people and buildings. The cause of the fire could have been a cigarette or perhaps they were using a torch on the roof?
I just drove by there and they have the surrounding streets cordonned off.
The three major stone walls are standing and they are plumb. The brick side in the rear had a collapse because of the chimney. The building could be rebuilt--many buildings in Germany after the war were in much worse condition and were rebuilt.
What if IIT or the AIC could make a class out of doling all of the research and drawings to recreate the structure. Money could be raised from donors across the nation. The church was the capital of Bronzeville.
All we need is the will and the perspective. That building is what Chicago is all about. We lost Field's and the Berghoff recently... the City cannot afford to lose one of its two Adler and Sullivan designed auditoriums.
Or will some nasty contractor-designed piece of schlock replace it?
The Berghoff is reopening as 21 w. adams at the Berghoff or something like that but it will be a bar only, similar to how it first started a century ago. I gues the kids have a corporate catering business and are going to convert the kitchen for that as well as turn much of the dinning spaces into event rooms or banquet hall or something.
It looks cool all hollowed out - would make a neater composition of imaterial related structures. I suspect the walls are between 13 and 26 inches for the first floor - should be able to stand on its own no problem and with light bracing no danger. It'll be a shame to demo whats left.
My new favorite spot is the Rick Bayless Mexican Grill that opened on Field's 7th floor. The tamales are awesome and the pecan bars for dessert are $2!!!!!
anti: all it takes is money and you can have any level of ornamentation you want. there are still craftspeople out there who are very competent with traditional building methods, but they definitely come at a premium. guess you've never worked for a firm that does any preservation work?
Bryan - Would you think that Cad-Cam technologies could deliver a level of filigree and ornamentation like the sulivan cast iron panels on the Carson Perrie Scott building? Or Fisher building for that matter?
Oddly it seems to me with expanded mfr techniques for customization this should be a future trend.
I don't think there was any cast iron work like on the Carson Pirie Scott building. Perhaps a stair baluister? There's some woodwork and plaster similiar to that found in the banquet hall and the chapel in the Auditorium building.
I still am not sure if rebuilding=restoration.
Also, I think that the original masonry specs are important. Using period brick sizes is key to making the building envelope look authentic. A manufacturer like Endicott is experienced at making runs of custom brick that look as good or better than the originals.
evil: you bring up an interesting point. a lot of high end woodworking details are already done using CNC routers and other automated machinery. i imagine most things made out of stone, metal, or wood that in the original construction might have been hand cut and tooled on site will be machine cut and fabricated off site. it will still take good craftspeople to assemble it all correctly, however.
i'm not sure if rebuilding=restoration either. whenever an historic sturcture is destroyed there are always tons of ethical questions about if and how it should be rebuilt. On one hand, a "perfect" reconstruction can help individuals or a community revive the psychological imprint of the building and its history. On the other hand, it denies part of the history of the building (in this case the fire) to anyone except those who know better. Perhaps something along the lines of Foster's Reichstag restoration might be more appropriate here?
I wouldnt want to see it historically restored. But in general im surprised the level of detailing on panel and modular materials isnt more widespread. You see cast concrete panels getting a little relief, and various door mfr's allow for different panel desings and sticking options but for the most part it seems limited to larger runs and simple profiles such as in casings and crowns etc.
Carson Pierie Scott may have been cast bronze? Im specifically thinking the cladding of the base ground floor with the prarrie grass motiff.
Resoration Craftspeople or CNC milling either way -- What I worry about is someone trying to 'redo' Sullivan's ornamentation. I could be wrong, but I do not think there are surviving drawings for this building.
I think the Historic American Bulding Survey documented the building some years ago...
As for the Reichstag, it's a very mediocre building (in its original incarnation), a piece of patische. Foster made it better. The original details are commonplace. Sullivan's work demands a lot more. It has more in common with Gaudi or Fin-de-siecle Vienna's Olbrich.
I think that CNC-cut wood looks like CNC-cut wood.
I would approach it the way Piano approached restoring the historic warehouses of Genoa or the way La Scala was brought back to life after a recent blaze. Everything at La Scala looks the same on the outside whereas the mechanicals, etc. are all state of the art.
One thing is for sure...no matter how it's rebuilt it will definitely have a sprinkler system...not that they would have necessarily helped much for a fire that started on the roof.
This is the perfect possibility of a success full rebuild.
By creating a ballance between the remaining walls and foundations, and a modern thruout assembly building a compleatly new building ballanced the quality of materials and right scaled, as alway's the greatest loses are the bound profits.
I guess the details such as the credits the fact that instead of restoring the client want a replacement somthing that work, and sorry ; I can't just in words describe the display of a combined ruin and 3D-H structure structure, that ask a drawing.
Jan 20, 07 1:30 pm ·
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Sullivan-designed church in Chicago burns
Today was a sad day in Chicago's architectural history... The Pilgrim Baptist Church at 3301 S. Indiana Avenue -- designed by Adler & Sullivan and recognized as the birthplace of African-American gospel music -- burned down this afternoon. We could see the fire from our office in downtown.
Chicago Tribune article (free registration required)
From the article:
"The building, a centerpiece of the historic African American community of Bronzeville, was designed by Chicago architect Louis Sullivan and built as a synagogue in 1890-91. Pilgrim Baptist moved into the structure in 1922.
"The church is credited as the birthplace of gospel music in the 1930s, thanks to Thomas A. Dorsey, gospel songwriter and teacher.
"Among the renowned artists who sang here were Mahalia Jackson, Sallie Martin, James Cleveland, and the Edwin Hawkins Singers, according to a Web site of the Landmarks Division, Chicago Department of Planning and Development."
Looking at the news photos, the building appears to be a total loss. What a heartbreak. :(
i bet pat robertson has something to say about this...
my heart is also saddened by this event. to me, losing a great piece of architecture is like losing a dear friend. interestingly enough, the roof reminded me of noah's ark and it appears that the fire may have started on the roof. fortunately, no one was injured.
I seriously hope it wasn't some roof contractor's cigarette... I am continually astounded when I walk on job sites and find all the carpenters with cigs hanging out there mouths in the midst of swirling sawdust, dry 100 year old timber, new 2x4s, etc...
There were some fabulous details in this building. For instance the stair at the four corners had windows that spanned the floors prefiguring Wright's Unity Temple. The wood work was spectacular.
I'd like to see the building rebuiit. I think it's an important work of architecture and something that is uniquly Chicago. (And there are a couple of other buildings and works that should be recreated: Sullivaan's bar in the Auditorium building and Richardson's Marshall Field Warehouse, which is the father of both the Temple and the Auditorium Building.)
I'd also like to see Rich Daley outlaw smoking on construction sites... it's a danger to both people and buildings. The cause of the fire could have been a cigarette or perhaps they were using a torch on the roof?
wow, wouldn't it be rad if those were rebuilt??? awesome.
yeah, there really could be lots of causes. sparking machinery, bad temp. const. wiring, etc. etc... curious.
I just drove by there and they have the surrounding streets cordonned off.
The three major stone walls are standing and they are plumb. The brick side in the rear had a collapse because of the chimney. The building could be rebuilt--many buildings in Germany after the war were in much worse condition and were rebuilt.
What if IIT or the AIC could make a class out of doling all of the research and drawings to recreate the structure. Money could be raised from donors across the nation. The church was the capital of Bronzeville.
All we need is the will and the perspective. That building is what Chicago is all about. We lost Field's and the Berghoff recently... the City cannot afford to lose one of its two Adler and Sullivan designed auditoriums.
Or will some nasty contractor-designed piece of schlock replace it?
Not to derail the (very insightful) conversation, but I'm living out of town now, what's the deal on losing the Berghoff? Haven't heard.
.mm
The owners of the Berghoff have decided to retire and close the restaurant at the end of the month.
Damn, that was my second favorite downtown dinner spot. Thanks for the info.
.mm
Do you think it could actually be reubuilt? I mean, when was the last time you saw something like Sullivan's ornamentation on a job site?
I would be wary of anyone trying to 'interpret' sullivan....
The Berghoff is reopening as 21 w. adams at the Berghoff or something like that but it will be a bar only, similar to how it first started a century ago. I gues the kids have a corporate catering business and are going to convert the kitchen for that as well as turn much of the dinning spaces into event rooms or banquet hall or something.
It looks cool all hollowed out - would make a neater composition of imaterial related structures. I suspect the walls are between 13 and 26 inches for the first floor - should be able to stand on its own no problem and with light bracing no danger. It'll be a shame to demo whats left.
Hey - archinect contest idea?
MMatt - Whats your favorite downtown dinning spot?
the berghoff will be a bar and cafe and a catering establishment run by the owners' daughter...you'll have to go to lincoln square for kraut food now.
My new favorite spot is the Rick Bayless Mexican Grill that opened on Field's 7th floor. The tamales are awesome and the pecan bars for dessert are $2!!!!!
If they only were open past 6 pm!!!
anti: all it takes is money and you can have any level of ornamentation you want. there are still craftspeople out there who are very competent with traditional building methods, but they definitely come at a premium. guess you've never worked for a firm that does any preservation work?
Bryan - Would you think that Cad-Cam technologies could deliver a level of filigree and ornamentation like the sulivan cast iron panels on the Carson Perrie Scott building? Or Fisher building for that matter?
Oddly it seems to me with expanded mfr techniques for customization this should be a future trend.
I don't think there was any cast iron work like on the Carson Pirie Scott building. Perhaps a stair baluister? There's some woodwork and plaster similiar to that found in the banquet hall and the chapel in the Auditorium building.
I still am not sure if rebuilding=restoration.
Also, I think that the original masonry specs are important. Using period brick sizes is key to making the building envelope look authentic. A manufacturer like Endicott is experienced at making runs of custom brick that look as good or better than the originals.
evil: you bring up an interesting point. a lot of high end woodworking details are already done using CNC routers and other automated machinery. i imagine most things made out of stone, metal, or wood that in the original construction might have been hand cut and tooled on site will be machine cut and fabricated off site. it will still take good craftspeople to assemble it all correctly, however.
i'm not sure if rebuilding=restoration either. whenever an historic sturcture is destroyed there are always tons of ethical questions about if and how it should be rebuilt. On one hand, a "perfect" reconstruction can help individuals or a community revive the psychological imprint of the building and its history. On the other hand, it denies part of the history of the building (in this case the fire) to anyone except those who know better. Perhaps something along the lines of Foster's Reichstag restoration might be more appropriate here?
I wouldnt want to see it historically restored. But in general im surprised the level of detailing on panel and modular materials isnt more widespread. You see cast concrete panels getting a little relief, and various door mfr's allow for different panel desings and sticking options but for the most part it seems limited to larger runs and simple profiles such as in casings and crowns etc.
Carson Pierie Scott may have been cast bronze? Im specifically thinking the cladding of the base ground floor with the prarrie grass motiff.
i heard that the pritzkers are gonna pour millions into rebuilding it.
Resoration Craftspeople or CNC milling either way -- What I worry about is someone trying to 'redo' Sullivan's ornamentation. I could be wrong, but I do not think there are surviving drawings for this building.
I think the Historic American Bulding Survey documented the building some years ago...
As for the Reichstag, it's a very mediocre building (in its original incarnation), a piece of patische. Foster made it better. The original details are commonplace. Sullivan's work demands a lot more. It has more in common with Gaudi or Fin-de-siecle Vienna's Olbrich.
I think that CNC-cut wood looks like CNC-cut wood.
I would approach it the way Piano approached restoring the historic warehouses of Genoa or the way La Scala was brought back to life after a recent blaze. Everything at La Scala looks the same on the outside whereas the mechanicals, etc. are all state of the art.
One thing is for sure...no matter how it's rebuilt it will definitely have a sprinkler system...not that they would have necessarily helped much for a fire that started on the roof.
an architect is chosen to ?
in the news
an opportunity for american ruins? slash outdoor worship space?
i would like to see that idea on the table... the shell is impressive on it's own.
sorry for the poor pic, couldn't do a better google search, but you get the ideer
This is the perfect possibility of a success full rebuild.
By creating a ballance between the remaining walls and foundations, and a modern thruout assembly building a compleatly new building ballanced the quality of materials and right scaled, as alway's the greatest loses are the bound profits.
I guess the details such as the credits the fact that instead of restoring the client want a replacement somthing that work, and sorry ; I can't just in words describe the display of a combined ruin and 3D-H structure structure, that ask a drawing.
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