Carbide and Carbon
designslinger]
In the late 1920s Art Deco was all the rage and Burnham Brothers embraced the style with
quite a flourish when they crowned the Carbide and Carbon Building with a gleaming gold leaf Deco spire and lots of Deco trim to cap the tower.
When the building was finished in 1929, the Union Carbide and Carbon Corporation (the
Eveready battery company) moved in. And since they were the major tenant of the 40 story structure, they got to put their name on the building.
The brothers of the Burnham name were architect Daniel Burnham's sons Daniel, Jr. and
Hubert, and the Carbide and Carbon was a departure from their previous classically inspired design work. The building brought them lots of attention, and if the Great Depression hadn't stepped in and wreaked havoc in the world, we may have had a few more gems like this one from the Burnham boys. But, that was not to be.
designslinger]
By the late 1960s, Union Carbide was ready to head to a newer building that offered
modern technology and convenience. A large transformation occurred in 2004 when the Hard Rock corporation opened a 381-room hotel in the building. The exterior was restored along with the original entry lobby, while the remainder of the structure was gutted and turned into a hostelry. So, after 81 years, the old Carbide and Carbon remains a standout amongst the clutter of the Michigan Avenue skyline.
Posted by designslinger at 2/16/2010 1:43 AM 
Categories: Architecture, History, Preservation
Tags: Art Deco Burnham Brothers Hard Rock Hotel Chicago Union Carbide Company
Categories: Architecture, History, Preservation
Tags: Art Deco Burnham Brothers Hard Rock Hotel Chicago Union Carbide Company
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