Curves, Slopes & Slants
[First National Bank of Chicago Building (1969) C.F. Murphy & Associates, Perkins & Will, architects /Images &
Artwork: designslinger]
Anytime architects design a building they are given a series of requests and requirements
by the client along with building codes that must be adhered to. Depending on the designer, the lists are followed to the letter which often result in an uninspiring work, or used as a template around which a concept is formulated that can lead to a much more interesting, even ground breaking design. When C.F Murphy and Perkins & Will were asked by one of Chicago's largest banks to come-up with a new headquarters for the institution, their resolution to client and city code demands gave the city one of the most unique buildings on the skyline.
[Bank One /Images & Artwork: designslinger]
First National Bank of Chicago was just over 100 years old when they were ready to move
into their new world headquarters building. And they didn't move far. The new structure was built on the northern half of the same city block where the bank had occupied the southeastern corner for decades. First National needed a large banking hall on the first three floors of the new structure, offices for their growing international financial operations and enough square footage to rent to paying tenants to help pay for the whole thing. At 60 stories tall and a large footprint on the ground because of the banking floors, the city required the building to have set-backs, like stair steps, as the building climbed into the sky. Murphy and team came up with a ingenious solution, taper the tower upward from it's 200 foot wide base to 96 feet at the top. It made for a much more graceful resolution to the set-back issue and gave the city its only curved, sloping, slanting building.
[Chase Tower with the old First National Bank Building clock /Images & Artwork: designslinger]
When the new tower was ready and the banking offices relocated, the old building was
torn down and a plaza was created on the site. It contains one of Chicago's most recognized outdoor art pieces Marc Chagall's Four Seasons mosaic, which we'll feature in a future posting. The clock that once stood at the corner of the old bank was saved and placed on a granite pedestal several feet from where it once gave the time to the passersby. First National went through several mergers and name changes during the late 1990s and today is part of the Chase system so the building is now known as Chase Tower, at least as long as Chase stays in business.
Posted by designslinger at 8/12/2010 1:36 AM 
Categories: Architecture, History
Tags: Perkins and Will First National Bank of Chicago banks C.F. Murphy and Associates
Categories: Architecture, History
Tags: Perkins and Will First National Bank of Chicago banks C.F. Murphy and Associates
The First National Bank of Chicago is indeed impressive. I remember seeing it on my visits to Chicago. How could I not? Thank you for sharing the background on it.
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You're welcome!
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