CAF Tours
An admirer of Frank Lloyd Wright’s design and all the architectural fabric that weaves Chicago’s skyline, Cathy leads tours with the Chicago Architecture Foundation to give residents and visitors a backstage pass to the city’s most beloved places and spaces.
Contact Cathy to have her lead your group on one of these CAF Tours:
Historic Downtown: Rise of the Sky Scrapers
Chicago is not only the birthplace of the skyscraper, it is also where most of the innovations in early skyscraper design and technology originated! Take a step back in time to learn the stories behind some world famous early skyscrapers. Highlights include: Burnham and Root’s Rookery (1888) with its Moorish revival exterior and restored Frank Lloyd Wright interior; Adler and Sullivan’s Auditorium Building (1889) a masterpiece of engineering, design and acoustics; Holabird and Roche’sMarquette Building (1895) an outstanding example of the Chicago School of design; and Holabird and Root’s Chicago Board of Trade Building (1930), one of the city’s most glamorous Art Deco skyscrapers.
Modern Skyscrapers
In the years following World War II, Chicago established itself as a world capital of Modern architecture. On this tour we examine many of the buildings that helped earn Chicago this reputation, from the elegant minimalism of Mies van der Rohe’sFederal Center to the brawny expressiveness of the Richard J.Daley Center. We also look at the rise of Postmodernism, as evidenced by structures like Philip Johnson’s 190 South LaSalle. Modernism is flowering once again in Chicago, and we’ll look at contemporary examples like Trump Tower, the Art Institute’s Modern Wing, and the recently completed tower at One South Dearborn.
Historic Downtown: Treasures
Come see some of the great architectural landmarks of State Street and Michigan Avenue from the late 19th/early 20th centuries. This was a time when Chicago was determined to be a great cultural—as well as commercial—city as evidenced and encouraged by the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition. You’ll see buildings by Burnham, Sullivan, Holabird and Roche and other noted architects—including the Reliance Building, Carson Pirie Scott & Co. (Sullivan Center), the Chicago Cultural Center, the Palmer House and the famous Michigan Avenue streetwall. You’ll visit beautiful interior treasures that even many Chicagoans don’t know exist! You will hear the stories behind these architectural gems and the men and women who have added so much to the commercial and cultural life of this city. As icing on the cake, this tour also touches on Millennium Park, Chicago’s exciting new 21st century park, outdoor gallery, garden and music venue.
Frank Lloyd Wright in Oak Park
Take a guided walking tour of the Frank Lloyd Wright Historic District and experience some of Frank Lloyd Wright’s earliest works: the homes he built for family, friends and neighbors during the first two decades of his sprawling 70-year career. Hear about the homes he designed in a new American style we now know as the Prairie Style and the people for whom he designed them. The tour also includes a visit to the Wright Home and Studio. (Additional ticket may be purchased at the Home & Studio Museum Shop).
River North Pub Crawl
Take a stroll through a section of River North, admire the architecture and drop into some of the neighborhood’s favorite watering holes. Join us as we enjoy spirits at an Irish pub, an English bar and an adaptively reused warehouse, where you can enjoy the skyline from the rooftop tap. Learn about Chicago’s ethnic history, its role as the center of the brewing industry, the “beer wars” of the 1850s and more, all the while enjoying specialty brews and libations. (Participants pay for their drinks at each stop – and do not have to order a drink if so desired.)
