A pantone of classic Chicago: Printers Row & S. Dearborn

“The excellence of every art must consist in the complete accomplishment of its purpose.” Source: Quote on the Second Franklin Building on Printer’s Row.

Easily this blog author’s favorite part of Chicago’s Loop, the classic skyscrapers of Printers Row and South Dearborn Street evoke the city’s robust architectural and manufacturing heritage within a few square blocks. From the exterior iron and steel fire escapes, to the brick and masonry facades, to the literal heartbeat of city’s printing and publishing industry, this illustrative historic district in the South Loop showcases a fascinating aspect of Chicago’s muscle and might.

“Arguably the most famous publisher located on Printers Row was Rand McNally, which was founded in 1856 in Chicago and opened its fourth headquarters in 1912 at 536 S. Clark. But perhaps the most-read publications came from Lakeside Press, a division of R.R. Donnelley & Sons. The company printed both the Montgomery Ward and Sears catalogs, as well as the Encyclopedia Britannica, Time and Life magazines, at 731 S. Plymouth.” Source: playeatlas.com

Most of these magnificent buildings, once used for offices and/or production of print materials, have been lovingly restored and adapted into mixed uses or residential structures. Many of the ground floors now contain a delightful mix of small shops, pubs, and dining establishments.

Frankly, today’s modern glass edifices can hardly compete for attention given the distinctive architectural embellishments and adornments set upon these classic Chicago high-rises. They are simply a visual feast for the eyes. One can also easily imagine the continuously rumbling sounds of gigantic printing presses, as the machinery churned out multitudes of documents, magazines, and publications.

If you are in Chicago, skip the typical tourist venues around downtown and take a stroll along South Dearborn Street (and paralleling streets) through Printer’s Row. If you are lucky enough, perhaps the Printers Row LitFest will be taking place while you are visiting.

Peace and enjoy the images in the post!

#adaptiveReuse #architecture #art #Chicago #cities #design #highRises #highrises #history #Illinois #planning #preservation #PrinterSRow #printing #publishing #skylines #tourism #travel

RE: https://mastodon.murkworks.net/@moira/115823927559800398

Surprising amount of interest in this little laundry-detergent-cup-to-storage design, so I put both versions on Thingiverse!

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:7258979

The nub version is nice because it's no-support no-cleanup, just print-and-use. The version with spiral threading needs supports and so needs cleanup, but is a tighter/stronger fit.

#3dPrinting #storage #reuse #AdaptiveReuse #tide #caps #lids #container #organisation