Style

The research was inconclusive in finding specific materials and construction techniques used for the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, but general information on the architecture of Federal Reserve Banks across the nation was found. The Federal Reserve Bank was designed by Graham, Anderson, Probst & White in a Beaux-Arts architectural style.¹ A style that is very lavish and heavily ornamented, popularized by Chicago in the 1893 Columbian Exposition. This Neoclassical style is what led to the use of a steel frame and Georgian marble exterior.² The creation of a grand, stable building was done to convey feelings of stateliness and impenetrability. These perceptions were necessary in order to instill trust in depositors and Chicagoans.

Classical Elements

Constructed in a Neoclassical architectural style, the Chicago Reserve displays classical elements that contribute to its characteristics of power and stability. Its 65 feet tall Corinthian colonnades produce “the impression of dignity and strength, in harmony with the power and purpose of the institution.” ¹  The Corinthian Pillars are a reference to banks from classical empires, which were built as temples but functioned as public treasuries and banks. The Chicago Reserve once had a large open staircase in the LaSalle Lobby that led to the second floor. The Grand Staircase was possibly a reception made by GAP&W which referenced the grand staircases that led to the entrances of temples in classical empires. In 2001, a 5,600 square foot Money Museum was created. It features a functional interplay of elliptical forms, curves, and diagonal walls that create a space conducive for exploration.¹ The creation of a Money Museum embodied Chicago's progression of culture and its location in a commercial setting made it a dichotomous representation of Chicago's journey to becoming a great giant.

 Architectural Context

The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago has been in the same location since its creation in 1922. It is located in the financial canyon of Chicago, across from the Continental Illinois Bank and flanking the Chicago Board of Trade. This area resembles Chicago’s journey of discovery. The Continental Illinois Bank was built in a Neoclassical style by Graham, Anderson, Probst, and White one year before the construction of the Chicago Reserve, the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago was also designed in a Neoclassical style and the Chicago Board of Trade in an Art Deco architectural style. These buildings provide a snapshot of the legacy that occurred from the Columbian Exposition to the Century of Progress.

¹"Our Building." Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Oct. 2016. <https://www.chicagofed.org/utilities/about-us/our-building>.

²Bartolacci, James. "Banking On It: Tracing The Grand Architecture Of The Federal Reserve." Architizer. N.p., 11 Sept. 2013. Web. 05 Oct. 2016. <http://architizer.com/blog/the-architecture-of-banking/>.