Dear Sabrina,
Came to Chicago and saw this view
from the Lake. To the left 860–880,
to the right 900–910. Of course I mean
Lake Shore Drive, and of course I
mean they were designed by Mies.
Unlike the later 900–910 buildings, the
exterior walls of 860–880 are not true
curtain walls because the windows are
placed within the structural frame
of the building so they do not form a
continuous, separate curtain wall structure.
By contrast, at 900–910 the curtain wall
stands apart from the buildings’ structural
skeleton as a separate continuous element.
Finding the beauty in exposed structural
elements was a hallmark of Mies’
philosophy.
Thanks for your songs.
R