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Illinois Tech's S.R. Crown Hall

Address

3360 S. State St.

Neighborhood

Bronzeville

Hours

Sat, Oct 14: Closed

Sun, Oct 15: 10am - 5pm

Photography Permitted Washrooms Available

Architect/Year

Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, 1956

Website

miessociety.org

Description

Crown Hall was designed by Mies van der Rohe in 1956 as the home of the Illinois Institute of Technology’s College of Architecture, which he led. One critic called it "the Parthenon of the 20th century." The building is possibly the most essential example of the International style of Modern architecture and truly embodies Mies's famous "less is more” philosophy. The structure is a steel-framed glass pavilion. It is supported by four plate girders spanning 26,000 square feet of uninterrupted space with 18-foot ceilings. As Mies said: "We do not let the functions dictate the plan. Instead, let us make room enough for any function."

Visitor Experience

The building is open for self-guided tours, and a guided walking tour will be offered between the Crown Hall, Kaplan Institute, and Carr Chapel at 11am.

View this Building on Architecture.org