S. R. Crown Hall facts for kids
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S. R. Crown Hall
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 Location in Chicago metropolitan area
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| Location | 3360 S. State Street, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois |
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| Built | 1950–1956 |
| Architect | Ludwig Mies van der Rohe |
| Architectural style | Modernist, International Style |
| NRHP reference No. | 01001049 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | August 7, 2001 |
| Designated NHL | August 7, 2001 |
S. R. Crown Hall is a famous building in Chicago, Illinois. It was designed by a German-American architect named Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. This building is home to the College of Architecture at the Illinois Institute of Technology.
Contents
History of Crown Hall
Mies van der Rohe designed many buildings for the Illinois Institute of Technology. Most of his buildings used brick and glass with a steel frame. But when he got to design Crown Hall in 1950, he tried something completely new.
A Masterpiece of Design
Crown Hall was finished in 1956. Many people think it is one of Mies van der Rohe's best works. It is also seen as one of the most important buildings from the 20th century Modernist movement.
Crown Hall is special because it shows a very simple and open style. It uses steel and glass in a refined way. The building has a roof that seems to hang, with no columns inside. This creates a huge, open space that can be used for many different things.
Most older buildings needed columns to hold up the roof. But Crown Hall does not. This was a very new idea at the time.
Less is More: A Design Philosophy
Mies van der Rohe famously said, "less is more." He believed Crown Hall was the best example of this idea. He wanted to use only what was truly needed in his designs.
When it was built, the idea was to have one big room for 300 architecture students. This would help students learn from each other.
Location and Structure
Crown Hall is in the middle of the Illinois Institute of Technology campus. This is about two miles south of downtown Chicago. The building holds the school of architecture, city planning, and design.
The building has two levels and is shaped like a perfect rectangle. It is 220 feet long, 120 feet wide, and 18 feet tall. The lower level has several smaller rooms. The upper level is mostly one large, open classroom.
On March 27, 2012, Google honored Mies van der Rohe's birthday. They created a special picture, called a doodle, of Crown Hall.
Landmark Status and Renovation
S.R. Crown Hall has received several important recognitions. It was named a Chicago Landmark in 1997. Then, it became a National Historic Landmark in 2001. The rest of the IIT Main Campus was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2005.
Restoring a Modern Icon
In August 2005, Crown Hall had a big renovation. This work was done by Krueck and Sexton Architects. The goal was to fix years of wear and tear. They also made the building easier to use and more energy-efficient.
The renovation brought Crown Hall closer to how it looked in 1956. The old paint on the steel was removed and replaced. The glass windows were completely updated. Even the stone terrace outside was replaced. Inside, wood walls and lockers were cleaned and repaired. New electrical wiring was also added.
See also
In Spanish: Crown Hall para niños
