The Auditorium Building

I chose the Auditorium Building, a National Hisoric Landmark designed by the architects Louis Sullivan and Dankmar Adler, because of its beauty and also because my wife is on the faculty at Roosevelt University, resident owners of the building. It was designed as the first multi-commercial building with a hotel, an arcade of shops and a restaurant with the idea that the Theatre would have artistic freedom of expression as a result of its financial independence.

The view is of the upper class entrance to the Auditorium Theatre and hotel. Guests arrived outside in horse drawn carriages. Only the elite were allowed into this Auditorium entrance, where they could access their private hotel rooms just above, and change into their finery to attend the performances.

The Auditorium Theatre was the first to use air conditioning with a network of decorated ducts circulating air over ice. Patrons enjoyed opera, concerts, and recitals. Important and historical national political conventions were held here. Over ten thousand electric lights were a dazzling display in 1889, when it opened. Many dignitaries came to the Auditorium Theatre including the President and Vice-President of the United States.

In 1929, the opera moved to the Civic Opera house. In World War II, it was taken over by the armed forces. Troops resided there and a bowling alley replaced the theatre for troop entertainment. Roosevelt University aquired the Auditorium Building and Hotel in 1946. Since then, the building has been restored, and concerts and musicals are once again performed in the magnificent Theatre. Parts of the movie "The Untouchables" with Kevin Costner, Robert DeNiro and Sean Connery were shot on the stairs shown in this panorama, as well as other parts of the building. href="http://beautifulview.com/buildings" target="_blank">http://beautifulview.com/buildings

---

USA-Canada / USA-Illinois

Lat: 41° 52' 33" N
Long: 88° 38' 29" W

→ maps.google.com [EXT]

Precision is: Unknown / Undeclared.

Nikon Coolpix 950, wide angle lens, Kaidan tripod head