Rowhouse Chicago: 1970s

Row houses in the 1970s continued to be utilized as infill housing in established neighborhoods, often replacing older homes in areas undergoing redevelopment. But they also filled vacant lots in developing neighborhoods where single-family homes were no longer viable due to the land's underlying cost.

Some were strictly modernist in design, utilizing geometric arrangements of glass and masonry.  Others referred back to historic row house designs but simplified and reconfigured them for contemporary needs.  Many utilized more advanced site planning, with groups of buildings arranged on a single lot and accommodating shared and private spaces as well as car parking and storage.



Rowhouse Chicago: 1960s

In the 1960s, row houses were incorporated into many urban renewal projects, both government-funded and privately developed.  A new generation of architects was evaluating established building types and developing new designs and approaches. 

At the same time, the city became the frontier again, and many designs included walls for both visual privacy and protection. And of course, one of my favorite elements became commonplace- the hanging patio.  Better known as a balcony.

 



Rowhouse Chicago: 1950s

In the 1950s, row houses came roaring back in Chicago.  The cost of land and the demand for moderate-density housing again aligned.  New materials and construction technologies, many developed during the war, were now available for private development.  The simplified architectural designs dictated by strict federal requirements and wartime shortages still informed the design of this new generation of row houses, even as those designs were enlivened with new materials, colors, and textures. 

But traditional designs were still popular and could be adapted to the long horizontal configuration.  I don't have many examples here, but there are many Colonial Revival and Georgian rows from the 1950s...

Just a note: most of these examples are from West Ridge, either on or near Granville.  

Rowhouse Chicago: 1930s and 1940s

In the 1930s and 40s, the row house became an important form for government-subsidized public housing.  This program was interrupted by WWII and resumed afterward at a much larger scale. 

Some early examples utilized a simplified Classicism, or a Moderne design aesthetic.  But as the program continued, ornamental details were stripped away.

I want to write more about these, but for now I'll settle for getting them on-screen.  If you're familiar with the topic, you'll notice that the Lathrop Homes (recently redeveloped) are missing. Those will be included once I get some good reference photos.


Rowhouse Chicago: 1900s through 1920s

After the 1890s it became much harder for me to find row houses.  Since this isn't exactly a scientific study, I might just be missing them, but it seems to be more than that...

My guess is that urban land became expensive enough to support the construction of larger apartment buildings with greater amenities (ballrooms, swimming pools, balconies) while other affluent buyers disappeared into the suburbs, where they could have as much space and privacy as they wanted.

Anyway, I'm hoping to add more examples from these decades as I find them.

For the LeClaire building, I had to restore a demolished unit using old survey photographs.  And I believe another unit has been demolished since I finished this drawing. It's unfortunate, since the variety of materials, colors, and styles really gave it a unique appearance.  Kind of like an instant village. 

On the 5300 block of South Wabash is this restrained example of a classical revival.  I had to restore some altered porches, balconies, and cornice sections to recapture its original appearance. 

Rowhouse Chicago: 1890s

Hands down, the 1890s were the decade of the most elaborate row houses, with an astounding combination of styles.  Here you have Queen Anne, Beaux Arts, and Classical Revival rows.  And they're never predictable; one style often borrows from another in ways that would make a purist blush.  This is a good example of learning the rules of color, texture, proportion, and rhythm, but not always using them in a traditional manner.

Rowhouse Chicago: 1880s

Perhaps the golden age of the Chicago row
house?  

Looking back on this entry, I can hardly believe it has just one sentence.  I was completely obsessed with creating these graphics, but not so much with exploring the history and architecture.  But maybe that's OK.  Sometimes the image triggers the research, and sometimes it doesn't.  Or maybe it stirs someone else's interest... But I remember being too burned out to sit in front of a computer when I wasn't being paid...  Maybe I should revisit some of these buildings, but it might be better just to move forward. 

I also thought these would be really popular online among the Chicago aficionados!  That was never the case.  Ha ha!                     

Rowhouse Chicago: 1870s

Some of the oldest row houses in Chicago, built soon after the Chicago Fire of 1871.  These have been drawn to represent their original appearance, as closely as I could determine. In the real world all have lost some structural or ornamental features. 


2300-2310 W. Monroe, 1871

1254-1262 W. Lexington, c.1875.



3712-3722 W. Cermak, c. 1875.