Smarthistory – A modern gem, the Reliance Building

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Reliance Building

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Question 1

Which of these features is not an aspect of the modern structural design of the Reliance Building?

A	Natural light-filled spaces, including a double height bottom floor with expansive windows, supplemented by electric lights throughout the interior.
B	The setbacks, or stepped recession in scale of the building at upper stories, which allow for increased height and more natural light to reach the street level.
C	Lightweight, mass-produced, and fire-resistant terracotta tiles that sit on a small steel shelf extending out from the exterior of the building.
D	A 14-story steel frame interior with no load-bearing exterior walls of brick or stone.

Question 2

Why does a steel frame enable architects to build taller buildings?

A	Steel is less likely than stone or brick to crack or break over time, making it sturdier and therefore safer for creating a taller building.
B	Steel weighs more than bricks and stone so the building will be more secure when exposed to the strong winds of Chicago; therefore, there is less risk in making the building taller.
C	Steel is stronger but weighs less than bricks and stones, making it more pliable and better able to withstand the high winds in Chicago; therefore, there is less risk in making a building with a steel frame taller.
D	A frame of steel beams evenly distributes the weight of the building across its interior; this makes it possible to add more stories without overtaxing the base level of the building.

Question 3

What is a curtain wall?

A	An exterior wall that has an undulating surface, like a cloth curtain, creating a dynamic appearance to the building.
B	A solid exterior wall with no windows, therefore no natural light enters the building from that side.
C	An exterior wall that is very flimsy, akin to cloth, and cannot withstand prolonged exposure to the elements to the same degree that stone and brick can.
D	An exterior wall that is not load-bearing, meaning it is not responsible for holding up the building.

Question 4

In what way does the Reliance Building NOT mirror the form and decoration of a classical Roman column?

A	The double height of the ground floor is akin to the base of the ancient column.
B	The carved tracery in the terracotta tiles on the Reliance’s exterior replicates the acanthus leaves of a Corinthian capital.
C	The long, fluted shaft of a Roman column is mimicked by the slender height of the Reliance’s exterior surface.
D	The slightly protruding cornice at the top of the building resembles the flat cap of a column’s capital.

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Key points

The 14-story Reliance Building is a prime example of the technical and stylistic advancements in urban architecture pursued by the First Chicago School during the late 19th century. The structure of this early skyscraper consists of only a steel interior frame with a thin exterior curtain wall of large windows and decorated terracotta tiles.
Steel became more widely available and affordable at this time and was tapped by architects as the core material for designing taller and taller buildings. This shift away from the height restrictions imposed by construction with load-bearing walls of brick or stone allowed Chicago firms to meet increased demand for public and commercial space in the quickly growing city.

Go deeper

Learn more about the Reliance Building from the Chicago Architecture Foundation.

Read newspaper accounts about the initial construction and evolution of the Reliance Building from 1883 to the present.

See how the Reliance Building was carefully restored.

Learn about the firm of Burnham and Root from the Encyclopedia of Chicago.

Learn more about the transition from load-bearing walls to steel frame construction from the Chicago Architecture Foundation.

Compare the Reliance Building to the Monadnock Building, designed in two parts by Burnham and Root (1891) and Holabird and Roche (1893)

Compare the Reliance Building with the Bayard-Condict Building (1897-97), an early skyscraper in New York City designed by the Chicago architect Louis Sullivan.

More to think about

The Reliance Building was considered to be the height of modernity in 1895. Think about the buildings in your community today, especially any public or commercial buildings you visit. Consider the materials they are made from, the experience of light in the space, the decoration, or other features. Which of these elements can you link to the First Chicago School and which ones feel distinct? How much can you see the impact of the First Chicago School in the built environment today?

Which structural and design features in architecture are most compelling to you and why? See how your ideas align (or not) with your classmates.

Smarthistory images for teaching and learning:

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A modern gem, the Reliance Building

Test your knowledge with a quiz

Reliance Building

Key points

Go deeper

More to think about

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