Midcentury High-rises | Mies + the "Second Chicago School"

Sometimes, less is more. 

In mid-century Chicago, Mies and his disciples made lasting statements on the skyline. Their elegant and minimalist designs were powerful unions of steel and glass. The impact of the work from this so-called "Second Chicago School" still resonates.

This print--an 11" x 14" giclée on heavyweight, archival paper (285gsm)--celebrates a selection of the buildings that represent that school and era. 

About the process: Phil drew the buildings in pen and ink, then scanned and assembled them, before coloring them with digital brushes. He used his photos of the sky over Chicago and Lake Michigan to form a collage as homage to those Mies used to make to help him (and clients) visualize spaces.   

This print was created in collaboration with Docomomo US (Chicago chapter) for the occasion of the 2020-21 Docomomo US National Symposium.  Their mission is to "increase the awareness of regional Modern Movement resources through education, documentation, conservation, and advocacy." For more information, please visit their website here.