With Tina’s theme — Interesting Architecture — for Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #173, our photos from a recent trip to Chicago couldn’t be more fitting. After all, this city of big shoulders, immortalized in Carl Sandburg’s poem “Chicago” sets the standard for skyscrapers, old and new buildings, artsy collections, and riverboat tours just begging you to look up in awe!
Hog butcher for the world,
Tool maker, stacker of wheat,
Player with railroads and the nation’s freight handler;
Stormy, husky, brawling,
City of big shoulders.
Carl Sandburg, “Chicago,” 1916
We found ourselves staring at interesting architecture the minute we drew open the drapes of our hotel room and faced the hugeness that was the John Hancock building, now dubbed 875 North Michigan Avenue. With its notable X-bracing, it defies imagination with its height of 1,128 feet towering above the city.

But after taking a Wendella architecture tour by boat, 875 North Michigan Avenue became just one of many. In looking up, we saw the best — unique renderings of some of the most interesting buildings in America. Yet no two structures were alike.
I give you Chicago. It is not London and Harvard. It is not Paris and buttermilk. It is American in every chitling and sparerib. It is alive from snout to tail.
H. L. Mencken
We began looking at the juxtaposition of buildings, layers of various decades of architecture one against another — like this shot of the Water Tower casting its shadow against a modern backdrop.

Small round towers housing gears and levers to control drawbridges contrasted nicely with taller, straighter, more slender renditions of useful yet elegant buildings in the background.

And we found a new love for modernity as our boat tour passed by what we originally thought were plain, modern pieces only to be amazed at reflections the buildings supported, It was an ever-changing show of light and shadows for all of us on the boat.

Further away from the city, we noted that any color became a foil for the giants — as this red fire department boat will attest.

And speaking of backdrops, look how these plain stalwarts provide the perfect staging for Alexander Calder’s Flamingo, installed in 1974 but looking every bit as modern as something created in our current year, 2021.

If we had to choose a favorite architectural gem, it might be this stellar trio of blue-hued buildings: the newly named St. Regis Chicago (formerly Wanda Vista Tower) that, upon completion, will house 360 penthouse residences and tower 1,198 feet into the air, allowing it to boast (rightfully so, of course) of its status as the third-tallest skyscraper in Chicago.
But it’s not just the height that bowled us over: We were in awe of the curves, the use of multiple blues on the windows, and the opening near the top that allows the wind to do its thing without toppling the building with its force.

I’d rather be a lamppost in Chicago than a millionaire in any other city.
William A. Hulbert
It’s a prince of a city. With notable examples of architecture and art at every turn.
Ah, yes. The city of Chicago.
Travel architecturally,
Rusha & Bert
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Rebecca Cuningham
Great quotes and photos!
Oh, the Places We See
Thanks so much. Chicago helped this week!!!
Rebecca Cuningham
We went to Milwaukee. Photos on Thursday. 🙂
Alison
Some beautiful buildings Rusha, I’ve never been to Chicago, certainly looks like the city of buildings. The blue ones are my favourite. Shame they keep changing the names of the buildings, the original ones are much better.
Oh, the Places We See
I agree about the names. I really think it’s not over. The naming is determined by the owner, and these things change hands!
Alison
I think some buildings retain their old names regardless!
Anne Sandler
What extraordinary examples of interesting architecture Rusha!
Oh, the Places We See
Thanks so much. I took these photos hurriedly. It would be a treat to be on a slower boat! Appreciate your comment.
Amy
What a remarkable series of Chicago architecture, Rusha! St. Regis Chicago, wow!!
Oh, the Places We See
These are marvelous examples, fir sure, of classy architecture. And the St Regis? You can buy a condo there. We’ll rent from you!!!!
Sylvia Bacon
Rusha, I love seeing these wonderful architectural pictures from Chicago! They bring back wonderful memories when we visited the city a few years ago. We also took the Wendella architecture boat tour through the city, bet I took over a hundred photos of the buildings. I’m ready to return! 😊
Oh, the Places We See
I really think I could take that tour again. So much to see and process. Our guide was very sharp, too!
WanderingCanadians
We visited Chicago a number of years ago and were blown away by the architecture. I guess the name windy city seems fitting?
Oh, the Places We See
Too funny! We were blown away figuratively as well!!!
Ana
Great post, Rusha! Love your images!
Oh, the Places We See
Thank so much. What a great city to photograph!!!
travelgarb
Great post! I’ve only seen Chicago from the air and it looked pretty stunning.
Oh, the Places We See
Come on down and then look up. The ‘scrapers will astound you!
Toonsarah
Excellent post and very apposite for me as I hope (fingers crossed!) to visit Chicago next September and one of those architecture tours is in the plans for that visit! I enjoyed your juxtapositions of old and new, and I love that St. Regis building 😀
Oh, the Places We See
So glad you’ve got Chicago on your bucket list. Can’t wait to see what you capture!
Toonsarah
It’s for a Virtual Tourist meeting that a member living near there will host. It should have happened in September 2020, we’re all keeping our fingers crossed for next year!
Oh, the Places We See
Here’s hoping it’ll happen!
Khürt Williams
I like the look of the St. Regis Chicago building.
Oh, the Places We See
Well, for a price, you could live there! A high price, as you might have guessed!
Sue
Wow, those are some skyscrapers!
Oh, the Places We See
And soooo many more!!!! Thx for taking a look!
Sue
Pleasure!
Pat
What a delightful post. I love Chicago and really miss the yearly visits that I took when I was working. Thanks for making my heart happy.
Oh, the Places We See
I’d love to do yearly visits! So much changes there —art exhibits, stores, etc. thanks for taking a look!
kzmcb
Cities aren’t usually my preference, but I do love geometry and shape, both of which you have provided in this post. Great photos.
Oh, the Places We See
Thanks so much. We love drives in the country as well as boat tours in the city. It’s just fun to see the difference and appreciate it all.
Tina Schell
LOL for that closing quote Rusha! And an architecture tour by boat – how fun and what a great idea! Loved your examples, especially those that juxtaposed the old and new. Wonderful compositions.
Oh, the Places We See
Thanks so much for your comments. We loved Chicago even though we had concerns over safety. But there’s much to see and do. We went anyway and would go again!!