24 Apr collection of important chicago-centric inland architect press halftones join bld. 51 museum archive

bld. 51 archive has recently obtained a large collection of original period halftone images from inland architect press, featuring chicago buildings from the late 19th century. some examples from the collection are displayed below.

established in 1883, the publication was a cornerstone of the architectural world, chronicling the rise of the skyscraper and the development of the prairie school it served as a vital forum for legendary architects like frank lloyd wright and louis sullivan 

key details & historyhistorical impact: it gained prominence by reporting on the rebuilding of chicago following the great fire of 1871. aia partnership: for many years, the magazine was associated with the chicago chapter of the american institute of architects (aia). publication suspension: due to a construction industry slump and financial difficulties, the magazine suspended publication in october 1993. collector interest: vintage issues are considered valuable architectural records, with first editions often found on sites like abebooks or at local chicago dealers like urban remains. archives: extensive digital archives of the original inland architect and news record (1887–1908) are maintained by the smithsonian libraries and the hathitrust digital library 

images courtesy of eric j. nordstrom, bldg. 51, and the bld. 51 museum collection.