03 Nov exterior french art deco terra cotta detail photographic survey of b. leo steif’s 18-story 10 west elm street apartment building (1928)
exterior detail photographic survey of b. leo steif’s 18-story art deco style 10 west elm street apartment building (1928) located at 10 west elm street, chicago, il.
the richly colored spray-glazed terra cotta was fabricated by french modelers at the northwestern terra cotta company, chicago, il.
The 10 West Elm Street apartment building is an 18-story Art Deco skyscraper in Chicago, completed in 1928 and designed by B. Leo Steif & Company. Celebrated as Chicago’s first skyscraper with a multicolored facade, it is clad entirely in spray-glazed polychrome architectural terra cotta.
French artisans modeled its elaborate ornamentation, reflecting design trends popularized by the 1925 Paris Exposition. Bas-relief details include stylized peacocks, doves, female figures, and abstract fountains, with blue, green, yellow, orange, and earth-toned glazes fired directly into the clay.
A structural steel frame supports its 18 stories and lightweight decorative exterior.